Bipolar Disorder
Healthy Lifestyle Tips
Exercise influences the production and use of neurotransmitters and hormones in the body, and its antidepressant effect is well known.61 A preliminary study of the effects of vigorous exercise on the body chemistry of patients with bipolar disorder found that exercise increased a specific chemical associated with better mood.62 However, exercise may adversely influence the effectiveness of some medications used for bipolar disorder. Many people with bipolar disorder take lithium, and because lithium is lost in sweat, exercise that involves significant sweating may change blood levels of lithium. Such a change has been reported in one person;63 therefore, people taking lithium who intend to start a vigorous exercise program should be monitored by their doctor.