VO2max testing (cardiopulmonary exercise test)
Diagnostics · Cardiorespiratory fitness
Tier A+
What this is
Mandsager 2018 Cleveland Clinic (n=122,007) demonstrated VO2max is among the strongest mortality predictors — elite fitness (top 2.3%) vs low fitness gave 5x mortality difference. Better predictor than smoking, diabetes, or CAD. Home estimates (Garmin, Whoop) correlate poorly with lab-measured values. Target: highest age/sex percentile achievable.
Mechanism
Maximum oxygen uptake measured directly via breath gas analysis during graded exercise to exhaustion; most reliable measure of aerobic fitness; predicts all-cause mortality independently of most other risk factors
Dose & route
Once baseline then annually or to track training
Citations
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30334822/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33509751/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6233775/
Links go to the source. If a link is dead or you want something re-checked, let me know.
This is an independent synthesis of published research by a non-clinician. Scores are opinions supported by citations, not prescriptions. See the full disclaimer and methodology for how this score was produced and what it does and doesn't mean.