Effects of a Two-Month Exercise Training Program on Concurrent Non-Opiate Substance Use in Opioid-Dependent Patients during Substitution Treatment

Background: This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effects of a two-month exercise intervention on the concurrent non-opiate substance use (alcohol, cocaine, cannabis, and benzodiazepines) in opioid users during their medication treatment.

Methods: Ninety opioid users (41 females) in methadone and buprenorphine medication treatment were randomly divided into four groups: (a) buprenorphine experimental (BEX; n = 26, aged 41.9 ± 6.1 yrs); (b) buprenorphine control (BCON; n = 25, aged 41.9 ± 5.6 yrs); (c) methadone experimental (MEX; n = 20, aged 46.7 ± 6.6 yrs); and (d) methadone control (MCON; n = 19, aged 46.1 ± 7.5 yrs). The experimental groups (BEX and MEX) followed an aerobic exercise training program on a treadmill for 20 min at 70% HR_max, 3 days/week for 8 weeks. Socio-demographic, anthropometric, and clinical characteristics, as well as non-opioid drug use in days and quantity per week, were assessed before and after the intervention period.

Results: Following the exercise training, the weekly non-opioid substance consumption (days) decreased (p < 0.05) in both exercise groups and was lower in BEX compared to MEX, while no differences were observed (p > 0.05) between the control groups (BCON vs. MCON) or compared to their baseline levels. Similarly, the daily amount of non-opiate substance intake was reduced (p < 0.05) post-training in BEX and MEX, whereas it did not differ (p > 0.05) in BCON and MCON compared to the baseline.

Conclusions: The two-month exercise intervention reduced the non-opioid drug use in both the methadone and buprenorphine substitution groups compared to the controls, suggesting that aerobic exercise training may be an effective strategy for treating patients with OUDs.