Can a weighted vest help build bones and strengthen muscles? : NPR

It seems like you can't go anywhere without seeing someone wearing a weighted vest. They're at the gym, on hiking trails, in public parks and on social media feeds, where influencers claim wearing one can do incredible things for your health.

"The benefits to walking with a weighted vest are insane," one paid promoter, theashleywill, said in a recent post on TikTok . "Your posture, your bones, increased calorie burn, your strength, your endurance," she continued. "I could go on and on and on."

Other social media influencers stress benefits for women who are in perimenopause or menopause , when bone density declines and women are more vulnerable to breaking bones. The vests, they say, can help maintain bone and muscle strength even as you age .

All the attention is having an impact