People with depression or anxiety are twice as likely to reap health benefits from regular exercise, study finds
- Scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital tracked exercise regimens of 50,000
- Doing 150 minutes of exercise a week reduces the risk of heart attack by 17% overall
- But for those who had been diagnosed with depression or anxiety, it was 22%
- Scientists said any amount of exercise could improve levels of heart health
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people with depression or anxiety are twice as likely to get health benefits from regular exercise, a study suggests.
The researchers tracked the exercise regimens of more than 50,000 people in their 50s, up to a third of whom were diagnosed with the conditions.
Overall, those who exercised moderately for 150 minutes a week were 17 percent less likely to have a heart attack or blocked coronary artery within two years compared to people who exercised less frequently.
But people who were depressed or anxious reaped the most benefit, seeing a 22 percent lower risk compared to 10 percent in those without either condition.
Depressed and anxious people can suffer from chronic inflammation due to the stress placed on their body.
This can lead to hardening of the arteries, putting someone at higher risk for heart problems later on.
But scientists say exercise can help ease these symptoms by triggering the release of endorphins, “feel-good” hormones, which can lift people’s moods and reduce inflammation.
The researchers tracked the exercise regimens of more than 50,000 people in their 50s, a third of whom were diagnosed with the conditions. (archive image)
Anxiety and depression are among the most common mental health problems in the UK, affecting around one in 12 people each week.
A total of 4.8 million Britons live with the conditions, estimates suggest, while in the US it is around 22 million.
Chronic stress can raise levels of the hormone cortisol in the blood, which can lead to a faster heartbeat and high blood pressure, risk factors for heart disease.
In the latest study, to be presented next week at the American College of Cardiology’s annual conference in Washington DC, scientists pulled data from 50,000 patients in the Mass General Brigham Biobank who had an average age of 59.
Of the participants, 4,000, or eight percent of the total — had a heart attack, chest pain caused by a blocked artery, or had a procedure to open a blocked artery within two years.
The scientists first looked at patients who exercised for 150 minutes or more per week, which is the level recommended by the NHS.
They then classified the patients into groups: those with a diagnosis of anxiety or depression and those without.
They found that people with mental health problems who got 150 minutes of exercise, which could include brisk walking, biking, rock climbing or playing tennis, were 22% less likely to have one of the heart conditions than other people with anxiety or depression. diagnosis that exercised less frequently.
This was more than double the benefit seen in people who did not have anxiety or depression.
Hadil Zureigat, a heart disease researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital who led the study, said: “The effect of physical activity on the brain’s stress response may be particularly relevant in those with stress-related psychiatric conditions.”
“This does not suggest that exercise is only effective in people with depression or anxiety, but we did find that these patients appear to derive greater cardiovascular benefit from physical activity.”
She added: ‘Any amount of exercise is helpful, particularly for those with depression or anxiety.
“Physical activity will not only help you feel better, it will also powerfully reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
“It can be difficult to make the transition, but once it’s achieved, physical activity allows people with these common stress-related chronic psychiatric conditions to kill two birds with one stone.”
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