VO₂ max
A familiar term to fitness enthusiasts, but it should not be limited to them
It can be an excellent tool to help assess & improve anyone’s long term health
What Is VO₂ max?
VO₂ max measures:
The maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during physical activity
It is the gold-standard test for:
Cardiorespiratory fitness
Aerobic endurance
Physiologically, it shows how well your:
Lungs take in oxygen
Heart and blood vessels deliver oxygen to you muscles
Muscles use this oxygen to produce energy
Why VO₂ max Matters for Health
Higher VO₂ max levels are linked to:
Better overall fitness
Greater physical endurance
From a health perspective, strong cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with reduced risk of:
Cardiovascular disease
Metabolic disease
Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance
Cognitive decline
Cancer
All-cause mortality
This makes VO₂ max a powerful marker of long-term health and longevity, not just athletic performance.
Why VO₂ max is Key for Training & Fat Burning
Gas exchange analysis identifies exercise intensity ranges where your body relies more on fat or more on carbohydrates for fuel
This allows us to establish accurate, personalised heart rate zones based on your unique physiology.
By replacing generic recommendations, these zones help ensure your training intensity aligns more closely with your individual goals
Whether that’s improving fitness, supporting fat burning, or enhancing performance.
VO₂ max naturally declines with age, but targeted training can improve it at any stage of life.
How VO₂ max Is Accurately Measured
Many consumer devices estimate VO₂ max.
However, results can vary significantly between devices.
So these tools may be useful for:
Tracking trends over time
But they are not reliable for providing an accurate value for VO₂ max
True VO₂ max testing is performed:
On a treadmill or stationary bike
While wearing a metabolic mask
Closely supervised
For between 15–30 minutes
The metabolic mask measures:
Oxygen you inhale
Exercise intensity increases gradually until the point of exhaustion
I’m Sandra, the Nutritionist at Dr Martin – Private General Practitioners
I am passionate about optimising my patients’ health for every stage of life.
Nutrition is a cornerstone of this journey, but to be truly effective, it must be sustainable.
I am dedicated to translating complex science into simple, actionable strategies that respect the importance of enjoying food.
Working closely with our wonderful team of general practitioners allows me to ensure that your nutritional goals are both clinically precise but also fit joyfully into your daily life.
You can read more about me and my approach here in my full bio.
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