The Basics: VO₂ Max

What is VO₂ Max?

VO₂ Max is a measure of your body’s maximum ability to take in, transport, and use oxygen during exercise. The name breaks down simply: "V" stands for volume, "O₂" for oxygen, and "Max" for maximum.

It is one of the best overall markers of cardiorespiratory fitness, or how well your heart, lungs, blood vessels, and muscles work together to produce energy. Because oxygen delivery is central to endurance, recovery, and metabolic health, VO₂ Max is often used as a high-level indicator of long-term health and physical resilience.

Interpreting VO₂ Max

VO₂ Max should be interpreted relative to your age and sex, since expected values change across the lifespan and differ between men and women.

The ranges you see in Bevel were developed from healthy individuals for the Fitness Registry and the Importance of Exercise National Database (FRIEND) to establish reference standards (Kaminsky et al., 2015).

How VO₂ Max affects Biological Age

VO₂ Max reflects how efficiently your body can deliver and use oxygen during exercise. It is one of the clearest markers of cardiorespiratory fitness, showing how well your heart, lungs, blood vessels, and muscles work together to produce energy. Higher VO₂ Max is associated with better cardiovascular function, healthier metabolism, greater exercise capacity, and lower risk of chronic disease.

It is also strongly linked to longevity. In a large cohort study of 122k+ adults, higher cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with progressively lower all-cause mortality. Compared with the low-fitness group, the elite-fitness group had an 80% lower mortality risk. In other words, the low-fitness group had a 5x higher mortality risk than the elite group (Mandsager et al., 2018).

Because of this, VO₂ Max is considered one of the strongest overall indicators of long-term health and physical resilience. The American Heart Association has recommended cardiorespiratory fitness, including VO₂ Max, as a clinical vital sign because of its ability to predict future health outcomes. Higher VO₂ Max also supports better endurance and a greater ability to perform sustained or intense aerobic activity.

In Biological Age, Bevel compares your VO₂ Max to optimal health standards for your age and sex. The higher your VO₂ Max compared to these standards, the more years it will subtract from your Biological Age, while a lower VO₂ Max will add years.

How to improve VO₂ Max

1. Do regular zone 2 cardio: Steady-state aerobic exercise like brisk walking, cycling, jogging, or rowing helps build the aerobic base that supports higher VO₂ Max over time.
2. Add 1–2 interval sessions per week: Higher-intensity intervals can push your cardiovascular system closer to its limit and are one of the most effective ways to improve VO₂ Max.
3. Increase total weekly movement: Consistency matters. Even modest increases in weekly aerobic volume can improve cardiorespiratory fitness when maintained over time.
4. Support recovery and progression: Sleep, nutrition, and gradual training progression all matter. VO₂ Max improves best when hard workouts are balanced with recovery.

Improving your VO₂ Max is one of the most effective ways to support both a younger Biological Age and a longer, healthier life.