Exercise shown to be as effective as second medication for depression patients

Many people who buy Paxil to control their depressive symptoms take another medication to supplement their treatment. Now, new findings suggest that simply getting more exercise may be as effective as these secondary medications when it comes to treating depression.

"Many people who start on an antidepressant medication feel better after they begin treatment, but they still don't feel completely well or as good as they did before they became depressed," said Dr. Madhukar Trivedi, professor of psychiatry and the study's lead author. "This study shows that exercise can be as effective as adding another medication."

He added that the findings are promising because most people would rather not have to take two separate medications for one condition.

The study lasted 12 weeks. All the patients who exercised as part of the investigation were able to achieve full depression remission within this timeframe.

Depression can be a difficult condition to treat. Medications that work for some people may not be effective in others. However, exercise may be one of the most important strategies, as it benefits just about anyone with the condition.