Exercise First, Drugs Second

What if one of the most effective treatments for depression and anxiety in young people needs no prescription, has no withdrawal and makes you stronger?

In this episode, Dr Paul Taylor unpacks a 2024 meta-analysis from Victoria University. It found that resistance training produced large reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms in people aged 26 and under. He then sets it against the largest analysis of its kind, a BMJ network meta-analysis of 218 trials and more than 14,000 people. In that analysis, walking, jogging, yoga and strength training matched therapy and outperformed SSRIs.

In this episode:

• Why strength training was overlooked for decades in mental health research
• The training “recipe” behind the biggest effects: sets, reps, intensity and duration
• Why harder exercise and clear structure produced better results
• How few young people in Australia, the UK and the US meet activity guidelines
• The case for prescribing exercise before medication for young people

Key studies:

• Marinelli et al. (2024). Resistance training and combined resistance and aerobic training as a treatment of depression and anxiety symptoms in young people. Early Intervention in Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1111/eip.13528
• Noetel et al. (2024). Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis. BMJ. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-075847

Survey data:

• ABS National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey 2023
• Sport England Active Lives Children and Young People Survey 2024-25
• CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2025

This episode is for education, not medical advice. If you or your child takes medication, talk to your doctor before making any changes.

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