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Resistance Training Reduces Depressive Symptoms
Weightlifting and muscle training significantly reduced depressive symptoms among adults regardless of their age and health status, the amount of training, and whether they grew stronger, researchers found in a meta-analysis.
The study, published online in JAMA Psychiatry, spanned 33 randomized clinical trials with more than 1800 participants.
The best improvement appeared to be in participants with mild or moderate depression, suggesting resistance training could be an alternative or add-on treatment option.
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“For general feelings of depression and the beginning phases of major depression, antidepressants and medications may not be very effective. There also is a shift toward finding options that do not require someone to start a drug regimen they may be on for the rest of their lives,” said researcher Jacob Meyer, PhD, assistant professor of kinesiology at Iowa State University in Ames.
“Understanding that resistance training appears to have similar benefits to aerobic exercise may help those wading through daunting traditional medication treatment options.”
The meta-analysis did identify smaller reductions in depressive symptoms in randomized clinical trials with blinded allocation or assessment. Better quality trials that compare resistance training with other proven treatments for depression are needed, researchers advised.
—Jolynn Tumolo
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