A new study that looked at genetic predispositions compared to muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness found that those with stronger muscles have a lower risk of depression.
The researchers found a stronger correlation for women than for men.
Experts say to focus on lifting and strength training, but stress that cardio is still important and offers health benefits.
Here’s another reason strength training might be worth prioritizing: It’s linked to better mental health. That’s the big insight from new research into the impact of different types of physical fitness on the risk of depression.
This research has been published in the journal Journal of Affective Disordersdid not find the same association for cardiorespiratory fitness, raising all kinds of questions. Of course, the research does not suggest that you abandon your current treatment for depression or Cardio should focus exclusively on strength training. Instead, it can be a supplement to what you already do.
So, why does building muscle help fight depression symptoms? Experts break it down.
Meet the experts: Amy Taylor, PhD, study co-author and senior research fellow in the Department of Surgery and Targeted Interventions at University College London; Michael Burstein, PsyD, a clinical psychologist in New York City; and Thea Gallagher, PsyD, clinical associate professor of psychology at NYU Langone Health.
What did the study find?
For the study, researchers analyzed data from more than 341,000 adults between the ages of 37 and 73 who participated in the UK Biobank, a long-term biomedical database.
The researchers then used a technique called Mendelian randomization to use natural genetic differences between populations to test for association. “Because these genetic differences are randomly assigned at birth, this method helps to resolve common issues in observational studies, such as confounding (where other factors such as education or diet may explain the apparent relationship) and causality (where it is not known what the direction of the relationship is),” explains Amy Taylor, senior researcher in the PhD department and research fellow. A targeted intervention at University College London. “Here, we used this approach to ask whether a genetic predisposition toward muscle strength and optimal fitness is associated with mental health outcomes.”
The researchers specifically looked at genetic variants associated with cardiorespiratory fitness and genetic variants associated with grip strength, which was used as a proxy for overall muscle strength. The team also looked at depression based on participants’ self-reported history and hospital records, along with specific symptoms of depression (measured from a questionnaire), to get a better sense of participants’ mental health.
After analyzing the data, the researchers found a significant correlation between higher grip strength and lower risk of depression. Specifically, for every 0.1 kg of grip strength gained per kilogram of body weight, participants were estimated to have a 14 percent lower risk of depression. They found no association between having genetic markers for cardiorespiratory fitness and a lower risk of depression or depressive symptoms.
Higher grip strength was also associated with a lower risk of some symptoms of depression, such as the ability to experience pleasure and changes in appetite. People with higher grip strength had a lower risk of depressed mood, more fatigue, and difficulty concentrating, all of which are associated with depression.
The relationship was stronger for women than for men
Interestingly, Taylor says her team found “clear differences” between women and men in how much muscle strength was associated with certain symptoms of depression.
In women, an increase in grip strength of 0.1 kg per kilogram of body weight was associated with a 33 percent lower risk of inability to find pleasure in activities, a 30 percent lower risk of depression, and a 26 percent lower risk of problems with concentration. “In men, we didn’t see clear evidence that a similar increase in grip strength was associated with these symptoms,” says Taylor.
Why can building muscle help with depression?
Taylor says she was “somewhat surprised” to find little evidence that cardio can affect depression symptoms in this particular study, given that previous studies have linked cardiorespiratory fitness to a lower risk of depression.
He says this may reflect other things at play, such as people getting more social support when they do cardio, which can protect against depression. Taylor also notes that the opposite can play a role, where depression makes you less likely to engage in physical activity and cardio.
But it’s also possible that having muscle strength acts as a “biological buffer” against feeling sluggish or finding joy in activities you love, says Michael Brustein, PsyD, a clinical psychologist in New York City.
“Cardio is mostly a sport of endurance—ability to resist Or by day, he says. For someone struggling with the mental paralysis of anxiety, the tactile, immediate reaction of moving a heavy object provides a sense of self-efficacy that a long, slow movement can’t replicate. Being strong can also help people feel less like they’re struggling and more like they’re capable, she says.
What should be the take?
Stop before you throw your cardio workout plans out the window. “This challenges the long-held view that cardiorespiratory fitness is a driver of depression risk,” he says. “It doesn’t contradict the idea that cardio — or all exercise — is good for mental health.”
Cardio still offers many mental health benefits, including reducing rumination. And, if you do cardio with other people, such as in a group fitness class or running club, you may also see mental health benefits, adds Thea Gallagher, PsyD, clinical associate professor of psychology at NYU Langone Health.
Ultimately, the findings make the case for strength training, but not at the expense of cardio. “We shouldn’t skip cardio, but resistance training should be viewed as an incredible mental health regimen,” Burstein says. “You don’t have to be a bodybuilder—aim for two to three sessions of resistance training per week to maintain muscle ‘activity’.”
Gallagher agrees. “Don’t get rid of cardio completely,” she says. “There are many health benefits, but incorporate lifting into your daily routine.”
Corinne Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamor, and more. He has a master’s degree from American University, lives on the beach, and hopes to one day own a Tea Pipe Pig and Taco Truck.
Karina Hsieh, MPH, is Assistant Features Editor Women’s health. She has over a decade of experience working in media and has covered everything from beauty, fashion, travel, lifestyle, pets to health.
She started her career as an intern in a fashion wardrobe Cosmopolitan where she worked her way up to senior sex and relationship manager. While covering women’s health, she discovered her love for health services journalism and took a break to earn a master’s in public health. After school, she worked as a freelance writer and as the Daily Beast’s first beauty, health, and wellness reporter.
Karina is an alumnus of the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Yale School of Public Health. She and her French bulldog, Bao Bao, split their time between Brooklyn and Connecticut. She enjoys corrective pilates, (slow) running, and smelling the sweet smells in boutique fitness class locker rooms.
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