It’s powerful marker of overall health for everyone.
By Gary Greenberg
In the quest for longevity, researchers have identified numerous biomarkers that help gauge health and lifespan.
These include cholesterol levels, insulin sensitivity, telomere length, and, increasingly, VO2 max.
To the unfamiliar, VO2 max may sound technical or even futuristic. In simple terms, it refers to the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during intense exercise.
The more efficiently your body delivers and utilizes oxygen, the more energy your cells can produce — with less strain on the body’s systems.
“The more oxygen your cells can intake, the longer these cells will stay active and healthy,” says exercise physiologist Harry Pino, Ph.D. “It’s also a good cardio, respiratory, and fitness indicator.”
Why It Matters
VO2 max was first embraced by elite athletes seeking to improve performance. Today, it’s recognized as a powerful marker of overall health for everyone.
Higher VO2 max levels are linked to improved aerobic fitness, stronger immunity, better mood, and lower stress. Research also connects it to longer life.
A 2024 review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that higher cardiorespiratory fitness reduces the risk of premature death by 11% to 17%.
“VO2 max naturally goes down as you age,” says Pino. “If it gets too low, it can affect all sorts of biological processes and reduce quality of life.”
The encouraging news: You can improve it. The challenging news: It takes effort.
“Basically, you have to challenge yourself aerobically,” Pino tells Newsmax.
“I don’t want to say ‘no pain, no gain,’ but there is some discomfort involved because you have to push yourself.”
How to Increase It
For sedentary individuals, the key is starting gradually — often with brisk walking — and steadily increasing intensity over time.
For more active individuals, high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is especially effective.
HIIT alternates short bursts of vigorous effort with lower-intensity recovery periods and can be done through running, cycling, swimming, or bodyweight exercises. Sessions typically last 10 to 30 minutes.
During high-intensity intervals, aim to reach at least 70% of your maximum heart rate. Subtract your age from 220 to calculate your maximum heart rate, and then multiply by 0.70.
Recovery periods should last as long as — or slightly longer than — the intense segments.
How It’s Measured
VO2 max is expressed in milliliters of oxygen used per kilogram of body weight per minute. Generally, good scores range from 35 to 50 for men and 30 to 45 for women, depending on age. Elite endurance athletes often exceed 70.
The most precise measurement requires laboratory testing, where a person exercises on a treadmill or stationary bike while wearing a mask that analyzes oxygen intake and carbon dioxide output.
Many smartwatches and fitness trackers estimate VO2 max using heart rate and movement data, though these readings are approximations.
Field tests — such as timed runs or walks combined with heart rate measurements — can also provide estimates using formulas or digital tools.
“People with higher range VO2 max will have more energy, feel better, and likely live longer than those in lower ranges,” says Pino.
“Improving it isn’t easy, but it’s worth the effort.”