CANBERRA – Exercise doesn’t just affect the muscles and the heart and blood vessels, but affects every part of the body, from the immune system to the brain to the energy systems inside the body’s cells to mental health. Conversely, according to a new study, it could be the primary treatment for depression and other health conditions. Generic psychotropic drugs are more effective than prescription drugs.

According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of South Australia (Unisa) and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, exercise can relieve mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress through physical activity.

According to their investigation, exercise was 1.5 times more effective than counseling and medication, and the study found that exercise for 12 weeks or less reduced psychiatric symptoms.

“Research shows that you don’t need a lot of exercise to make a positive change in your mental health,” says the university’s clinical exercise physiologist.

Mental disorders are a major cause of health problems worldwide.

Previous studies have found that patients with depression, anxiety, or other forms of mental distress can benefit from physical activity just as much as psychotherapy or drug therapy.

“Physical activity is known to help improve mental health, but despite the evidence, it is not widely accepted as a first-choice treatment,” says Singh.

The research team extracted all eligible studies published before 2022 from 12 electronic databases. Overall, they analyzed 97 reviews covering 1,039 trials with more than 128,119 participants.