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Do weighted vests help give you a better workout? A doctor shares possible benefits and risks.

By
Sara Moniuszko
Reporter, Lifestyle & Wellness
Sara Moniuszko is a health and lifestyle reporter at CBSNews.com. Previously, she wrote for USA Today, where she was selected to help launch the newspaper's wellness vertical. She now covers breaking and trending news for CBS News' HealthWatch.
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Sara Moniuszko

/ CBS News

A fitness trend has people donning extra pounds — in the form of a weighted vest — in order to intensify their workout. But is it safe? 

Weighted vests can help in burning more calories and improving heart workload, but caution is advised, especially for those with health conditions, CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook said on "CBS Mornings Plus" Tuesday.

"People do like it for losing calories," LaPook said. "Anything that gets you to exercise, the better, but it is increasing the workload of your heart. So if you do have an underlying health condition, this is something you should check out with your doctor because it's like a mini stress test."

In terms of any benefits to bone health, LaPook said studies are inconclusive, but weighted vests may help prevent falls by strengthening muscles — as long as the vest itself doesn't cause a fall by throwing you off balance.

"Always listen to your body," he said. "If it hurts, don't do that and don't fall because of it."

Recommendations for how long to wear a vest are "all over the place," LaPook added, but advised starting with only adding 5% of your body weight and gradually increasing.

"So if you're 100 pounds, (5% is) five pounds," he explained. "Just wear it briefly, maybe two, three times a week. People have built up to several hours of walking with it or maybe just 10 or 15 minutes."

Proper fit is also important to avoid stress on joints.

"The main thing is to not get injured," LaPook said. "Sports doctors told me ... if you wear it incorrectly, if it's not a good fit, it can put stress on your various joints — on your knees and your ankles and your hips."

Edited by Nicole Brown Chau

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