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04/07/08

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Almost 19 million Americans are thought to suffer from depressive disorders. Not to mention only 23 percent of individuals with clinical depression seek treatment, only 10 percent of which receive adequate care. However, researchers may have discovered a new "drug" for depression most anyone can take advantage of and utilize: Exercise.

In a study, which involved 80 adults aged 20 to 45 years who were diagnosed with mild to moderate depression, researchers looked at exercise alone to treat the condition and found:

	Depressive symptoms were cut almost in half in those individuals who participated in 30-minute aerobic exercise sessions, three to five times a week after 12 weeks
	Those who exercised with low-intensity for three and five days a week showed a 30 percent reduction in symptoms
	Participants who did stretching flexibility exercises 15 to 20 minutes three days a week averaged a 29 percent decline

The results of this study are similar to that of other studies, which involved patients with mild or moderate depression being treated with antidepressants or cognitive therapy -- proving patients need not rely on drugs to treat depression.

American Journal of Preventive Medicine January 2005;28(1):1-8 (Free Full-Text Article)

Medical News Today January 24, 2005.

Studies indicated that mice treated with Prozac (fluoxetine) early in life grow up to be adults with depression problems. It is unknown whether or not these results will be the same in humans; however, researchers are concerned that such antidepressant drugs might carry risks that don't surface until later in life.

Also, researchers suggest that an immature nervous system responds very differently to antidepressant drugs than a mature nervous system does.

It was found that mice injected with Prozac as newborns were more intimidated by new surroundings, than the mice that weren't injected.

In addition to the risks posed to young children taking Prozac and other SSRI drugs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), there are also apprehensions regarding the risks presented to unborn babies.

Some studies have suggested such medications may cause subtle neurological changes in developing fetuses. In fact, a group of researchers found that babies exposed to SSRIs in the womb are less sensitive to pain, have altered sleep patterns and a higher occurrence of tremors.

Also, research has indicated that chemicals in antidepressant drugs can cause crucial damage to the developing brain.

New Scientist October 26, 2004

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