Exercise and pharmacotherapy in the treatment of major depressive disorder. Psychosomatic Medicine, 69(7), 587-596. doi:10.1097/PSY.0b013e318148c19a.
Summary of the Study: Objective: The study aimed to compare the efficacy of exercise, medication (sertraline), and a combination of both in treating major depressive disorder (MDD).
Participants: 202 adults diagnosed with MDD. Methods: Participants were randomized into three groups: one group exercised three times a week for 45 minutes (aerobic exercise), the second group received sertraline (Zoloft), and the third group received both treatments.
Results: After 16 weeks, all three groups showed significant improvements in depression symptoms. The study found that exercise was equally effective as medication, with the combination of both yielding no significantly better results than either treatment alone.
Conclusion: Exercise can be an effective treatment for MDD [major depressive disorder/clinical depression], offering benefits comparable to standard pharmacotherapy.
You can access the full study via academic databases such as PubMed, or through university libraries that have access to the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.
Just because a cohort of patients is diagnosed with MDD does not imply much about the severity of the disorder. MDD can be applicable as a diagnosis to high function, fully mobile patients who might well be good candidates for nutrition and exercise therapy.
More severely impacted patients who are not very mobile (often with profound slowing of gait if mobile at all) and are not responsive to behavioral suggestions are prima facie not good candidates.