Exercise, Anxiety and Depression: Researchers show that exercise is the best medicine?

By Dr. Frank Yap, MD -
In the world of Instagram and young adults, the new buzzword is Anxiety. That of course makes all sorts of sense, as for almost two years we’ve been living in an anxiety-provoking pandemic. How should we be treating Anxiety? It turns out that a new study shows that intense exercise is the best medicine. Let’s dig in.

Credit: Kaiser Family Foundation

While 1 in 4 adults was reporting this issue before the pandemic, that has jumped to 4 in 10 adults by January of 2021. On social media, you also can’t get away from the word “anxiety” as it’s all over the place including all sorts of ways to treat it from drugs to THC/CBD. However, Is there a better way?

Effects of exercise on symptoms of anxiety in primary care patients: A randomized controlled trial (Henriksson 2022)

Researchers in Sweden performed a randomized controlled trial comparing various types of exercise versus a therapy session for the treatment of Anxiety (1). 223 patients were randomized to a control talk therapy session, low-intensity exercise, or moderate/high-intensity exercise. The results are shown nicely by this graph:

As you can see, the moderate/high-intensity exercise group produced the best results. How good? Most participants had scores that corresponded to moderate to severe Anxiety and moderate Depression at baseline. Their anxiety levels after the exercise programs corresponded to mild Anxiety and Depression.

What was also fascinating about this study is that many of the participants had chronic Anxiety/depression with the majority reporting a decade or more of issues and many being on prescription medications. Just under a third of the patients were disabled due to Anxiety or Depression and receiving benefits from the Swedish government. Meaning, this was not a group of patients who suddenly reported a stressful situation, but instead were suffering for a long time.

What Type of Exercise Worked the Best?

The intensity of exercise was measured with the moderate/high-intensity group achieving 60–94% of maximal heart rate. To translate, here are the heart rates they aimed for:

Young (under 30): 114-179 bpm (average 146)

Middle Aged (30-50): 108-169 bpm (average 139)

Older (50-70): 96-150 bpm (average 123)

Elderly (70+): 87-136 bpm (average 112)

I would use the average bpm (beats per minute) number reported above as your heart rate target. That means wearing a heart rate monitor or similarly equipped smartwatch during your workout and increasing your activity until you hit your goal or come close to it.

The exercise program was designed as circuit training with 12 stations and the circuit was repeated twice per session. Cardiovascular exercises included step-ups, lunges, jump rope, burpees, step touches side-to-side and step-touches on step boards. Resistance training exercises included squats, abdominal plank position, hip lifts, crunches, row exercises, and push-ups. The training session lasted for one hour including 10 min of warm-up exercises and 5 min for cool-down and stretching.

Commentary

I am seeing an explosion in young adults (my patients) using THC products to treat Anxiety. While this is likely better than prescription drugs like Valium, it’s also not nearly as good as exercise. Why? In my clinical experience, THC (marijuana products) often make patients amotivational. Studies also suggest this is the case (2). In addition, we now know that using THC dramatically increases the anesthesia requirements for medical procedures, making them more dangerous (3). In addition, THC users have worse sleep and poorer pain control after procedures.

While marijuana products are perceived by young adults as being natural, in reality, THC is a drug just like Digitalis which is derived from the foxglove plant and then made into a prescription medication to treat heart failure (4). Hence taking a drug because you’re anxious which reduces motivation and makes you a harder patient to treat is a problem. Exercise should be the “go-to” treatment for Anxiety. If you can’t exercise, then talk therapy would be the next best thing until we can get your pain under control with Interventional Orthobiologics.

The upshot? Exercise is the best medicine for Anxiety and Depression. If you can’t exercise, then getting a good therapist to help you talk it out is a great idea. Also getting treated so you can exercise is a solid plan. Your LAST choice should be drugs like THC, anti-anxiety medications, or anti-depressants.

References:

(1) Henriksson M, Wall A, Nyberg J, Adiels M, Lundin K, Bergh Y, Eggertsen R, Danielsson L, Kuhn HG, Westerlund M, David Åberg N, Waern M, Åberg M. Effects of exercise on symptoms of anxiety in primary care patients: A randomized controlled trial. J Affect Disord. 2022 Jan 15;297:26-34. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.10.006. Epub 2021 Oct 10. Erratum in: J Affect Disord. 2021 Dec 3;: PMID: 34644619.

(2) Pacheco-Colón I, Limia JM, Gonzalez R. Nonacute effects of cannabis use on motivation and reward sensitivity in humans: A systematic review. Psychol Addict Behav. 2018;32(5):497-507. doi:10.1037/adb0000380

(3) Alexander JC, Joshi GP. A review of the anesthetic implications of marijuana use. Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). 2019;32(3):364-371. Published 2019 May 21. doi:10.1080/08998280.2019.1603034

(4) Chaggar PS, Shaw SM, Williams SG. Is foxglove effective in heart failure? Cardiovasc Ther. 2015 Aug;33(4):236-41. doi: 10.1111/1755-5922.12130. PMID: 25925484.

Original Article: https://regenexx.com/blog/exercise-is-the-best-medicine-for-anxiety-and-depression/


Related: 

Comments

Post a Comment

Labels

Show more

Archive

Show more

Popular posts from this blog

12 Types of Zinc Supplementation and Absorption 2024

By Dr. Frank Yap, MD -
Image
Zinc is a powerful immune nutrient known for its benefits for providing immune health support and anti inflammation as well as for improving cold and respiratory symptoms, wound healing, acne reduction, and lowering the risk of age-related diseases. Research on atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus suggests that zinc deficiency may contribute to low-grade systemic inflammation. Types of Zinc What's the best absorbed zinc supplement form?  We know there’s an ocean of information out there to navigate, so we’ve compiled a list of common zinc types and an overview on each zinc type below. There are several types of zinc supplements. Supplements contain several forms of zinc, including zinc gluconate, zinc citrate and zinc picolinate. The percentage of elemental zinc varies by form.  Choosing a zinc supplement can be confusing because there are so many different types. zinc acetate zinc angstro
Read more

Fenbendazole Cancer Success Stories and Treatment Testimonials: Case Series (2024)

By Dr. Frank Yap, MD -
Image
The inspiring testimonials (below) you are about to read are shared by individuals who have generously recounted their remarkable journeys with the hope of motivating and uplifting fellow patients. It’s essential to acknowledge that while these case studies offer incredible hope, the Fenbendazole protocol isn’t a universal solution. Related:  Best Anti Cancer Supplements Below is the list categorised by different cancer types alphabetically. Fenbendazole Breast Cancer Success Stories December, 2022 Condition: Stage 4 ER+PR+HER2- Metastatic Breast Cancer to bones A friend told me about the Joe Tippens Protocol and ivermectin the day after I got my diagnosis for a third bout with breast cancer. I started both immediately. I saw my oncologist a week later. She added Faslodex, Kisqali, and Femara. She supported me added the JTP and the ivermectin. In 8 weeks I was in remission as measured by my CA2729. At week 11, a PET scan showed NED. Which of the protocol components
Read more

Fenbendazole vs Mebendazole: What is the Difference?

By Dr. Frank Yap, MD -
Image
Fenbendazole for Humans Fenbendazole (also known as fenben) is a veterinary medication used to treat parasites and worms such as tapeworms, hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms, in animals. It is commonly used under brand names like Panacur C and Safe-Guard. Recently, researchers have been experimenting with fenbendazole for humans cancer. Though the studies are limited, what researchers have found so far is promising for cancer patients. Many cancer patients have been following the Fenbendazole for cancer Protocol . However, fenbendazole isn’t the only worming medication that has the potential to fight cancer. Researchers have also been studying how Mebendazole, a drug that can treat worms in humans, could be just as, or even more, effective at shrinking tumors and killing cancer cells. Here’s what you need to know about each of these medications: Fenbendazole vs. Mebendazole Fenbendazole is part of a larger group of drugs known as benzimidazole, which are anthelmintic dr
Read more

Lumbrokinase vs Nattokinase vs Serrapeptase: What's the Difference?

By -
Image
Lumbrokinase, nattokinase, and serrapeptase are all enzymes that have been studied for their potential health benefits. They are all considered as proteolytic enzymes. Proteolytic enzymes have a variety of roles in the body, from helping to digest food to taking part in the immune response. What is Lumbrokinase? Lumbrokinase (LK) is an enzyme derived from earthworms is thought to aid in blood clot prevention, inflammation reduction, and circulation problems.  Lumbrokinase for Blood Clots Thrombolytic agents typically used to dissolve clots are urokinase (u-PA), streptokinase, and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA). These drugs, however, are not specific for fibrin and have adverse and dangerous side effects including severe bleeding and heavy blood loss which may result in death. In contrast, LK is very specific to fibrin as a substrate and it does not cause excessive bleeding. It can dissolve the fibrin itself or convert plasminogen to plasmin by inducing endogenous t-PA activity to
Read more

How to Detox Spike Protein After COVID - Dr Mercola

By Dr. Frank Yap, MD -
Image
The spike protein is naturally found in SARS-CoV-2, no matter the variant. In its native form in SARS-CoV-2, the spike protein is responsible for the pathologies of the viral infection. As of October 30, 2023, federal  data  published by the US CDC found that 14.3% (National Estimate) of adults who previously had a COVID-19 infection are currently experiencing symptoms of long COVID.  In its wild form it’s known to open the blood-brain barrier, cause cell damage (cytotoxicity) and, as Dr. Robert Malone, the inventor of the  mRNA and DNA vaccine core platform technology , said in a commentary on  News Voice , “is active in manipulating the biology of the cells that coat the inside of your blood vessels — vascular endothelial cells, in part through its interaction with ACE2, which controls contraction in the blood vessels, blood pressure and other things.” It’s also been revealed that the spike protein on its own is enough to cause inflammation and damage to the vascular system, even i
Read more

NAC vs NAD vs NR vs NMN? What are the Differences?

By Dr. Frank Yap, MD -
Image
NAC vs NAD vs NR vs NMN ? Due to the small alphabetical differences, these supplements are often mixed up and confused by most consumers. We will cover the essentials and explain about each of these supplements below. NAD NAD is derived from Nicotinamide Riboside (NR). The levels of NAD in our body determine the speed of aging process. In younger cells and tissues, the levels of NAD are higher. As a result, younger people tend to have better physical activity, cognitive function and potential for cell repair and regeneration. As we grow, the levels of NAD in our body start to decline. This is reflected in the form of slowed cognitive response, loss of memory and reduced agility. Research suggests it may be possible to reverse mitochondrial decay with dietary supplements that increase cellular levels of a molecule called NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide).  NAD is a linchpin of energy metabolism, among other roles, and its diminishing level with age has been implicated in mitochond
Read more

How Linoleic Acid Wrecks Your Health (2024) - Dr Mercola

By Dr. Frank Yap, MD -
Image
The majority of Americans might be misled by official health recommendations to eat “healthy” vegetable oils. Even the term “vegetable oil” is misleading because it gives you the impression that you are receiving vegetable micronutrients when these oils are actually highly toxic, industrially-processed seed oils. Seed oils are some of the most dangerous items you could eat. Tucker Goodrich and Dr Mercola discussed what will be the topic of Dr Mercola's next book, namely linoleic acid (LA), which he believed is likely the leading contributing cause of virtually all chronic diseases we've encountered over the last century. Unfortunately, this is a topic that most clinicians and health care practitioners who focus on natural medicine have only a superficial understanding of.   Goodrich has a business background as a stockbroker and asset manager, and developed an IT risk management system used by two of the largest hedge funds in the w
Read more

FLCCC I-MASK+ Protocol for COVID-19

By Dr. Frank Yap, MD -
Image
FLCCC (Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care) I-MASK+ Protocol I-MASK+ Prevention & Early Outpatient Treatment Protocol for COVID-19 was designed for use as a prevention and in early outpatient treatment, for those who test positive for COVID-19. Component nutrients include vitamin D, C, melatonin, quercetin and zinc . All the component medicines are FDA-approved (except ivermectin), inexpensive, readily available and have been used for decades with well-established safety profiles. Please take note that I-MASK+ protocols are now: I-PREVENT protocol for prevention (prophylaxis) I-CARE protocol for early treatment . PREVENTION PROTOCOL As rates of infection with influenza and RSV rose in fall/winter 2022, FLCCC adapted th
Read more

The Key to Reversing All Autoimmune Diseases - Dr Mercola

By Dr. Frank Yap, MD -
Image
It has been estimated that over 54.4 million people in the United States have an autoimmune disease  ( R ).   Some of the major ones would be rheumatoid arthritis (RA), multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's and ulcerative colitis. Since I have a massive clinical experience with RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis), I am going to use it as an example of how all autoimmune diseases can be treated. Why? Because they all have similar origins which are related to an antigen sneaking into your body and your immune system confusing it as a foreign invader. The antigen that gets into your system determines which of your body's tissues will be impacted. From the late 1980s and for the following 10 years, I treated over 3,000 patients with rheumatic illnesses, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), scleroderma, polymyositis and dermatomyositis. RA has a devastating prognosis in many patients. Rheumatoid arthritis affects about 1% of our population
Read more

How to Get Ivermectin in the US: Pharmacies (2023)

By Dr. Frank Yap, MD -
Image
To assist all who are having difficulty finding pharmacists to fill prescriptions for ivermectin for preventing or treating COVID-19, FLCCC offer the following list of pharmacies that have assured us that they will fill these off-label prescriptions. Note: Ivermectin is often recognized – 2nd to penicillin – for having the greatest impact on human health. And its discovery won the Nobel Prize in 2015. Ivermectin has an increasing list of indications due to its antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, and is included on the  WHO’s Model List of Essential Medicines .  Several studies reported antiviral effects of ivermectin on RNA viruses such as Zika, dengue, yellow fever, West Nile, Hendra, Newcastle, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, chikungunya, Semliki Forest, Sindbis, Avian influenza A, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome, Human immunodeficiency virus type 1, and COVID 19 virus. Ivermectin also offer potential benefits in addressing conditions such as  cance
Read more