The Science of Weighted Vests for Low Bone Density
By Michael Jaasma, PhD, Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Osteoboost Health
A few weeks ago, I was interviewed for an article in Women’s Health magazine about the pros and cons of weighted vests for improving bone health. I have seen several other articles and social media posts about weighted vests recently, so I wanted to share what we know about the science of weighted vests, particularly when it comes to bone health.
Weighted vests are consumer products, with many models and options available at retailers like Amazon and Dicks Sporting Goods. For older adults, it is generally recommended that you use a weighted vest that is 5-10% of your body weight. Accordingly, weighted vests increase your effective “body weight” by 5-10% to increase the intensity of exercise. Weighted vests are great for their cardiovascular and muscle-strengthening benefits, particularly when the vest is worn while engaging in strenuous activities—walking up a hill while carrying an extra 10-20 pounds is going to provide a great workout!
But, when it comes to bone health, the data on the benefits to bone strength and bone density are unclear.
A search of the scientific literature identified several small clinical studies that have looked at the effects of weighted vests on bone density. These studies have focused on conducting exercise while wearing a weighted vest.
One frequently cited example is a study by Snow et al. In this study, 18 postmenopausal women were enrolled, with 9 participants in the intervention group and 9 participants in the control group. Participants in the intervention group used a weighted vest while performing a series of jumping exercises, and participants in the control group did not perform these exercises at all. After 5 years, the intervention group experienced better results for hip bone mineral density (BMD) outcomes as compared to the control group. However, because of the design of the study, it is not clear if the benefits were due to the exercise program, the weighted vest, or both when combined. And we know that high-intensity exercise, including jumping, is beneficial for our bones.
Another small study evaluated if weighted vests can combat the bone loss associated with rapid weight loss, and no clear effects were seen. A larger weight loss study is currently underway, so we will need to wait to see the results.
Without much clinical research to guide us, it helps to look at what research says about ways to meaningfully improve bone health. Exercise provides mechanical stimulation to our bones, which can produce benefits for bone strength and bone density. But, for bone density, not all exercise is created equal. The greater the forces and accelerations that the exercise provides to our bones, the greater the benefits for bone health.
Research has shown that high-impact exercise and resistance training are best for bone density. High-impact exercise includes activities like running, tennis, and jumping jacks, and resistance training includes exercises like deadlifts, overhead presses, and back squats with a lot of weight (one study showed benefits from doing these resistance training exercises at 80% of your one-repetition maximum for 5 sets of 5 repetitions!).
If you can engage in these activities, keep it up! And, doing these types of exercises with a weighted vest should provide even greater benefits for your bone health. But, make sure to work out under the supervision of a trainer or physical therapist, as these exercises can be dangerous if not done properly. The reality is that many older adults do not have the time or access to proper exercise supervision and guidance and/or these activities are not very safe for them.
So what about walking with a weighted vest? I am not aware of a clinical study that has specifically evaluated the bone health benefits of walking with a weighted vest. When we look at a meta-analysis article that combined results from multiple research studies on walking alone (without a weighted vest), the conclusion is that walking does not provide enough mechanical stimulation to meaningfully improve bone health. When adding a weighted vest, the forces through our bones only increase by the amount of added weight, typically 5-10%. So, wearing a weighted vest while walking is not likely to provide significantly more benefit to our bones than walking without a vest. In contrast, running is stimulatory for bones because running provides mechanical forces through our bones that are double the forces from walking.
Exercise, particularly intense exercise, has many health benefits. When considering a weighted vest, first make sure it will be safe for you—ask your doctor or physical therapist. If you have been diagnosed with low bone density and are looking for a treatment, please consider the scientific evidence. Weighted vests are not medical devices, and they have not been determined by the FDA to be a safe and effective treatment for low bone density. In contrast, Osteoboost has been studied in a large clinical trial, and, based on the results from this trial, Osteoboost has been cleared by the FDA for the treatment of low bone density. Osteoboost is the only non-drug treatment approved by the FDA for low bone density. It is a wearable medical device, worn low around the hips, that provides vibration therapy to mimic the effects of high-intensity exercise by mechanically stimulating the bones of the spine and hips. In a randomized, controlled clinical trial in postmenopausal women with osteopenia, Osteoboost was shown to significantly reduce the loss of bone strength and bone density in the spine. You can read the study details in an article in JMBR Plus, and I have written a shorter summary of the journal article.
When it comes to bone health, make sure to consider the science and choose a therapy that is backed by rigorous clinical research. The consequences of a life-changing bone fracture require it!