I’ve been powerlifting for some time now, and just recently transitioned to doing some bodybuilding/conditioning/high volume work. I suffer from clinical depression, and this has helped lift my mood more than powerlifting alone. I do recall that my mood used to elevate when I first started powerlifting, so I did consider that maybe I’ve adapted to the stress and now my body doesn’t release as many endorphins as it did previously. Or maybe it’s the high volume/heart pumping work that is more effectively oxygenating my blood and brain, which contributes to the anti-depressant effects. I appreciate your help.
What is your specific question?
I want to know why high volume/conditioning work seems to have a more significant effect on mood than powerlifting. I know this is anecdotal, but do you know a potential reason for this based on the studies you read, your experience as a doctor, coaching others, etc. For me, powerlifting has helped a lot with anxiety, but not with depression.
Nope. Depression and anxiety are highly complex, multifactorial conditions and it’s rather pointless to try to isolate some singular “pathway” or mechanism by which this could be explained. Such reductionist approaches rarely work well in humans.
It could be some inherent difference between conditioning and powerlifting, or it could just be the higher volume of work you’re doing with conditioning. Or it could be your psycho-emotional approach to each activity. Or it could be some unique molecular response “signature” (endogenous opioids, endocannabinoids, etc). Or it could be a combination of all these things … or it could be something else entirely.
Regardless, we’re glad you seem to respond well to exercise.