Untreated Depression May Negate Benefit Of Certain Healthy Behaviors.

Medscape (3/29, Brooks) reports, “Untreated symptoms of depression can negate the anti-inflammatory benefits typically associated with physical activity and light to moderate alcohol consumption,” according to a study published online March 25 in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. Researchers arrived at that conclusion after having “assessed the moderating effect of depressive symptoms, using the Beck Depression Inventory, on leisure-time physical activity and light to moderate alcohol intake in 222 healthy nonsmoking men and women aged 18 to 65 years with no history or diagnosis of psychiatric conditions.” Interestingly, “the effect seems to be specific to inflammation as measured by CRP, given that depression did not affect other health markers, such as fasting triglyceride or cholesterol levels, the investigators” noted.

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