What Is A Good VO2 Max? Experts Say It Could Be The Key To Improving Your Fitness

VO₂ is so much more than just a number. In fact, it could be the key to improving your fitness performance. Of course, this raises the question: What is a good VO₂ max?

VO₂ max is shorthand for maximal oxygen, explains Florence Comite, M.D., founder of the Comite Center for Precision Medicine & Health in New York City. It's measured in milliliters of oxygen you use per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min).

"VO₂ max pinpoints when your body's cardiovascular and respiratory systems are operating at their absolute peak, a plateau at which your muscles are utilizing oxygen as efficiently as possible," she says.

Carrie E. Levine, an Institute for Functional Medicine certified practitioner, certified nurse midwife, and the founder of the Whole Woman Health clinic, puts this in even more digestible terms. Levine says VO₂ max, also known as aerobic capacity, "is a number that describes cardiovascular fitness." 

"[VO₂ max] is the maximum volume of oxygen your body can use per minute during intense physical activity," Levine adds. "The number captures your heart, lungs, circulatory system, and muscle cells working independently and together." 

As it turns out, VO₂ max is a pretty big deal. Comite even calls it the "gold standard test" for cardiovascular fitness. 

"The higher your VO₂ max, the greater your overall fitness," she says, "Which makes VO₂ max also quite an accurate measure of one's potential longevity." 

Comite shares that studies, including a 2019 study in IJC Heart & Vasculature1, have found a connection between low resting heart rate and high VO₂ max, and a reduction in cardiovascular events. 

The study also found that people with the lowest VO₂ max had the highest relative risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (thickening or hardening of the arteries), Comite adds.

On a recent episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, longevity-focused doctor Peter Attia, M.D., reiterated that VO₂ max is a key indicator of how fit you are.

Experts agree that the best way to measure your VO₂ max is by visiting a cardiopulmonary or exercise laboratory. Most VO₂ max tests are done on a treadmill or stationary bike, explains Comite (whose center offers this test).

First, you'll be fitted with chest leads to monitor your heart's performance during exercise. This information will be broadcast to a computer monitor. During the test, you'll wear a tightfitting face mask with an oxygen tube and a metabolic cart attached. These specialized tools help measure the oxygen breathed in and the carbon dioxide breathed out. 

Throughout the test, the treadmill or bike will gradually increase in both speed and elevation, making it harder to keep moving. This will increase your exercise intensity until you reach your "maximum effort." Once you finish, practitioners will combine your maximum effort and age, gender, and weight to calculate your VO₂ max.

A VO₂ max test typically costs between $50 to $150, depending on where you go. The test is not usually covered by insurance.

You can also get an idea of what your VO₂ max is at home. Fitness trackers like the Oura Ring, Garmin, and WHOOP can all estimate your VO₂ max using heart rate data. Levine mentions that the Norwegian University of Science and Technology has also developed a tool to give you an idea of your VO₂ max and how it compares to other people your age using your maximum heart rate, resting pulse, and waistline measurement.

A "good" VO₂ max varies from person to person based on factors such as age, gender, and genetics.

With that in mind, Comite says the optimal range for an active man is upward of 58 mL/kg/min. For women, it's upward of 50 mL/kg/min.

These numbers are solid goals for those who exercise often. If you are less active, a good VO₂ max to reach for is 39 to 43.7 (for men) and 29 to 32.8 (for women). 

Levine echoes that age and gender determine target ranges, but a higher VO₂ max is preferable over a lower VO₂ max.