Can exercise replace antidepressants, therapy? New study suggests yes

From running to yoga, exercise is found to significantly reduce depression and anxiety across all ages, according to a major review of over 1,000 trials

What if easing depression and anxiety did not always begin with a prescription, but with movement? A major new global analysis suggests that regular exercise can significantly reduce symptoms of both conditions, and in some cases work just as well as medication or talking therapies.

 

Published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the study titled Effect of exercise on depression and anxiety symptoms: systematic umbrella review with meta-meta-analysis examined data from 63 reviews covering more than 1,000 randomised trials and nearly 80,000 people. The researchers found that exercise led to a medium reduction in depression and a small-to-medium reduction in anxiety across age groups.

What did the global review find about exercise and mental health?

Depression and anxiety affect between 7 per cent and 25 per cent of the global population, with especially high rates among young people and women. Despite increased use of antidepressants and psychotherapy, prevalence has not fallen in line with expectations.

 

Previous research has hinted that exercise can help. But earlier reviews often focused only on adults or included people with chronic physical illnesses, making it harder to isolate the specific impact of exercise on mental health.

 

This new meta-meta-analysis, which is a review of meta-analyses, aimed to provide the clearest answer yet: Does exercise really reduce depression and anxiety across the lifespan, and which types work best?

 

The analysis found that for depression, people who exercised felt noticeably better than those who did not. For anxiety, exercise also helped, with clear but slightly smaller improvements.

 

The researchers highlighted that an average person engaging in structured exercise experienced meaningful symptom reduction compared with those who did not.

 

The researchers say these improvements were similar to those seen with medication and talking therapies.

 

For depression, longer programmes (over 24 weeks) showed particularly strong benefits. Moderate-intensity exercise also appeared highly effective.

 

For anxiety, however, shorter programmes of up to eight weeks and lower-intensity exercise were associated with the greatest reductions.

Which types of exercise are most effective for depression and anxiety?

According to the study, aerobic exercise such as brisk walking, running, cycling or swimming showed the strongest effects for both depression and anxiety.

 

Resistance training (strength work), mind–body practices such as yoga and tai chi, and mixed exercise programmes also produced significant improvements.

 

The study also found that for depression, group-based and supervised exercise programmes showed stronger effects than individual or unsupervised activity. The authors suggest that social connection, accountability and shared motivation may amplify the psychological benefits.

Who benefits most from exercise-based mental health support?

Exercise worked across all age groups, from children to older adults. But the strongest effects for depression were seen among:

• Emerging adults aged 18–30
• Postnatal women

According to the study, postnatal women, in particular, showed substantial improvements, highlighting exercise as a potentially low-risk, accessible support during a vulnerable life stage. This is especially important given the high prevalence of postpartum depression globally.

Can exercise be a first-line treatment for depression and anxiety?

The authors conclude that exercise is cost-effective, accessible and biologically plausible, stimulating neurobiological mechanisms such as increased brain-derived neurotrophic factors, molecules that support neural growth and resilience.

 

Given rising mental health burdens and treatment gaps worldwide, the argument is compelling. Exercise does not replace medication or therapy in every case, severe conditions require professional care, but it may deserve equal clinical confidence.

 

So, if you are experiencing low mood or anxiety, the study suggests that movement is an evidence-based intervention.