Measure. Understand. Improve.
Cardiorespiratory fitness is one of the strongest predictors of future health and longevity, yet it is not often measured outside of sports or research settings.
What is VO₂max?
VO₂ max is the maximum rate at which your body can take in, transport and utilise oxygen to produce energy during exercise.
It reflects how efficiently your heart, lungs and muscles work together to deliver and utilise oxygen to meet the demands of exercise.
VO₂max is widely regarded as the gold standard measure of cardiorespiratory fitness.
Why is VO₂max important?
VO₂max is one of the strongest predictors of long-term health.
Higher VO₂max scores are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and premature mortality.
Cardiorespiratory fitness has consistently been shown to be one of the strongest predictors of all-cause mortality, independent of many traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
Unlike age or genetics, cardiorespiratory fitness is modifiable. Regular aerobic exercise can lead to meaningful improvements in VO₂max at almost any age.
Why should I test my VO₂max?
Many people exercise regularly without knowing whether they are training at the intensity best suited to their goals.
Measuring VO₂max provides an objective assessment of your current cardiovascular fitness and can help:
- Establish personalised exercise intensity and heart rate training zones
- Monitor changes in fitness over time
- Guide exercise prescription for health, fitness or performance
- Compare your cardiorespiratory fitness with age- and sex-specific normative values.
VO₂max testing provides personalised insights into your physiology that can help optimise your training and monitor improvements in fitness over time.
How is it measured?
At Executive Medicine, VO₂max is measured during a graded treadmill exercise test, where the intensity progressively increases until you reach your maximum effort. A specialised face mask continuously measures the oxygen you consume and the carbon dioxide you produce, providing an accurate assessment of your cardiorespiratory fitness.
The results help personalise your exercise prescription and provide an objective way to track improvements in fitness over time.
Takeaway:
VO₂max is more than just a fitness score—it's one of the strongest indicators of long-term health that we can measure.
The good news is that it can be improved with appropriate training, making it one of the most valuable health markers you can actively influence.
Measure. Understand. Improve.
VO₂ max in our assessments
Measured VO₂ max testing with a CardioCoach mask is included in the Signature and Foresight assessments. It is not included in Foundational.
Results are considered alongside the exercise response and other relevant health information, helping translate the measurement into practical, individual guidance rather than treating it as a standalone score.
For the comprehensive clinical overview, read VO₂ Max: What It Measures and Why It Matters.