Researchers now hope to learn if exercise can be a healthy alternative to substance abuse. A $15.7 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) will allow researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to learn how effective strenuous exercise is when kicking drugs.
Studies of animals have already proved that exercise improves brain function in a similar way to how the brain recovers from drug abuse.
"Exercise would give people who abuse drugs an alternative ritualistic activity that may help them disengage from their drug-related behaviors while also improving their health and quality of life," said lead researcher Dr. Madhukar Trivedi.
The research project is called Stimulant Reduction Intervention using Dosed Exercise (STRIDE). A second phase will now begin thanks to the NIDA grant money. The participants in the study are separated into two groups. One study group will receive inpatient and outpatient drug treatment. The other study group will do three workouts on a treadmill each week for several months. The research team will track the exercise patterns and rates of addiction relapse and see what effect exercise had on the study subjects.
The researchers hope to see additional benefits for the study subjects from exercise, like improved mood, body mass and better sleep patterns.
