Font Resize
At age 16, Heather Troupe received a diagnosis of chronic severe depression and a prescription for an antidepressant. Eight years and 20 pounds later, she was sleeping poorly, felt a lot of anxiety and had lost her therapist because of insurance complications. Looking to "fix herself," as Troupe of Knoxville, Tenn., put it, she began using an elliptical machine every day at the gym, hoping to sweat away what was ailing her.
Today, Troupe, 33, has been medication-free for nine years and credits her daily exercise habits with helping her achieve mental health. "Exercise has been the biggest piece of the puzzle for me," says Troupe, who is now a fitness instructor. "It's a place for me to funnel all that extra energy — energy that would otherwise turn into sadness or anxiety."
Likewise, Erika Howder of Arlington, Va., says exercise pulled her out of the postpartum depression she developed after having her first baby about 14 years ago. She made an appointment with a therapist for help just a few weeks after that birth, but while waiting for the date to arrive, she began to run on a treadmill. "I felt an improvement almost immediately," she says. "I know I could have tried meds, but most have side effects. Running gave me the antidepressant I needed without any other issues." She canceled her appointment and never looked back.
Troupe and Howder's experience has an apparent scientific basis. A new study by researchers at the University of California-Davis Medical Center found that exercise increased the level of the neurotransmitters glutamate and GABA, both of which are depleted in the brains of patients with depression and anxiety. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that allow the brain to communicate with the body.
Richard Maddock, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and lead author of the study, said he hopes the findings will encourage more doctors and patients to consider exercise as therapy for these two conditions. "It's becoming more accepted, but there hasn't been enough research in this area to make people confidant."
He noted in a statement explaining the study that "major depressive disorder is often characterized by depleted glutamate and GABA, which return to normal when mental health is restored. Our study shows that exercise activates the metabolic pathway that replenishes these neurotransmitters."
The study examined 38 healthy volunteers who rode stationary bicycles at a vigorous rate — about 85 percent of their maximum heart rate — for up to 20 minutes in three sessions.Using a type of advanced MRI scanning, the researchers measured GABA and glutamate levels in the brain immediately before and after the exercise sessions.
The scans showed significant neurotransmitter increases in parts of the brain that process visual information and help regulate heart rate, emotions and some cognitive functions. The gains trailed off after 30 minutes. For those participants who had exercised three or four times in the week leading up to the study, there was evidence of longer-lasting effects.
The researchers also scanned the brains of six people who did not exercise. No change in neurotransmitter levels was seen.
Article Comments