Hardcore endurance athletes have tracked the metric for decades, but it is increasingly touted as a measure of fitness and health for the average person.

On TikTok, VO2 max is going viral as the key to improving your endurance during a workout, but what exactly does it measure? In short, you can think of this metric as the maximum amount of oxygen your ...

VO2 max is an intimidating word for an easy-to-understand biometric: It’s how well your body uses oxygen when you push yourself. Short for “maximal oxygen uptake,” it’s been the gold standard for ...

“VO2 max is the best measure of cardiorespiratory fitness,” says Andrew Getzin, MD, head team physician of USA Triathlon and sports medicine physician at Cayuga Health in Ithaca, New York. “To have a ...

If you gather a group of runners together, you’ll often hear the same kinds of chatter. Sure, race PRs and training niggles will probably predominate, but there’s another topic that’s been ...

A 2025 study, involving nearly 800 older adults, points out the factors most associated with higher VO2 max. Researchers and experts explain how to increase VO2 max, especially as you age. Numerous ...

A new study, involving nearly 800 older adults, points out the factors most associated with higher VO2 max. Researchers and experts explain how to increase VO2 max, especially as you age. Numerous ...

VO2 max, the measure of how much oxygen the body consumes during exercise, has become a ubiquitous tool for professional athletes, but health experts increasingly say it's a measurement worthy of ...

V02 max—the measure of how efficiently your body utilizes oxygen during exercise—is widely considered to be the definitive indicator of cardiovascular fitness. However, this powerful metric remains ...