Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, including details on myalgic encephalomyelitis (me), diagnosis, gradual and sudden onset.

Effects of chronic exercise on feelings of energy and fatigue: a quantitative synthesis.

Puetz TW, O'Connor PJ, Dishman RK

Department of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-6554, USA. twpuetz@uga.edu

The authors investigated the effect of chronic exercise on feelings of energy and fatigue using meta-analytic techniques. Chronic exercise increased feelings of energy and lessened feelings of fatigue compared with control conditions by a mean effect delta of 0.37. The effect varied according to the presence or absence of a placebo control or whether chronic exercise was completed alone or in combination with an additional therapy. Investigations that used a placebo control and examined chronic exercise alone found no effect of chronic exercise on feelings of energy and fatigue. Certain placebo controls may increase feelings of energy and lessen feelings of fatigue when used with older adults or people with psychological distress. The results highlight the need for research identifying the most useful control conditions for accurately interpreting mental health outcome data obtained in chronic exercise investigations.

Published 31 October 2006 in Psychol Bull, 132(6): 866-76.
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