If you’re like me you don’t just take anyone’s word for something. You want evidence and you want proof. Sure, a heart rate monitor is seen as “just another gadget” by some people but it has to have some benefits right? Well, my belief is yes—a heart rate monitor can be a valuable tool in your overall fitness level and especially your cardio health. However, research on heart rate monitors will show that better than I ever can.

When seeking out any kind of information, always consider the source. Because nearly everyone has a blog now and even large websites have amateurs writing for them, if it’s hard science you seek, look at medical journals as the best authority. Joe Shmoe, who lost 100 pounds can be a great guy to read about on his blog. He likely has some great tips and might even point you towards some real scientifically backed facts, but when it comes to hard research on heart rate monitors, he might not be the best answer.

Whether you are looking for research on heart rate monitors or the real benefits of a low carbohydrate diets, a resource like PubMed can be a superior tool. PubMed is the work of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. Here you will find over 19 million studies and citations from the top medical journals. A simple “heart rate monitors exercise” in their search box gave me 359 results.

One doesn’t need to read more than a few studies to see that research on heart rate monitors, like everything else, varies from source to source. Bottomline: the choice to use one is yours. I personally like tracking my fitness in a variety of ways. Measurements, body fat percentage, mile times, and push up tests are just a few things I do. However, a heart rate monitor is one of the best ways to track your cardio progress.