Experts from the University of Georgia determined this finding through an experiment involving 36 healthy young individuals who had reported feelings of fatigue before the start of the study.
Exposing the group to 20 minutes of low-intensity aerobics three times a week for six weeks, the researchers determined that fatigue levels dropped by 65 percent. Also, their energy levels showed a 20 percent increase.
"Exercise is a way for people to feel more energetic," said Patrick O'Connor, study co-author. "There's a scientific basis for it, and there are advantages to it compared to things like caffeine and energy drinks."
The effects of low-intensity exercise were bolstered when the researchers subjected another group to moderate-intensity exercise for the same amount of time, with the same period. Results showed the same amount of energy increase, but fatigue levels decreased by only 49 percent.
"It could be that moderate-intensity exercise is too much for people who are already fatigued," said O'Connor, as quoted by CBC News. "And that might contribute to them not getting as great an improvement as they would had they done the low-intensity exercise."
The researchers believed that the findings shed light on the condition of chronic fatigue, which they estimate to be affecting 25 percent of the general population.
"We are quickly learning that exercise has a more holistic effect on the human body, and includes effects on psychological health" said co-author Tim Puetz, as quoted on The Hindu.
The study was published in the February issue of the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics.
