Want to beat depression? Start exercising regularly

Exercise is known to be the key to good health, both physically and mentally. Going by the same token, a recent study has shed light on the significance of being physically active in the prevention of stress-induced depression. The research conducted on mice  showed that exercising induces vital changes in the skeletal muscles, that flushes out harmful substances, accumulated during stress, from the blood. Jorge Ruas, principal investigator, from Karolinska Institute in Sweden said, ‘skeletal muscle is known to have a detoxifying effect, that when triggered, can shield the brain from negative comments and related mental illness.’

It is a known fact that during exercise, the concentration of PGC-1I1 protein increases in skeletal muscle, which also plays a vital role in mediating the beneficial muscle conditioning. The researchers used a genetically modified mouse that had high levels of PGC-1I1 that showed various characteristics of well-trained muscles, even without any physical activity. The results obtained after five weeks of mild stress treatment showed that the genetically modified mice had no specific depression symptoms, while normal mice had developed stress-induced depression.

Ruas further explained that well-trained muscle produces an enzyme that cleanses harmful substances from the body, in a similar fashion as that of the kidney or the liver. The researchers have discovered that high levels of PGC-1I1 in mice also has higher levels of KAT  enzyme, that converts kynurenine (a substance formed during stress) into kynurenic acid (a substance that do not pass from the blood to the brain). The study will be published in the Journal Cell.

With inputs from IANS

Image Source: Getty Images

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