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Weighted Vests

azkat
0 Recommendations

Lately I have been reading testimonials on several web sites that say weighted vests add bone density. Some users have had scan results moving from osteoporosis to osteopenia and better. The weights are high on the torso, mostly on the upper back with a couple on the upper chest. The vest is worn an hour a day, during an active time. The users have not been taking Actonel, etc. Has anyone had experience with this or read anything about it?
Thanks in advance.

Explore topics in this discussion:

Exercise Boniva Back pain Fractures Physical therapy Fosamax Osteopenia Actonel Pain Weakness Estradiol transdermal system Osteoporosis Estradiol Progesterone Evista

59 replies

sdivas

Bumping Up
Please scroll to Sara Meeks post on weighted vests

SVS

Thanks sdivas, That's really helpful. I'll check them out.

sdivas

SVS, you may find using Search for SaraMeeks, Mothergoose (Lucy) and SequoiaHealth previous discussion posts to be helpful. Sara and Lucy are both PT's and SequoiaHealth (Woody) is also in the health field.

SVS

Hi there
I've just registered and been reading all your comments about weightvests with great interest. I'm 62 and live in the UK. We seem to be way behind you as far as osteoporosis is concerned. I've been looking at various websites and find so much of the information contradictory and confusing. I didn't know about calcium and magnesium together being a problem. The supplement I've been taking for over three years includes them both together and it's produced by an osteoporosis specialist. She says in her book that the magnesium is needed to metabolise the calcium. The book was written in 2005. I wonder if if the evidence for taking them a few hours apart comes from more recent research?
I started reading this thread because I was wondering about trying a weight vest but I'm not sure now if it's a good idea. I don't know if Joyce-Marie is still reading the thread? if you are, did you do any back extension exercises with weights as mentioned by the Mayo Clinic? I suspect walking with a weight vest is more for hips than spine, and the lying down exercises are more for the spine - but I don't really know. Like Mrs Thistlebottom I'm so glad to have found this site! It's really scary having osteoporosis and not knowing for sure how bad it is and whether the diets or medications make it worse or better. We're expecting our first grandchild in November and I'm worrying whether I'll be able to pick it up and cuddle it once it's grown a bit!

Maroulina

SusanRae, I am pretty sure you are not getting the full benefit of either the calcium or magnesium in the supplement you are taking, but of course I am not a doctor. Supplement manufacturers are interested in selling products and naturally a supplement that combines multiple necessary nutrients is more convenient --and an easier sell-- for people with busy lives. On the other hand it may not be the most beneficial way for our organisms (the same thing can be said of multiple vitamin pills: convenient yes, but some ingredients antagonise each other in the absorption phase). The magnesium supplement I am taking (Mag2 or pidolate de magnesium) states in the instructions sheet that "magnesium is a natural antagonist of calcium... To avoid antagonistic phenomena in the phase of gastric [stomach] absorption it is preferable that magnesium and calcium are not taken at the same time (3 hours apart is advised)". But please check this out with other dependable sources as well. You need not be confused with having to take the two nutrients separately: I am taking my magnesium dose in the morning on an empty stomach, about half an hour before breakfast, then chew on my first calcium+vitamin D3 pill at around 11 a.m. and on my second calcium+Vitamin D3 pill in the afternoon.

sdivas

Bumping up

SusanRae

Hi Maurolina,

I find this all so confusing re: taking calcium and magnesium seperately. My calcium supplement has 125% of the day's magnesium in it. Do you suppose my calcium absorption is impeded? Or the other way around? You'd think a supplement company would know compability, yet our brands contradict each other. Aargh!

Maroulina

Sally 48, I do not know if it is too late to be adding this but only now did I read this thread re weighted vests. I would like to respond to your comment about the Ionic-Fizz product that has both calcium and magnesium. From what I've read calcium and magnesium should not be taken together because magnesium impeeds the absorption of calcium. I am taking a product available in the Greek market, called Mag2, and the instructions leaf clearly states that although both minerals are necessary for the building of bones, they should be taken at least 3 hours apart.

54

Does anyone know where to find (or how to create) the weighted vest used in the Mayo Clinic study? I believe it was a 50lb vest, worn with the weights on the back. The participant used the vest while prone on her belly, lifting her chest off the floor ten times per day and this was shown to increase bone mass.

DutchB1

Keep an eye out for a study about the use of weight vests by a major university this fall. They selected the Hyper Vest from hyperwear.com for the study. It is the thinnest and most comfortable one and you can even wear it under a shirt - no one would know.

Sally48

osteochik,
No I am not taking Fosamax, only Menostar. I have two glasses of Hemp milk one in the morning and one at night, that gives me 800 mg of calcium then at lunch I drink the ionic calcium plus which gives me 250mg. The name is Ionic-Fizz Calcium Plus, by Pure Essence Labs. It is sugar free, Rasberry Lemonade flavor. It has Vitamin A , C, D3, B-6, Folate, B 12, Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Potassium, Silca, Trace minerals, & Boron. On the label it says as we age we produce lower levels of hydochloric acid made in the stomach, making it harder to absord calcium. Ionic-Fizz Calcium Plus provides calcium in pure ionic form to maximaze absorption in even the weakest digestive tract. It also balances calcium with magnesium and other factors that are vital for calcium's delivery into bones. I got mine at Whole Foods here in Portland Me. The web site is www. pureessencelabs.com

osteochick

Sally48,
Thank you for the response. Are you still taking Fosamax.
1,050mg is a lot in one serving. I thought you could only absorb 500mg at a time. What else is in the drink; what is the exact name. Googled and found several different choices.
Have to have a low acid diet due to the fosamax.

I truly hope Denosumab has NO side effect and works!

More later,

Sally48

osteochick,
The supplement I use is a powder that you add to 6 ounces of water. It is a little fizzy and tart but I don't mind it. I try to have one glass a day, you can have two servings a day. My other source of calcium is hemp milk., It has 400 mg. of calcium,plus Vitamin D and magnesium. I am lactose intolerant and have food sensitivies to soy. So rice milk or hemp. I don't take any extra calcium supplements as I feel I get enough in my food and two glasses of hemp milk and one of the Ionic Fizz calcium plus, that is 1050mgs, plus what is in food. I have read that liquid calcium is better than the pills. Menostar I have had no reactions to it. I won't know until next summer if it is helping, that is when I am due for another bone scan.
Everyone is different. I have been on Fosamax, Evista, hormones, combination of those. Some worked for awhile others didn't. I hope the Menostar works, as it is easy and affordable with health insurance. It sounds like you might be better with another endocrinologist, he doesn't seem to have a good temperment. For your D3 in the summer, just stay outside in the sun exposing arms and legs for 10-15 minutes a day two or three times a week with no sun screen on. When I was tested in Florida my D3 was 66 but here in Maine it was 45 in June. So we do need our D3 in the winter. I have the attitude that I can only do what my body will do now. Bones build very slowly, if they stay the same or build that is good. I have been researching the alkaline diet and feel that is a better way to eat. Everything is a change and you don't know what will work for you. Hope you keep on asking questions, because eventually you will find your answers....

osteochick

Sally48,
Your numbers look good to me. My spine is the culprit -4. Femoral hip -2.4 and total hip -1.3 Interesting that you have left and right measured. Wonder why it is so much worse in the spine?
I have hashimotos/hypothyroidism and even reacted to the thyroid meds. Very frustrated and trying hard to stay positive.
I am very sensitive to meds/supplements as well, maybe the binders. I take a NOW product: liquid calcium/magnesium/vit d2/boron. I tried to add extra vit d3 (1000 mg) to equal 2000mg a day and had a gastro reaction to it. Frustrating to say the least. So the very unkind endocrinologist said if I couldn't EVEN take vit d, I couldn't handle any drug solution. He talks down to me like it is my fault. I still have hopes that something will come out that will work for me and others in my situation.
Any reactions to the menostar at all? How long have you been on it? Do you think it is helping? What do you attribute the good results from? Does Menostar have any other benefits, like helping with dry eyes, etc?
How much calcium and vit d do you take? What is your vit d level?
Sorry, so many questions. Off for my walk, I don't walk 4 miles every day, from 2.5 to 4 miles. Easier when it isn't so hot!
I will look into the supplement you use. I assume it is liquid. Thanks for your answers. Didn't realize they were on here.

Mrs_Thistlebottom

Catlady and all,

I also am having problems going against what my doctor wants me to do--or at least what she initially advised. I'm 56 and was very recently diagnosed with osteoporosis. I was seeing a physician's assistant (PA) at the time, and her lab report summary stated that I had osteoporosis of the right hip and spine. My T-scores are lumbar spine (L1-L4) -2.0. Excluding L2 and L3, the T-score is -2.5. Left femoral neck was -0.2, left total hip is -0.4, right femoral neck is -0.2, right total hip is 0.0, and left mid radius is -1.1.

Even though the lab report suggested a secondary cause for the osteoporosis, since my lowest Z-score was below normal for my age, the PA initially strongly suggested that I go on Fosamax. Then she took another look at my lab report and agreed that it would be OK to increase calcium to 1,500 mg and be more diligent about weight-bearing exercise and strength training (which I already do, but apparently not enough!)

I decided to seek a second opinion with a specialist in internal medicine. She looked at my T-scores and said I did NOT have osteoporosis in either hip. She said that all T-scores were "fine" except for the lumbar spine area (and if I'm interpreting the scores correctly, even the lowest score of -2.5 puts me on the borderline between osteopenia and osteoporosis). She also ordered metabolic testing (hormone levels, vitamin D, etc.) and a more detailed urinalysis to see how much calcium I'm excreting. She did bring up bisphosphonates, which I don't want to use unless absolutely necessary.

All of this is my VERY long-winded way of getting around to the initial subject of weighted vests. I think I'm going to order the Ironwear Cool vest. Best price I have found is from Allegro Medical.
http://www.allegromedical.com/browse/browseProducts.do?searchPhrase=ironwea r

I'm committed to giving the non-pharmaceutical approach my very best shot, but I'm also praying that safer alternatives to the bisphosphonates will be available. I'm also scared sometimes that this won't work, but the specialist reminded me that bone loss is very slow, so unless the osteoporosis is severe, time can be on our side.

Psychologically, receiving this diagnosis has been very hard, and I'm sure many of you can relate. I am otherwise very healthy and active, with a good diet and a positive outlook on life. For my 56th birthday, I bought myself a barbell. :-) I have a set of weights and a selection of kettlebells, and I walk and do exercise DVDs regularly. Then the osteoporosis diagnosis was made, and suddenly I felt like a fragile old lady. But I'm determined to fight this from every possible angle. I'm so grateful to have found this site!

catlady22

I am so happy to find this site, where you all share such great ideas. I'm 54, and have osteoporosis. I recently took a couple months of physical therapy to improve strength in general, and build my core up. I highly recommend getting a session of physical therapy if your doctor okays it. It has given me strength I didn't know I was capable of after being diagnosed with osteoporosis, and has basically given me my life back. I am more confident, and feel more in control of my own destiny.

4 years ago I fell and broke my hip and shoulder, and for 2 years I walked like I was an 80 year old woman (I know, because my Mom visited me, and she could keep up with me!) Mainly I was afraid I would break somehow again, even though it was due to a fall that I broke in the first place. When you are diagnosed with osteoporosis your world is turned on it's axle, and nothing is the same again. I took Fosamax because I didn't think I had any other choice after breaking half my body.

However, on year 4, I was told that there wasn't any improvement, and in fact had gotten a bit worse on Fosamax, and I decided why take something I was thinking of as poison if it wasn't working. Hence the physical therapy, and I have been searching ever since for ANYTHING that makes sense to build bones besides more medications.

I plan to buy a weighted vest and begin very low on the weights. I've been walking with 3 pound dumb bell weights since about February 2009, and it has given me new strength in my arms. I weigh 130 pounds, so it was felt that my lower weight was working against me as well.

I work in an office, so sit all day. I have regular breaks on my Outlook calendar to go walk the stairs. We are on the 3rd floor, and I walk clear to the basement and back up again. I rarely take the elevator at all. I walk every single day for at least 20 minutes, if not 30. I feel silly walking with the weights, but I do it anyway because I am so sure I'm going in the right direction.

I don't have another bone density scan until the end of the year, and am praying that I will not see any decline. If I just hold steady for right now, I know I'm going in the right direction for me. I so feel that the pharmaceutical companies have convinced our doctors the only way to go is with medications, and therefore they never try anything natural first if there is time.

I don't know about anyone else, but I am having real problems going against what my doctor wants me to do. Sometimes I am so scared...what if I'm wrong and this doesn't work?

It is so good to know that you guys are out there and struggling with the same issues as me.

azkat

Hi Joyce-Marie,
Well, discouraging results; I was hoping for different ones. Your idea of medication is probably the only one left. I stopped the Actonel in December, not a lot of improvement in 5 years. Doctor recommed Boniva and I have not started it, wanting to give myself a break and diligently try alternatives. Your post tells me I should not be living in a fantasy and get on the meds before I develop full blown osteoporosis instead of osteopenia! Thanks for sharing. Kathleen

Joyce-Marie

Hi Azkat,

Just got my DEXA results today. No significant change in my hip but some bone density loss in my spine. So my one hour walk daily, with a 27 lb weight vest (for 2.5 years) does not seem to be the answer in my case. I will continue to use it as long as I can for all the other benefits it seems to give. I will now reconsider medicating the problem instead of trying diet, exercise and supplements only.

Hope all is well.

Bye,

Joyce-Marie

Sally48

osteochick- to answer your questions about menostar , no it has nothing to do with food sensitivities. I do not take progesterone. I did once in the past with estradiol for about 4 years. I also took Fosamax at the same time. I did have results with the treatment. When I discontinued the hormones because of side effects, and still taking Fosamax my left femur score lost -2.5%. My scores now are left femur -2.1 and my AP spine is -0.7. My first bone density test was in 1997, my femoral neck score was -2.4 and my spine was -2. I have increased in both areas, but it is slow going. I hope with diet changes, Menostar, working out, calcium and Vitamin D3 that it will improve faster. I have heard of denosumab, it looks good so far. Just have to wait and see the full studies. No, Ionic Fizz was not recommended, I had an Alcat test done last summer for food sensitivities and the results were I had many foods I was sensitive to. Gluten being just one. What gluten does if you have a sensitivity to it, is inflame the villa in the small intestine. The villa are the little fingers that absorb nutrients from the food you eat. Since I have a sensitive system I wanted to find a product that was easy to digest which this seemed to be. I have had no problems with it and feel better taking it. I have to commend you on your walking. Four miles is a good walk. I am using the weighted vest to get above the 127lb. benchmark that helps build bone against gravity. I went to a seminar put on by my bone doctor and she was the one that said 127lbs. is needed to help build bone while exercising and walking. After reading about alot of others on this site, I think I am doing alright with my osteopenia. What are your scores? How long have you had osteo? Got to go make dinner, hope this helps answer your questions.

osteochick

Are you saying the food sensitivites have something to do with Menostar. So you are 60 and your dr's think Menostar will help. Are you taking any progesterone? What are your osteo sxcores?

I walk every day, around 4 miles. Trying to work up to 5 miles. No weighted vest yet.

Have you read about denosumab, not released yet.

I am going to look into the Ionic Fizz? Was that recommended by the dr?

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