Depressed? Take a Walk.
A few weeks ago I wrote about Acomplia, a drug manufactured by Sanofi-Aventis that was being considered by the FDA for its weight loss benefits. It had been identified as a drug with serious potential side effects, including anxiety, insomnia and depression. Since I wrote the article, the FDA panel of independent experts responsible for its review has unanimously recommended that the agency not approve its sale in the United States. Sanofi-Aventis removed its application and it’s now unlikely we’ll see this drug in the US market. I feel like this news is a double-edged sword; on the one had, the thousands of people dealing with obesity that would have benefited from this drug are now unlikely to get the kind of radical help they may need to lose the weight, while on the other, misuse of the drug is now unlikely, at least here.
I also mentioned that any pill that assists people in weight loss is unlikely to motivate them to exercise. Well, first, I’m happy to say that I’m starting to get back into my own exercise regiment and I’m feeling great. Second, a small study conducted by Dr. Alessandra Pilu of the University of Cagliari in Italy and co-investigators indicate that exercise may be beneficial for weight loss and as a treatment for depression. The article on the study, released by Reuters on Thursday, can be found by clicking here.
The study included 30 women aged 40 to 60 who were being treated for severe depression using medication. The group was randomly assigned to a regular exercise regiment in addition to their treatment or to using the antidepressants alone. At then end of the 8 month study, the women using antidepressants in addition to their exercise routine showed a marked improvement in their depression over the other group in the study.
From my own experience, I always feel better when I exercise regularly, regardless of whether my motivation is weigh loss. As I’ve told many people before, my feeling about running pretty much sums it up: I loathe the act of running, but the feeling I have when I finish is worth every bit of pain I went through. In fact, those who run on a regular basis and for great distances often speak of a “runner’s high”, which is likely some response in the body’s brain chemistry to intense physical exercise, perhaps dating back to an earlier time in human development that was used in order to outrun predators.
I’d like to see more scientific studies conducted around exercise to better understand its benefits, and something that more comprehensively determines the best types of exercise for different people. Exercise is effective as a weight loss tool, but clearly this study shows that there is uncovered potential as a treatment as well. There has long been indications of the benefit of a long-term regimen of exercise, but why not study it as intently as you would a new weight-loss drug?
The Surgeon General’s web site has a number of resources concerning steps that people can take in order to promote a healthier body through weight control and exercise. In addition, there’s an interesting blogging site I found called the Diet Blog, a site dedicated to both health and wellness through good diet and exercise. Finally, in a recent technology seminar I attended, I saw a demonstration of a new site called “Diettelevision,” which allows you to custom select a diet type AND exercise regiment that work according to your particular preferences. All of them seem to be excellent resources to promote personal health.
For now, I’m going to lace up my sneakers and pop in a movie while I take a walk on my elliptical machine, and probably go to the beach tomorrow and get a great walk in on the sand. Both activities are immensely enjoyable to me, and I can now enjoy them both for their benefit in controlling my weight and in controlling depression. I hope new studies continue to appear to show new benefits of exercise, and you’re able to leverage it for your own good health.
