Maximum VO2 corresponds to the volume of oxygen consumed by the person during an aerobic physical activity, such as running, for example, and is often used to evaluate an athlete’s physical conditioning, as it best represents the aerobic capacity of a person. person.
The acronym VO2 max stands for Maximum Oxygen Volume and specifically expresses the body’s ability to capture oxygen from the atmosphere and deliver it to the muscles during physical effort. The higher the VO2, the greater the capacity to capture oxygen available in the air and make it reach the muscles efficiently and quickly, which depends on the person’s respiratory and circulatory capacity and training level.
High VO2 max is related to health benefits such as lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, depression and type 2 diabetes, especially due to healthy habits and physical fitness.
What is the normal VO2
The VO2 maximum of a sedentary man is approximately 30 to 35 mL/kg/min, while the most famous marathon runners have a VO2 max of approximately 70 mL/kg/min.
Women have, on average, a slightly lower VO2, varying between 20 and 25 mL/kg/min in sedentary women and up to 60 mL/kg/min in athletes. This happens because women naturally have a greater amount of fat and a lower amount of hemoglobin, compared to men.
People who are sedentary, that is, who do not practice physical activity, can improve their VO2 faster, however, people who are already well trained and who practice physical activity regularly, may not be able to increase their VO2 much, although it can improve their performance. in a general way. This happens because this value is also related to the person’s own genetics, and that is why certain people are able to increase their VO2 in a relatively short time of training.
In addition to VO2 being related to genetics, it is also influenced by the person’s age, ethnicity, body composition, level of training and type of exercise performed.
VO2 max test
1. Direct test
To measure VO2, you can perform the ergospirometry test, also called lung capacity test or stress test, which is performed on a treadmill or exercise bike, with the person wearing a mask on their face and with electrodes glued to the body. This test measures maximum VO2, heart rate, gas exchange during breathing and perceived effort depending on the intensity of the training.
The test is normally requested by a cardiologist or sports doctor to evaluate athletes, or to assess the health of people suffering from lung or heart problems, and in some cases, the amount of lactate in the blood is also measured at the end of the test.
Also see what the ideal heart rate is for losing weight.
2. Indirect testing
Maximum VO2 can also be estimated indirectly through physical tests, such as the Cooper test, which assesses aerobic capacity, through the analysis of the distance covered by the individual during 12 minutes, walking or running at maximum capacity.
After writing down the values, it is necessary to make a calculation using an equation, which will give the individual’s maximum VO2 value.
Find out how the Cooper test is done and see how to determine your VO2 maximum.
How to increase VO2 max
To increase maximum VO2 it is necessary to increase physical training because this improves physical conditioning, making the body better capture oxygen and using it in the best way, also avoiding fatigue. Normally, it is only possible to improve VO2 maximum by around 30% and this improvement is directly related to the amount of body fat, age and muscle mass:
- Amount of fat: the less body fat, the higher the VO2;
- Age: the younger the person, the higher their VO2 can be;
- Muscles: the greater the muscle mass, the greater the VO2 capacity.
Furthermore, strong training with at least 85% of the heart rate also helps a lot to increase the VO2 rate, but as this is a very strong training, it is not recommended for those who are starting physical activity. To start physical activity and increase VO2, a lighter workout is recommended, with around 60 to 70% of VO2, which should always be guided by the gym trainer. Furthermore, one option to improve VO2 is through interval training, carried out at high intensity.
