The data showed that increasing physical activity and lowering sedentary time was helpful for conditions such as dementia and depression, and that isn’t a big surprise. Some studies have shown that exercise is as effective against depression as medications.
To understand why exercise may be so helpful, it’s important to note that some researchers are starting to think of depression as not just one condition, but a collection of subtypes with different causes.
About 25% to 30% of people with major depressive disorder may fall under the immunometabolism subtype, which is characterized by inflammation and altered metabolic function.
Exercise may help to regulate the metabolic function and lower the inflammation behind this subtype of depression.
“That could be an effective way to treat patients with this particular subtype,” Researcher indicated.
