When you're feeling down, exercise probably holds little appeal. But once you manage to get moving, exercise alleviates symptoms of mild to moderate depression as effectively as medication, according to Sarah Kovatch M.F.A., and Melinda Smith, M.A., writing for Helpguide.org. Sexual contact also improves mood and accelerates the production of pheromones, or sex hormones. An average sexual encounter uses 200 to 400 calories, equivalent to running 220 yards, according to an article published in The Daily Mail and reproduced by the Free Library.
Depression
What many people think of when they consider the word "depression" falls under the category of "clinical depression" or "major depression," according to Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D., writing for MayoClinic.com. Depression is a disorder that ranges in severity from temporary periods of blue moods to persistent, debilitating sadness that can continue for years. Conventional treatments for depression include therapy, medication or a combination of the two.
Pheromones
Dehydroepiandrosterone, also known as DHEA, is a precursor to androgen, or male hormone and estrogen, or female hormone, and is secreted by the adrenal gland. Although humans don't have the same direct response to pheromones as other animals, pheromones affect human functioning. For instance, it's well documented that a group of women in sustained contact with one another often find that their menstrual cycles become synchronized, according to Epigee.
DHEA and Depression
DHEA levels begin to decrease when people reach their 30s, MayoClinic.com reports. Clinical trials support administering DHEA to induce labor and for treating adrenal insufficiency, Type 2 diabetes, lupus and depression. Further study is needed to determine the long-term effects of DHEA. So-called natural DHEA manufactured from wild yam likely yields little or no effectiveness. Although wild yam yields synthesized DHEA in the laboratory, evidence suggests that the body can't convert the synthesized substance. DHEA treatment should only take place under strict medical supervision, MayoClinic.com warns.
Sweat and Pheromones
A study conducted in 2007 by Claire Wyart of the University of California at Berkeley and published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that women who took 20 sniffs from a bottle containing androstadienone, a male hormone produced in perspiration, demonstrate more improved mood levels than women who smelled a control substance. A 2005 study conducted by neuroscientist Charles Wysocki showed increased arousal in straight women and gay men but not straight men who smelled a substance extracted from testosterone, CBS News reports. A 2010 study conducted by Saul L. Miller and Jon K. Maner from Florida State University and published in Psychological Science found that testosterone levels rose more in men who smelled T-shirts worn by ovulating women than in men who smelled T-shirts worn by women who were not ovulating, Science Daily reports.
Exercise and Depression
Besides improving physical fitness, exercise elevates outlook by producing endorphins. These powerful agents act on your brain chemistry to produce a sense of well-being as you exert yourself, Kovatch and Smith write. Exercise may also increase the production of serotonin, a brain chemical that fights the negative perspective generated by depression. You don't have to be an elite athlete to benefit from exercise; even walking provides mood-boosting gains.
References
- Epigee: The Sexual Scent of Pheromones
- MayoClinic.com: What Does the Term "Clinical Depression" Mean?
- "The Daily Mail"; What Great Sex Can Really Do to a Body; Roger Dobson; April 20, 1999
- MayoClinic.com: DHEA -- Background, Synonyms, Evidence
- UC Berkeley News: Male Sweat Boosts Women's Hormone Levels
- Helpguide.org: How Exercise Boosst Your Energy, Mood and Brainpower
