Working out the worries: A randomized controlled trial of high intensity interval training in generalized anxiety disorder

Plag, Jens; Schmidt-Hellinger, Paul; Klippstein, Theresa; Mumm, Jennifer; Wolfarth, Bernd; Petzold, Moritz Bruno; Ströhle, Andreas

doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102311

Cited by 33 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…An additional consideration is that our participants had at recruitment elevated scores of trait anxiety on the GAD-7 score, such that their specific anxious symptoms might have been more resistant to the intervention. Given the mixed results for RCTs against anxiety ( 19 , 20 , 25 , 26 , 38 ), we see a need for further investigation of the impact of HIIT on anxiety symptoms. A clinical sample screened for anxiety may show better improvements ( 21 , 26 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Concerning stress and anxiety, HIIT has raised questions about its impact on generating or reducing mechanisms ( 24 ). However, whereas the COVID-19 pandemic was a trigger for stress and anxiety in youth, home-based HIIT demonstrated a positive effect on symptoms of stress, anxiety in young people ( 21 ) and depression in adults ( 25 ), as well as showing a strong beneficial effect on moderate to severe anxiety symptoms pre-existing the pandemic ( 26 ). The inconsistency in results could be explained by the fact that the impact of HIIT has been overlooked on anxiety and stress disorders, as reported in a recent meta-analysis ( 16 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Feasibility of Online High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on Psychological Symptoms in Students in Lockdown During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Trial

et al. 2022

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ObjectiveWe aimed to evaluate the feasibility of an online High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) program on clinical psychological symptoms in higher education students in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.Materials and MethodsDuring the lockdown, 30 students aged 18–25 years, who had been screened previously with a cut-off score ≥5 in the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire, were randomly assigned to either the 4-week HIIT program with three sessions per week conducted through online videos, or a no-intervention control group. The primary outcome was the feasibility assessment. The secondary outcome was a psychological self-report with the 21-items Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Assessment and intervention were performed in compliance with social distancing rules.ResultsTwo participants in the HIIT were lost to follow-up, leaving 13 participants vs. 15 in the control group. We observed high adherence (87%) and complete safety for mental and physical status with the HIIT intervention delivered by online videos. The Mann-Whitney test demonstrated a significant (group × time, P-Value = 0.046) reduction of clinical stress symptoms and a trend (group × time, P-Value = 0.08) toward reduction of clinical depression symptoms, both favoring the HIIT group. No significant (group × time, P-Value = 0.118) interaction was found for anxiety symptoms.ConclusionThe online HIIT program was found to be feasible and safe in a clinical sample of young adults, who were experiencing social and physical restrictions due to COVID-19. HIIT reduced stress and depressive symptoms and thus these preliminary results show promise for broader application among higher education students during the present lockdown necessitated by the global COVID-19 health crisis.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feasibility of Online High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on Psychological Symptoms in Students in Lockdown During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Trial

et al. 2022

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“…Exercise therapy is less effective than chronotherapy in patients with major depression (165), but both therapies are viable treatments, with depressive symptoms continuing to be improved and remitted during long-term follow-up. In addition to the comparisons between exercise therapy and traditional treatment methods such as medication and psychotherapy, there are some studies comparing exercise methods with different doses or different programs (4,(63)(64)(65)(166)(167)(168)(169)(170)(171)(172)(173). The following information can be obtained from existing studies: The benefits of exercise therapy are comparable to traditional treatments for depression (168)(169)(170).…”

Section: Comparison Of Exercise Therapy With Other Therapies or Between Exercise Therapiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The following information can be obtained from existing studies: The benefits of exercise therapy are comparable to traditional treatments for depression (168)(169)(170). In general, moderate intensity exercise is enough to reduce depressive symptoms, but higher doses are better for overall functioning (4,63,166). Mind-body exercise or aerobic exercise under supervision are recommended, and they are superior to stretching exercise and breathing exercise (30,64,171,172).…”

Section: Comparison Of Exercise Therapy With Other Therapies or Between Exercise Therapiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effects and Mechanisms of Exercise on the Treatment of Depression

Xie

Sun

et al. 2021

Front. Psychiatry

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Background: It is necessary to seek alternative therapies for depression, because side effects of medications lead to poor adherence and some patients do not achieve a clinical treatment effect. Recently the role of exercise as a low-cost and easy-to-use treatment for depression has gained attention with a number of studies showing that exercise is effective at reducing depressive symptoms and improving body functions such as cardiorespiratory system and cognitive function. Because of the heterogeneity of exercise therapy programs, there is no standardized and unified program. Few studies have summarized the specific properties of exercise programs (type, intensity, duration, and frequency) and clinical prescriptions for exercise are not mentioned in most articles.Aims: This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of exercise therapy for patients with depression, in order to appraise the evidence and outline accepted guidelines to direct individualized treatment plans for patients with depression based on their individual situations.Methods: A systematic review of English language literature including papers published from 2010 to present in PubMed was performed. Given the feasibility of prescribing exercise therapy for patients with depression, nearly 3 years of clinical studies on the treatments of depressive symptoms with exercise were first reviewed, comparing the exercise programs utilized.Conclusions: Exercise has therapeutic effects on depression in all age groups (mostly 18–65 years old), as a single therapy, an adjuvant therapy, or a combination therapy, and the benefits of exercise therapy are comparable to traditional treatments for depression. Moderate intensity exercise is enough to reduce depressive symptoms, but higher-dose exercise is better for overall functioning. Exercise therapy has become more widely used because of its benefits to the cardiovascular system, emotional state, and systemic functions.Recommendations: Aerobic exercise/mind-body exercise (3–5 sessions per week with moderate intensity lasting for 4–16 weeks) is recommended. Individualized protocols in the form of group exercise with supervision are effective at increasing adherence to treatment.

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“…Specifically, a meta-analysis of 104 studies examining the effects of exercise on anxiety among healthy populations indicated that exercise training reduced both state and general anxiety significantly ( Petruzzello et al, 1991 ). Similarly, in patients diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), both high and low intensity aerobic exercise had a moderate to large effect on worry and anxiety symptoms ( Herring et al, 2011 ; Plag et al, 2020 ). In addition, significant reductions in anxiety scores have been observed in patients diagnosed with panic disorder with agoraphobia who exercised three times per week for 8 weeks ( Martinsen et al, 1989 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Aerobic Exercise on Mood Symptoms in Trauma-Exposed Young Adults: A Pilot Study

Mizzi

McKinnon

Becker

2022

Front. Behav. Neurosci.

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IntroductionPhysical activity has beneficial effects on mood in both healthy and clinical populations. Emerging literature suggests that physical activity may benefit psychological symptoms, such as depressive mood, in those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is estimated that 76% of Canadians have experienced a traumatic event during their lifetime (Van Ameringen et al., 2008). Thus, there is a large proportion of the population that does not meet criteria for PTSD but may still suffer from trauma-related symptoms such as depression and require support for their mental health. The current pilot study aimed to evaluate the impact of an aerobic exercise intervention on mood symptoms in trauma-exposed young adults.MethodsTwenty-five low active young adults with subclinical trauma symptoms but no current or past diagnosis of PTSD were recruited. Participants were randomly assigned to participate in an 8-week exercise intervention group or a waitlist control group. Mood symptoms were assessed before and after the intervention. In addition, measures of aerobic fitness, trauma symptoms, emotion regulation, and trait mindfulness were assessed at both time points.ResultsThe exercise intervention was effective at inducing the expected improvements in aerobic fitness. Overall, the exercise group had a significantly greater decrease in mood symptoms across the intervention compared to the waitlist control group.ConclusionThe current pilot study is the first to evaluate the impact of aerobic exercise on mood in trauma-exposed young adults. An 8-week intervention significantly reduced mood symptoms in exercisers relative to waitlist controls. Our results are consistent with previous research indicating that physical activity reduced depressive symptoms in those with PTSD (Rosenbaum et al., 2015b). Importantly, we extend these findings to individuals with subclinical or undiagnosed PTSD symptoms, where exercise may be an effective intervention to improve mood and manage or prevent further decline in mental health in those at risk of developing PTSD.

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Working out the worries: A randomized controlled trial of high intensity interval training in generalized anxiety disorder

Cited by 33 publications

References 42 publications

Feasibility of Online High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on Psychological Symptoms in Students in Lockdown During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Feasibility of Online High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on Psychological Symptoms in Students in Lockdown During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The Effects and Mechanisms of Exercise on the Treatment of Depression

The Impact of Aerobic Exercise on Mood Symptoms in Trauma-Exposed Young Adults: A Pilot Study

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