Sometimes, Exercise as Effective as Taking Drugs

[Nelson Vergel]

For the current study, the researchers analyzed the results of 305 randomized controlled trials involving 339,274 individuals and found no statistically detectable differences between exercise and drug interventions for secondary prevention of heart disease and prevention of diabetes.

Among stroke patients, exercise was more effective than drug treatment, while in congestive heart failure diuretic drugs were more effective than all other types of treatment, including exercise.

The authors point out that the amount of trial evidence on the mortality benefits of exercise is considerably smaller than that on the benefits of drugs, and this may have had an impact on their results. Of the nearly 340,000 cases analyzed, only 15,000 patients had had exercise-based interventions.

The researchers argue in the paper that this “blind spot” in available scientific evidence “prevents prescribers and their patients from understanding the clinical circumstances where drugs might provide only modest improvement but exercise could yield more profound or sustainable gains in health.”

http://www.biosciencetechnology.com...51&et_rid=449166332&location=top#.Ukxz84asjZE

 

[robs2nd75]

Exercise is amazingly effective for treating depression. Very interesting research in the UK concluded that for mild depression exercise is in fact more beneficial than psychotropic medications.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Yes, too bad it is like a catch 22. When people are depressed they do not feel like exercising. I have suffered from deep depression in the past and the gym was one of my salvations. I always walked in not happy to be there but left feeling a bit more empowered and in control.