The effects of regular physical activity on anxiety symptoms in healthy older adults: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE: Anxiety symptoms are common in older adults with or without anxiety disorders. Pharmacological options may be limited for these patients. Alternative treatments, such as physical activity (PA), are often indicated, although few trials have evaluated their efficacy. The aim of this review was to evaluate the efficacy of regular PA on improving anxiety symptoms in older adults without anxiety disorders. Potential neuroendocrine, inflammatory, and oxidative mechanisms, as well as cognitive factors to explain these effects are also discussed. METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed to identify randomized controlled trials, cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control studies, as well as case series including healthy previously sedentary older adults. We searched the PubMed and Web of Science databases for articles published in English, with no set time limits. RESULTS: Eight studies evaluating the effect of PA on anxiety symptoms in healthy older adults were included in this review. In all studies, regular and supervised PA was directly related to decreased anxiety symptoms in older individuals. CONCLUSION: Regular PA may be effective for improving anxiety symptoms in older adults. More studies are needed to identify the ideal PA modality, frequency, duration, and intensity for optimizing the positive effects of exercise on anxiety in this population.