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Get This: Exercise Really Does Help Depression
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Researchers Create Exercise Guidelines to Beat Depression
You already know (and love!) that endorphin-fueled happy feeling you get after a really great workout. Past research has even shown that exercise can be successful in treating major depressive disorder. And now a new report published in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice, which is geared toward clinicians, outlines the necessary exercise “dose” for patients to reap the antidepressant effects.
Researchers at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center came up with clinical guidelines based on what’s worked in past studies, says senior study author Madhukar Trivedi, MD, of the department of psychiatry. Their recommendations: Patients should do aerobic exercise or resistance training (though there’s more research evidence to support the former) for 45 to 60 minutes three to five times per week. Aerobic exercise—running, biking, walking—should be at about 50 to 85 percent of max heart rate. For resistance—something like weight-lifting—the workouts should target both upper- and lower-body muscles, and intensity should be three sets of eight repetitions at 80 percent max. The regimen should last for at least 10 to 12 weeks. “It boils down to about 150 minutes per week of exercise at moderate intensity,” says Trivedi.
While these recommendations are based on what was shown to work in past studies that have looked at the link between exercise and depressive symptoms, that doesn’t necessarily mean other regimens won’t work. These are just helpful guidelines if you want to reap the full mood-boosting benefits of exercise.
And of course, if you’re experiencing depressive symptoms and would like to try exercise as treatment, make sure you’re doing so under the guidance of a clinician, says Trivedi.
photo: Jupiterimages/Comstock/Thinkstock
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The 411 on Pregnancy and Depression
Giving birth can be one of the most joyous occasions in a woman’s life—or, unfortunately for some women, one of the most depressing: Of 10,000 new mothers who took part in a recent study, fourteen percent screened positive for postpartum depression, according to a new study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.
To assess women’s odds of developing postpartum depression, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh arranged for 10,000 new mothers to receive a screening four to six weeks after giving birth. Clinicians asked each mother a series of 10 questions, all of which related to feelings of depression and/or thoughts of self-harm. Those who screened positive for postpartum depression or who had thoughts of self-harm were then offered an in-home evaluation from a psychiatrist or a telephone screening to determine a diagnosis.
Of the women who completed the evaluation, the vast majority said their depression-related symptoms didn’t start until after they had conceived: A whopping 40 percent started experiencing depression postpartum, while 33 percent said they first starting feeling depressed during pregnancy. Just 27 percent said they experienced symptoms of depression before conceiving, suggesting that, in most cases, there was a definite correlation between the pregnancy and the depression. Even more alarming? Almost 20 percent of the women also had suicidal thoughts.
It’s unclear why pregnancy-related depression occurs, says Dorothy Sit, MD, a psychiatrist at the University of Pittsburgh and one of the study authors. “The disruption in sleep and rest and maybe even nutrition could be factors that may contribute, but we just don’t know yet.”
The good news: There are a few things that can help prevent or at least treat pregnancy-related depression, says Sit. First and foremost, if you have a family or personal history of depression, consider beginning treatment—like seeing a psychotherapist or taking anti-depressant medication—immediately after giving birth, even before symptoms may appear.
Second, you may want to schedule a routine postpartum depression screening a few weeks after giving birth, says Sit. Even if you don’t have a formal screening, you should be on the lookout for possible signs of the condition. Red flags include coming down with a case of the blues, having difficulty falling asleep, suffering from a complete lack of energy, feeling especially anxious about things that never used to bother you, tearing up randomly, and feeling “meh” about things you used to enjoy, says Sit. If you can check off a few of these symptoms for 10 to 14 days straight, hightail it to your doctor, who will tailor a treatment plan to your specific needs.
It’s also helpful to get moral support from family and friends. Having people who are there for you may not necessarily prevent postpartum depression, but it can help ease the transition for all new mothers—particularly those with PPD, says Sit.
photo: Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Thinkstock
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The Surprising Supplement That Fights Depression in Women
Creatine isn’t just for muscle men. Turns out, the muscle-building dietary supplement can fight depression in the fairer sex.
A study from three South Korean universities and the University of Utah reports that taking 5 grams of creatine with a daily antidepressant helps women with major depression recover two times faster than those who take the antidepressant alone.
Will creatine help you battle depression? Consider these facts to find out:
What is creatine?
You may know creatine as a supplement used by bodybuilders and athletes to bulk up. However, it’s actually an amino acid that we all produce naturally and take in whenever we eat meat and fish. Our bodies convert creatine to a molecule called phosphocreatine, which is stored in our muscles and brain to help deliver instantaneous energy whenever we need it. Many muscly men take creatine for the energy to train harder and more often.
How does creatine work for depression?
One of the biggest symptoms of depression is mental fatigue. When suffering from depression, even the most routine tasks feel as impossible as getting the colors to line up on a Rubik’s cube. That’s where researchers believe creatine can help. By upping the brain’s levels of energy-revving phosphocreatine, it could help the brain do its job—from figuring out that Rubik’s cube to warding off depression—more easily, says Dr. Perry F. Renshaw, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry at the University of Utah medical school and senior author on the study. The effect has only been shown in women, and Renshaw believes female sex hormones are to thank. Still, more research is needed to pinpoint exactly how creatine does the job.
Does creatine improve symptoms of depression when it’s taken without antidepressants?
Tests perform on rats suggest that creatine can fight depression all on its own. “Rats love creatine more than Prozac,” says Renshaw, who believes the heightened levels of energy in the brain help them battle beady-eyed depression. Plus, creatine helps protect neural cells from death. So even if it doesn’t keep you smiling, it can keep you smarter. Previous studies have shown creatine to heighten people’s performance on mental tasks, Renshaw notes.
Will I bulk up from taking creatine?
If you’re taking creatine to reach your fitness goal, you’re probably throwing back 20 to 30 grams of creatine a day. However, the recommended depression-fighting dose is only 5 grams a day, which won’t cause most women to Hulk up. What’s more, creatine was shown to have little to no side effects in women during the study.
Where can I get creatine?
Flavored and unflavored creatine powders are readily available at GNC and other supplement shops. (They’re meant to be mixed with water and drank.) To play it safe for your stomach, take creatine—like any supplement—with a meal, Renshaw suggests. You can also up your creatine intake the ol’ fashioned way: Meat and fish contain high levels of the important amino acid. (There’s one explanation as to why vegetarians have higher rates of depression than their omnivore friends.)
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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