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A new study looking at genetic predispositions to muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness found that people who tend to have strong muscles have a lower risk of depression.<\/p>\n
Researchers found a stronger association among women than men.<\/p>\n
Experts say the key is to focus on lifting and strength training, but stress that aerobic exercise is still important and has health benefits.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Another reason why strength training is worth prioritizing is that it can lead to improved mental health. That’s the main conclusion from a new study on the effects of different types of physical fitness on the risk of depression.<\/p>\n
The research published in Affective Disorders Journal<\/em>no similar association was found with cardiorespiratory fitness, raising all sorts of questions. Of course, this study does not mean that current treatments for depression should be abandoned. or<\/em> Aerobic exercise focuses only on strength training. Alternatively, it can be a supplement to what you’re already doing.<\/p>\nSo why can building muscle help fight symptoms of depression? Experts break it down.<\/p>\n\nMeet the experts: <\/strong>Dr. Amy Taylor, study co-author and senior research fellow in the Department of Surgery and Targeted Interventions, University College London. Michael Brustein, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist in New York City. and Thea Gallagher, Ph.D., clinical associate professor of psychology at New York University Langone Health.<\/p>\nWhat did the research find?<\/strong><\/h2>\nFor the study, researchers analyzed data from more than 341,000 adults aged 37 to 73 from the UK Biobank, a long-term biomedical database.<\/p>\n\n\nRelated articles<\/span>The researchers then used a technique called Mendelian randomization to exploit natural genetic differences between people to test for associations. “Because these genetic differences are randomly assigned at birth, this method helps overcome problems common in observational studies, such as confounding (when other factors such as education or diet may explain an apparent association) and reverse causation (when the direction of the relationship is unknown),” explains study co-author Dr. Amy Taylor, senior research fellow in the Department of Surgery and Targeted Interventions at University College London. “Here, we applied this approach to examine whether genetic predispositions to increased strength and fitness are associated with mental health outcomes.”<\/p>\n
The researchers specifically looked at genetic variations associated with cardiovascular fitness and grip strength, which is used as a proxy for overall muscle strength. The team also looked at depression based on participants’ self-reported medical histories and hospital records, as well as specific symptoms of depression (measured through questionnaires), to better understand participants’ mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After analyzing the data, researchers found a significant association between higher grip strength and lower risk of depression. Specifically, for every 0.1kg increase in grip strength per kilogram of body weight, participants’ risk of depression was estimated to decrease by 14%. Researchers found no association between having genetic markers for cardiorespiratory fitness and lower risk of depression or depressive symptoms.<\/p>\n
Higher grip strength was also associated with a lower risk of certain depressive symptoms, such as a decreased ability to feel pleasure and changes in appetite. People with high grip strength also have a lower risk of depressed mood, extreme fatigue, and difficulty concentrating, all of which are associated with depression.<\/p>\n
Women had stronger ties than men.<\/h2>\n Interestingly, Taylor’s team says they found “clear differences” between women and men in the extent to which muscle strength was associated with certain symptoms of depression.<\/p>\n
For women, a 0.1kg increase in grip strength per kilogram of body weight was associated with a 33% lower risk of not finding pleasure in activities, a 30% lower risk of feeling depressed, and a 26% lower risk of having problems concentrating. “In men, we found no clear evidence that similar increases in grip strength were associated with these symptoms,” Taylor says.<\/p>\n
Why is muscle building effective for depression?<\/h2>\n Taylor said he was “somewhat surprised” that this particular study found little evidence that aerobic exercise can affect symptoms of depression, given that previous research has linked improved cardiorespiratory fitness to a lower risk of depression.<\/p>\n
She says it may reflect other factors, such as increased social support, which can prevent depression when doing aerobic exercise. Taylor also says that people are less likely to engage in physical activity or aerobic exercise when they are depressed, suggesting that reverse causation may be involved.<\/p>\n