Exercise-based treatments for substance use disorders: evidence, theory, and practicality

Area of Science:

• Exercise science
• Addiction medicine
• Public health

Background:

• Epidemiological studies indicate lower physical activity in individuals with risky substance use, except for adolescents and athletes.
• Growing evidence suggests individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) are interested in exercise and may benefit from it for general health and SUD recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize research on exercise-based treatments for SUDs.
• To discuss theoretical mechanisms and practical rationales for investigating exercise for SUDs.
• To identify future research questions and potential practice implications.

Main Methods:

• Searched major databases (PubMed Central, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL Plus) for relevant peer-reviewed papers.
• Reviewed reference lists of identified publications to find additional manuscripts.
• Summarized findings from reviewed original and review papers.

Main Results:

• Limited research suggests exercise can be an effective adjunctive treatment for SUDs.
• Abundant literature exists on the theoretical and practical reasons for exploring exercise interventions for SUDs, contrasting with scarce intervention trials.

Conclusions:

• Definitive conclusions are challenging due to varied study protocols and low adherence.
• Despite limited evidence, numerous theoretical and practical reasons support exercise-based SUD treatments, including psychological, behavioral, and neurobiological benefits.
• Exercise offers a nearly universal safety profile and positive overall health effects, supporting its role in SUD recovery.