Aerobic capacity, which is often referred to as VO2 max, is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use while exercising. VO2 max is an important way to measure your overall fitness and see how well your heart and lungs are working. Having a higher aerobic capacity means you can exercise harder and longer without getting tired, and it can also lower your risk of chronic (long-term) health conditions.
There are several benefits to having a higher aerobic capacity. It can improve your exercise performance and strengthen your heart. It can also help with staying in shape and lowering heart-related health risks.
Having a higher aerobic capacity gives you more stamina, meaning you can exercise harder and longer without fatigue. It also helps your body recover more quickly between workouts. Over time, a higher VO2 max can help you train more often and improve.
Performing moderate to intense physical activity more regularly, such as running or swimming, improves your VO2 max and strengthens your heart. A stronger heart will be more effective at pumping oxygen-rich blood to your muscles and organs.
Having an improved VO2 max may also widen your blood vessels (tubes that carry blood through the body), which will make it easier to move oxygen and nutrients, resulting in clearer thinking and increased energy.
An improved VO2 max can help lower your risk of conditions that can negatively affect your heart, which can improve the quality of your life and may help you live longer. These conditions may include:
A 2018 study found that people assigned male at birth around 48 years old who performed cardiorespiratory fitness, measured by VO2 max, typically lived longer. The higher the VO₂ max went, the greater the longevity, which added about 45 more days of life.
Your aerobic capacity is measured by your VO2 max, which calculates the amount of oxygen you take in per kilogram (kg) of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min) during exercise. There are a few different tests you can use to determine your VO2. Making sure you’re using the best tools is important, since some available VO2 max tests aren’t as reliable as others.
Indirect calorimetry is considered the gold standard for determining factors such as VO2 max. It provides more accurate results by directly measuring the amount of oxygen you consume and the carbon dioxide (CO2) you produce during intense exercise. Carbon dioxide is a chemical you release when you exhale that helps control your breathing and how well your body carries oxygen.
Indirect calorimetry is performed in a lab setting, typically available at sports labs in universities and medical clinics. It involves wearing a breathing mask while exercising. While you exercise on a stationary bike or treadmill, the intensity gradually increases until you reach your maximum effort, or the highest amount of energy you can put out. Since this method may require specialized equipment and supervision, it can make this a more expensive option.
Smart watches and other wearable electronic fitness devices can calculate or estimate your aerobic capacity. These devices can also include factors like your height, weight, and gender to provide personalized health metrics.
Technology gets better over time, with some devices performing better than others. While convenient, fitness devices aren’t always 100% accurate and may have varying degrees of error. However, they may still be helpful for tracking your progress.
Online calculators use factors like your age and gender to estimate your VO2 max based on your stats. They may ask you to take a one-minute pulse after a specific time-controlled exercise to factor into your VO2 max calculation. However, this is more generalized, and taking your own pulse is often not accurate.
Aerobic capacity generally decreases as we age. A few other factors that can influence your aerobic capacity are:
- Sex: Body shape and physical differences can influence your lung capacity, which impacts aerobic capacity. On average, people born male tend to have a higher aerobic capacity than people born female. The average VO2 max of a person born female is about 70-75% compared to a person born male.
- Training: Regularly working out can improve your aerobic capacity. Endurance training, such as fast walking or slow running for an hour or more, can help increase your VO2 max. Moderate to intense activities like cycling can also be effective.
- Genetics: Traits passed down in families have some influence on your aerobic capacity, giving some people a small advantage, even with similar training and sex. While this advantage can matter for athletes, most people shouldn’t feel discouraged. Training and effort can improve aerobic fitness significantly, regardless of your genes.
- Altitude: Exercising at higher altitudes can make it harder for your body to use oxygen, which can lower your aerobic capacity. With regular training, your body can adjust over time. For example, it may produce more red blood cells to help carry more oxygen through your body. This helps you perform better during moderate-intensity exercise, even if your VO2 max stays lower than at lower altitudes.
- Lifestyle habits: Diet, training intensity, and proper recovery between workouts can play a role in determining your aerobic capacity.
Research shows that an active lifestyle positively impacts heart health and fitness and is linked to higher levels of VO2 max. When starting a new type of workout, start low and slow and gradually build up your session length and intensity over time.
Types of workouts that can raise your VO2 Max include:
- Endurance training: According to some research, endurance training may slightly improve your aerobic capacity. Even modest levels of a raised VO2 max can have significant benefits for heart health, especially for people who don’t regularly exercise. Endurance training can include walking or slow running continuously for a period of time.
- Moderate to intense workouts: More intense training can offer greater increases in aerobic capacity. Moderate workouts have noticeable increases in breathing and heart rate. So while you may still be able to talk while exercising, it may be difficult to sing. Intense or more vigorous exercises will cause your heart and lungs to work harder, making it difficult to talk without being out of breath. When done regularly, both of these types of workouts can strengthen your heart.
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT): This may be slightly more effective than other types of exercise, particularly in young adults. HIIT includes short bursts of maximal effort performed at your highest capacity, followed by brief periods of recovery.
Your aerobic capacity, often referred to as VO2 max, is a key indicator of your physical fitness and a determinant of your heart health. Improving your VO2 max heightens your stamina, strengthens your heart, and can help you live healthier longer.
Consistent moderate to intense workouts can be an effective way to improve your aerobic capacity. High-intensity interval training might offer slightly better results. There are several ways to measure your aerobic capacity, such as VO2 max testing, which can offer a better picture of your overall health and fitness level.
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