From the Desk of a Doctor Newsletter
🏃 Exercise May Be as Effective as Antidepressants for Depression
Most people think of exercise as something you do for your body.
But a major new review suggests it may belong in the same conversation as antidepressants and therapy when it comes to treating depression.
A 2026 Cochrane review (PMID: 41500513) of 73 studies involving nearly 5,000 people found that exercise may be as effective as antidepressants and psychological therapy for reducing symptoms of depression.
The Study
Researchers from the University of Lancashire analyzed 73 randomized controlled trials involving nearly 5,000 adults diagnosed with depression.
The studies compared exercise against no treatment, psychological therapy, and antidepressant medication. The findings were published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
The Findings
✅ Exercise produced a moderate reduction in depressive symptoms compared with no treatment or a control condition
✅ When compared with psychological therapy, exercise showed a similar effect, based on moderate-certainty evidence from ten trials
✅ When compared with antidepressant medication, exercise also showed a similar effect
✅ Exercise was just as acceptable to patients as other treatments, with similar completion rates across groups
✅ Side effects from exercise were uncommon and affected only a small number of participants
What Is Actually Happening
Exercise is not simply a distraction from depressive symptoms. It appears to work on some of the same underlying biological systems that antidepressants and therapy target.
Exercise reduces systemic inflammation, which has been linked to the development and persistence of depressive symptoms
It improves mitochondrial function, supporting the cellular energy production that underlies brain function and mood regulation
It helps balance neurotransmitter activity, including the same serotonin and dopamine pathways targeted by many antidepressant medications
It increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that supports the growth and survival of neurons in mood-regulating brain regions
Together these mechanisms suggest that exercise isn't just "good for you" in a general wellness sense. It is interacting directly with the same biological pathways that drive depression itself.
Why This Matters
Depression affects more than 280 million people worldwide, and access to therapy and medication is not universal. Cost, availability, side effects, and stigma all create real barriers to care.
Exercise, by comparison, is low-cost, widely accessible, and comes with additional physical health benefits rather than the side effect profile that often accompanies medication. This review doesn't suggest exercise should replace antidepressants or therapy for everyone. But it does suggest exercise deserves to be treated as a legitimate frontline option, not an afterthought recommended only once other treatments have been tried.
Takeaway
For many people struggling with depression, exercise may be the first line of defense, not the last resort. If you're dealing with depression, talk to your doctor about incorporating movement into your treatment plan. Start small. Even 20 to 30 minutes of walking can make a difference.
— Dr. Myro Figura, M.D.
|
About the Author
I’m Dr. Myro, a board-certified doctor and med school educator who somehow ended up with over 6 million followers watching my science videos on
YouTube,
Instagram,
TikTok,
and Facebook.
I’ve published 60+ scientific abstracts and even written a book, but this newsletter is my favorite project. Here I get to share the good stuff — simple, actionable health tips delivered twice a week. Happy to have you here.
|
Send this to a friend so they can subscribe