# VO2max

VO2max is the maximum rate at which you can use oxygen during intense exercise. It is usually expressed in mL/kg/min. By the Fick principle, it equals your oxygen delivery (cardiac output and hemoglobin) times how much your muscles extract at the mitochondria. VO2max is among the strongest predictors of all-cause death. A higher VO2max is strongly tied to lower long-term risk across cohort studies (for example, Mandsager 2018). That makes it a central marker of cardiorespiratory fitness in longevity research.

## Sources

- Ross R, Blair SN, Arena R, et al.. (2016). Importance of assessing cardiorespiratory fitness in clinical practice: a case for fitness as a clinical vital sign. Circulation. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000461
- Bassett DR Jr, Howley ET. (2000). Limiting factors for maximum oxygen uptake and determinants of endurance performance. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200001000-00012
- Mandsager K, Harb S, Cremer P, Phelan D, Nissen SE, Jaber W. (2018). Association of Cardiorespiratory Fitness With Long-term Mortality Among Adults Undergoing Exercise Treadmill Testing. JAMA Network Open. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.3605

---

_Canonical: https://longevity-switzerland.com/en/glossary/vo2max · Part of Longevity Cities · Updated 2026-06-22_