[Health Focus] “Get rid of menopausal depression with exercise… Helps improve quality of life”

Dr. Simone Seidel's team at University College London (UCL) in the UK conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 12 randomized controlled trials involving 1,003 women in the international journal Menopause, and found that physical activity can help improve depressive symptoms, mood, and quality of life in postmenopausal women.

The research team said that physical activity appears to improve depressive symptoms, mood, and quality of life in women in the menopausal transition, and that both aerobic exercise-based activities and mind-body activities can be helpful, supporting the need to include physical activity in the clinical care of menopausal women.

Menopause refers to the cessation of menstruation for 12 consecutive months and the end of the reproductive function of the ovaries. It generally occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. During the menopause transition, many women experience depressed mood, mood swings, anxiety, and cognitive discomfort as their hormone levels fluctuate.

The research team pointed out that although these symptoms affect daily life, psychological well-being, and quality of life, some women find it difficult or do not want to receive hormone therapy, and psychological interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy may also be difficult to use.

The research team selected 12 randomized controlled trials targeting 1,003 women aged 40 to 65 years old, in the menopause transition or early postmenopause, from databases such as Medline.

In each trial, the impact of physical activity intervention on depressive symptoms and quality of life was evaluated compared to other physical activities or conventional treatment.

In the analysis, exercise was divided into aerobic exercise-based activities (ABI), such as walking, Zumba, aerobics, dance, and taekwondo, and mind-body activities (MBI), such as yoga, tai chi, pilates, and stretching.

As a result of the analysis, physical activity significantly improved depressive symptoms, mood, psychological quality of life, and overall quality of life. In particular, the effect of reducing depressive symptoms was observed in both the menopausal transition and early post-menopausal stages.

By type of exercise, aerobic exercise-based activities showed a significant effect in reducing depressive symptoms and improving mood and overall quality of life, while mind-body activities showed a clear improvement in psychological aspects of quality of life.

The research team explained that exercise can be linked to an increase in endorphin secretion, which is associated with improved mood, and that such exercise is likely to be helpful, especially during the menopausal transition as estrogen levels fluctuate and mood becomes unstable.

He went on to explain that physical activity is a relatively low-cost and easily available non-pharmacological intervention, so it can be an option for women who have difficulty accessing drug treatment or psychological treatment, and that there is a need to include physical activity in the clinical care of menopausal women.

However, the research team said that although this result suggests that the area where the effect appears may differ depending on the type of exercise, there was no evidence to conclude that one was superior overall when comparing the two types directly.

“Menopause treatment options are limited and many women are unable or choose not to receive hormone therapy,” Seidel said. “Clinicians may recommend physical activity as an initial intervention or as an adjunct to medical or psychological treatment.”

◆ Source: Menopause, Simone Saidel et al., "The effectiveness of physical activity interventions on non-physiological symptoms of menopause: A systematic review and meta-analysis", http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000002827