08/19/2018 / By Michelle Simmons
You may want to add weights to your regular workout routine, as the benefits of strength training go beyond the physical. New research published in the JAMA Psychiatry journal suggested that regular strength training may help fight off depression.
Researchers in the study looked at the results of 33 randomized, controlled trials on depression and strength training. In the paper, strength training was referred to as resistance exercise training. The study reviewed included more than 2,000 participants including males and females of different ages.
After analyzing the studies, the researchers discovered that resistance training dramatically cuts the incidence of depression. The analysis revealed that participants who were assigned to a weight training group had a lower risk of depression regardless of whether they had met a clinical cutoff for depression at the start of the study. Even after considering the participants’ age, gender, or improvements in muscle mass, the outcomes remained significant. This suggests that even participants who had physical changes due to strength training still saw improvements in mood.
Although the researchers did not look at how resistance training exactly wards off depression, study lead author Brett Gordon suggested that there are several psychological and physiological factors that could be responsible for the link. Gordon explained that psychological mechanisms could include the anticipation of enhanced mental health after exercise and social interaction and social support during exercise, although more research was needed to confirm the mechanism.
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Here are more reasons for you to add strength training to your workout routine:
Read more news stories and studies on warding off depression by reading BeatDepression.news.
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Tagged Under: brain health, depression, depression prevention, exercise benefits, fitness, strength training, weight lifting, weights, workout