Why VO2 max is the greatest predictor of lifespan | Peter Attia

[@louissatt8497]

I am 84 Vo2 34 now but when I was 75 I was in the only one in the UK in the top 10 at all distances from 100 meters to 5 mile road races a good mixture of strength and stamina. Got struck down with advanced prostate cancer at 76, chemotherapy and on going prostap injections lead to awful hot flushes have still not affected my enthusiasm to keep racing, keep learning, keep coaching, keep playing and keep rocking on the guitar Thanks for your videos.

[@ahmetturgut6131]

Amazing, super proud of you. New role model🙂. I m 55 still playing full court, international basketball. Hoping to go to 65-70🙏

[@jenniferpeterson5206]

I'm a 49 year old house wife who loves my peloton and my VO2 max is 41 based on my garmin info. I don't focus on increasing it, but it doesn't seem too terribly difficult. I do a lot of zone training and focus on increasing my FTP. My cardiologist is impressed and wishes more of his patients understand how important this number is. Thank you for raising awareness!

[@omp365]

It’s not just your cardiologist that’s impressed 😍

[@jenniferpeterson5206]

@@omp365 thanks! My 24 year old son was like "Damn mom! Great job!" I do it more for my family so I can be happy and healthy.

[@davidbright8978]

And how accurate is that?

[@jenniferpeterson5206]

@@davidbright8978 I would say fairly accurate. My cardiologist said usually 1-2 points off based on his experience. He uses it for his own personal information as well. Another poster said a similar thing based on their testing

[@bobwojcik6196]

⁠@@davidbright8978my Garmin says mine is 37. I just had a VO2 max test today. It wasn’t fun but it came in at 34. So my Garmin is maybe 10%high. My age is 72

[@fannyingabout]

I'm 62 with V02 Max of 46 -- apparently top 10 percent over 60s. I work relentlessly at it.

[@BollywoodMediaOnline]

what do you do to workout to maintain/improve it

[@fannyingabout]

@@BollywoodMediaOnline one session on stationary bike per week at V02 Max -- 4 x 3 mins. One session at lactate threshold. The rest is zone 2 but I train every day.

[@normw4705]

I do weights as often as cardio so I cannot train every day. I would never recover and just be sick all the time.@@fannyingabout

[@Re3iRtH]

​@@normw4705 you can train weights and V02MAX on the same day and recover. Eat more!

[@normw4705]

@@Re3iRtH If I eat much more I will get fat

[@andrewbell8837]

79year old crossfitter here at 34 open heart surgery in august. Trying to get past 36

[@valindor]

Don't feel bad. I'm a 49 year old CrossFitter and my average is 21.4 over 8 months and the docs don't know why. They just tell me my watch isn't accurate. I had an ablation in April and it's tanked ever since. My EP says it couldn't be the ablation but that's when it dropped.

[@Tobibobi2]

@@valindor Wearables are terrible at measuring vo2 max. You have to do a breath analysis test with a sports doctor. I did mine last week, so interesting to do!

[@romanellerbrock1574]

all the best for your surgery this month! Keep us up to date :)

[@SecwetGwiwer]

Now I’ve heard three different things being touted as predictors of a long life expectancy. 1. - lean muscle mass 2 - Vo2 max 3 - a happy family and social life I’ll work on all three and hope for the best.

[@tezzanewton]

And a vegan diet, so they say.

[@usmclongrangebrainsurgeon]

Don't forget bone density

[@SecwetGwiwer]

@@tezzanewton so vegans say.

[@brianmcg321]

@@tezzanewton false

[@tezzanewton]

@@brianmcg321 exactly. 👍

[@ricklee9527]

I discovered Dr Attia podcast .. drank his Kool Aid, on his Centenarian Decathlon bus!!!! Bought his book, paying pod-subscriber - listen to him on my Z2 runs. I'm 63 YO, last week had my 2nd VO2 max test done this year at Rutgers University (Bruce Protocol) .. it was 55. In April, shortly after the Boston Marathon (2:52), VO2 was 58 at Rutgers. Going into last week's VO2 test, I was a little beat up ... a 90 mile week, and following 4 marathons in 36 days (Berlin-Wineglass-Chicago-NYC), 3 - under 3 hrs (2:55-2:58), 1-paced someone in 3:13. I will reach about 3600 miles this year, 50 plus races, including the 55 mile Comrades in S Africa .. I race Mile-Steeplechase-marathon-100 miles, my current Mile time is around 5:05, looking to run the Daytona 100 miler in 15-16 hours on Dec 14th. I routinely push my HR (using chest Garmin HRM) to 185 - max out at 190. Train hard, enjoy your healthy life, hop on the Centenarian decathlon!! RL

[@dinogiordano4982]

I am 48 and my VO2 , accordingly to garmin is 53, being workong out all my life , last 10 years more intensive, results are right there, fit, with a lot of strenght , high VO2 max . Key is have a plan of training and above all nutrition , i gave up , alcohol ( never being a big time drinker ..) processed sugar, trying to avoid as much as possibile . It is not an easy road, but at least for me, it js very rewarding, also looking how my kids are " proud" of a strong and healthy dad and somehow , trying to follow the example .

[@robinlarabi]

Thanks for your comment! I am 40 yo dad and my VO2 max just passed 51 today. Your comment further motivates me to keep going, having your kids looking up to you is really an inspiring goal as a dad!

[@PBlaik]

At 39 I began cycling and running and lost 85lbs after a life of inactivity. From nothing to 11 years of building.... Multiple Ironman, half ironman, marathons, etc, etc... My tested Vo2Max is 56 which I'm quite proud of; however my my question is this: In the last 3-4 years I've really focused on strength, as a 50 year old it matters and I'm quite happy with my progress, but strength comes at the cost of cardiovascular fitness. I have a job and a family - strength training chews up my swim/run/cycling training time - is there a "best" balance?? My VO2 has slipped a bit, but my strength is almost at a lifetime best.

[@Slowhand871]

How about this if you go for a 1.5 hr run bike or swim 6 days a week on three of those days lift/ yoga for 45 min then push your run bike or swimming to a much faster pace. I’ve noticed gains incorporating this plus it reduces repetitive injuries. Good luck

[@thebestthingthatneverhappe6729]

Have you read primal endurance by Mark Sisson, he gives example training plans from so many ultra endurance athletes

[@kleitosaliagas5668]

If your goal is to have overall health, it's clear that you've crushed the cardio/VO2 max side of the equation, so you should definitely focus more on strength now and dial back cardio a bit(it's not like your VO2 max will plumet). If your goal is to be a better runner/cyclist, well obviously keep doing what you're doing!

[@jerrythomas4457]

@@Slowhand871impossible to increase strength with that schedule. No time for the body to recover from the strength training.

[@daviddestrebecq9806]

You need strengh to be able to reach your vo2max but of course functionnal strengh .So strengh is power x speed then don't lose your speed as your age .

[@alanhandermann7263]

Started running at age 66, I'm now 68. In two years I've lost 30 lbs, increased my VO2 Max from 38 to 49 ("elite" level for my age group is 46) and decreased my 5K running time from 33:46 (avg HR at 156 bpm) to 25:37 (avg HR at 153 bpm). I run three 5K's every week on a track, wearing Hoka Bondi 7's and eat a balanced diet. Bought and read Dr. Peter Attia's book "Outlive"...it's been an absolute inspiration! Dr. Peter Attia you are the "best of the best"! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!! BTW: I was diagnosed with prostate cancer 8 months ago....and my urologist recommended your book...it was the best "treatment" I could have ever received from my doctor!

[@bobwilliams9061]

Me too. Getting a heart stent at 61 really wakes you up and gets your a$$ moving. Good job Alan.

[@SilverFan21k]

Thank you Dr. Attia for covering Lifespan and healthspan.

[@deagingguru]

At 52 (DOB: 1 Jan 1972) my VO2max is 58.8ml/kg/min. CPET 12 lead harness performed at National Heart Centre (Singapore) 4 Jan 2024. Could have held on for 60 but I let down David Goggins by not gutting it out a few more seconds. I'll get there next test.

[@ianmc7698]

NHC 👍 ... The bike or the treadmill?

[@tanakaobi]

Awesome, keep going!

[@mr-boo]

You only let yourself down man, but still, great job on that result and the mindset to grow!

[@deagingguru]

@@mr-boo Can't help it. Born perfectionist 😅

[@grantrussum9560]

Very nice!!! We all keep saying that we could've gone a little further, but our brains are tricking us. I still think I could've gone further as well. Like you said 'Next test'!

[@pedrolanhosocunha4957]

As a Brazilian I have to say…loved the hat! Great content!

[@paulbartlett7000]

My Fitbit tells me I’m a 58 for VO2 max. I’m male 62 was 243 two years ago 147 now walk 15,000+ per day with my pup. I was shocked didn’t know about VO2. I feel like a brand new car every day. Thanks for doing what you do Peter.

[@Re3iRtH]

How accurate is a Fitbit you think at a measuring v02max? Try a real test with a sports physician.

[@paulbartlett7000]

@@Re3iRtH It’s credible I’ve researched. On the NYSE also. VO2maz was 17 I’ve watched it increase now over 2 years and 6,233,459 steps later

[@Re3iRtH]

@@paulbartlett7000 I also walk 15K+ day. Have always done so before I started tracking it. Walking is not training or fitness. It's simply being a human. Not close to enough of a training stimulus to improve v02max. If you're reasonably fit. That watch is measuring heart rate at exercise and heart rate variability to calculate V02MAX. Which is just silly.

[@bestdoom1236]

VO2 measures both cardio-respiratory capacity and fat (since it divides by kg). So if you are fit and lean, of course the metric correlates with health.

[@soonahero]

It’s not fat, it’s mass. If you’re 3% 27 bmi, it’s bad

[@bestdoom1236]

But fitness correlates with lean mass, so if lean mass goes up, typically fitness also goes up. What is uncorrelated to fitness is fat mass. So for any level of cardio respiratory fitness, simply reducing fat will improve VO2 max. Look at the correlations. There is a strong correlation between fat mass and VO2, much more than total mass to VO2.@@soonahero

[@qilinwang5889]

I always think this is the most important lesson I learnt from Peter and it surely had changed my perspective on health.

[@Paseosinperro]

I am 42 with VO Max of 52. I started running and strenght just four years ago but I train everyday 💪

[@jonathonjollota8661]

This is maybe a bit of a side question, but BMI was originally useful because it was a good indicator for populations of average health and risks, even though it’s terrible at an individual level. Do you think VO2 is good on a more individual level or on the population scale, both?

[@zeetox7694]

Age 24, VO2max is 54. Been doing triathlon training for 3 months, and went from 110kg to 91kg in the past 5 months. 178cm tall. Triathlon really does alot since i couldnt even run 2km 5 months ago.

[@ezcatch77]

The other thing we hope you share is HOW to measure V02 max, if a person is not an olympian. Do we have to go to a hospital or high end clinic to do this?

[@danielsiapin]

41yo, VO2max = 49, and trending up consistently. Thanks🚴🏼

[@dermlover1]

I did a rudimentary vo2 max test doing the 12 minute run test and my score was 17. I am 39 and run/cycle zone 2 and do HIIT. Very sad learning all my efforts have done nothing and my cardio is basically that of a below average 80 year old. Mind you, I have been cycling, running, weight lifting for 20 years now, on and off. Consistently for the past 10 years.

[@sanketjain9320]

What do you think might be the reason? Have you done HIIT for running ever?

[@jessicaguo6089]

I am a 39 female, VO2max is 54 based on Garmin watch & they told me this is top 1% for my age & gender 🙏🙏

[@zibtihaj3213]

Accrual…. That is the key … so keep training , consistency with intensity…. Make it a lifestyle

[@kelleyconnorsmphlifeworkco7134]

I am 64 and my VO2 max is 30 and its been that way for a year. I am using your content to do zøne 2 training, somethign I want to focus on.

[@neilcollins5930]

You’re probably one of the few people who have told the truth in these comments.

[@kingdongo4388]

I love the Senna Cap and helmet in the background

[@grantrussum9560]

31M, VO2 max of 56 (~12yrs of work), and I can attest to your statement that anyone can get into the top X%! (Too bad my RER is quite poor....) There are many different charts, so we must take it with a grain of salt, but continue pushing ourselves!

[@nutritionontape]

It's very satisfying to track and improve vo2. I'm 44 years old and have been able to go from low 40s to 50 (garmin) in the space of 12 months. It's amazing the difference 1 or 2 years of consistent training will make. (Via a mix of running and crossfit, moving 5-6 days a week. I didn't do much specific zone 2 training but would have been in z3,4,5 a lot)

[@peterkapusi5882]

Do you feel better? I mean sleep, overall mood, etc?

[@totallyfake2852]

How do you feel compared to a year ago if you're being as objective as possible?

[@nutritionontape]

@@totallyfake2852 My most objective answer is : It feels like being younger. And for all practical intents, with a vo2 of 50 I'm back in my early 20's. A client said to me "every time I see you you're getting younger? You're Benjamin Button " If my 3 year old gets tired from walking at the shops, I can easily carry her around. Lots of daily examples like this. But! there's a transaction... I am putting in significant daily training, getting up early and going to bed earlier. Eating healthy. I'm not drinking alcohol or going out as much. In a fitness journey, the body needs a lot of recovery, so I've had sore muscles, feelings of being exhausted etc sometimes. So I would say choosing a high Vo2 becomes a complete lifestyle. It's absolutely worth it though. And even gaining 3-4 points of Vo2 is something to celebrate, will have noticeable benefits and may get you hooked

[@nutritionontape]

@@peterkapusi5882 absolutely! I would describe high Vo2 as feeling younger. I wish I understood this earlier in life. I added a more detailed comment below about what it costs in terms of lifestyle changes to get there.

[@peterkapusi5882]

@@nutritionontape i cannot really find that reply. Could you copy paste that?

[@ZombieLincoln666]

I love simple, actionable information like this

[@shred3005]

I’m 58 yo and cycle regularly, commute by bike etc( 6hr a week). Last time I looked at my VO2 max no. it was 44 so in the Elite range. That’s pretty common for regular cyclists (and runners) compared to the rest of the population

[@quercus21]

I’m 39, my Garmin reads 49 but j did a vo2 max and lactate threshold test two weeks ago and it came back as 51.

[@markbailey70]

Best Hat and Helmet in the background combination on the Internet (Ayrton Senna was and always will be the Greatest F1 Driver ever.) I use to be a bike rider my previouse best VO2max was 72 at age 21 tested in a Sports Science lab. Now at 53 and very unfit with little time for training I have started doing Sprint 8 (Designed by Phil Campbell) training on a Wattbike. Is it possible to get a high VO2max just with this type of training?

[@kingdongo4388]

Lewis is better tho…

[@markbailey70]

@@kingdongo4388 it will always be a debate but it is almost impossible to compare drivers of different cars. What I look at with biased of course is the difference between Senna and the other world champions at the time he was able to put more distance into them and time than any other driver in history.

[@kingdongo4388]

@@markbailey70 but Prost was more successful in the same era and managed to beat him in the same car. In 1989 Prost could’ve won again. He could’ve been 5 times world champion. But many still say Senna was better…

[@markbailey70]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aXiydqKop6pno7ssi=1qxKtJ4UWw2D47uI

[@markbailey70]

Senna out qualified Prost at Monaco by 1.5 seconds in the same car

[@timothygallagher6293]

I’m a 69 year old male. I was very athletic person. I was a competitive power lifter and and then marathon runner for 25 years. Now I’m unable to exercise effectively. Too much pain and arthritis

[@kentek3141]

OK Doc, my little Garmin sports watch said I just set a personal record on my V02 Max as 50. Don't know how accurate but I'll take it as maybe close. Inline skating @ 84

[@kropotken]

I think this is all very well if a person is not already compromised by a health problem. I had five stents put in a year ago. My general fitness is greater than before the angina, albeit I wasn’t unfit, wasn’t overweight, and never smoked. I did have hereditary cholesterol (6.5) which was the only marker for my bad heart health. Condition of my heart was good. Recuperation after exercise was good but better now. Am I to consider myself in the same cohort, aiming for the same exercise intensity and goals, as everybody else? Are there greater risks in seeking to achieve these goals? I think you need to at least mention whether exercise intensity and VO2 max apply equally for all people, some like me, having already experienced a major health incident and intervention.

[@soonahero]

People like you need an even more superior vo2 max to have the lifespan

[@strategicsage7694]

I would suggest that the specifics of how intense you should train with such a condition would be a person-to-person basis based on the advice of a trusted doctor. In terms of VO2 max, unfortunately I wouldn't say metrics like that grade on a curve. Even if someone is limited in how high they can get it, it's still going to be a major predictor and something that the higher it can be maintained, the better.

[@madbot9]

I'm looking at the table at 3:49 and it says for 55 yr old male, VO2 max of 35 is below average. According to online VDOT running calculator, if you can run an 8 minute mile, your VO2 max is about 35. How can 35 be below average when about half of 55 year old males can't even run a mile at all?

[@thebestthingthatneverhappe6729]

someone could push through 1 mile at a high heart rate and still have a rather low vo2

[@johnk1045]

Great informative video. I am guessing there are some people wondering what the best way to measure VO2 max would be. Do you recommend a particular method, or is using data from a Garmin watch or other fitness app accurate enough?

[@Hobo_Mojo]

I've read repeatedly that the Cooper 12 minute run test is an accurate predictor of VO2 max. Nothing is as good as doing a treadmill test, of course.

[@mikestunt77]

@@Hobo_Mojo Cooper test is a an accurate predictor only if you are into running, there are people who are amazingly high vo2max but are not used to running and they can't score great results on cooper test.

[@Annhienmoingay3333]

I hope you will keep both healthy and successful. That is the key to happiness.😍

[@anitahernandez1207]

I just checked your book out at my local library 📚 I will read up on this tonight.

[@oriondragos5876]

What about the centenarians from around the world that never really exercised but just did moderate daily work?

[@curious_boy9092]

Genetics

[@abc..6533]

Don't understimate the worth of walking long hours of daily walking

[@GeoffreyHiggs]

I think in the future, resting lactate, combined with right shifted LT1 are going to be the metrics to predict health span in the future. Mitochondrial health

[@GhostOfRT300]

Agree. Health span is what Attia is really measuring, and not lifespan. 😊

[@soonahero]

Health span isn’t important.

[@lotfibouhedjeur]

Very well explained. No more buyer's remorse, Peter. 😁

[@philiplacey5430]

I'm 71, based on my Concept 2 RowErg times I'm in the high 40's VO2max. That's after a widowmaker heart attack at 64 and cancer immunotherapy 2 years ago. I'd like to think I'll have a healthy life until I'm 95 but it does seem that someone's out to get me! But honestly, I still absolutely love a really hard workout and being able to outwork men 20 years younger. I hope it makes me live longer but that's not at all why I do it.

[@donwinston]

Dr. Attia. VO2Max is a function of weight. The lighter you are the higher your VO2max will be. How do you know the longevity is influenced by simply being overweight and high VO2Max measurements are primarily an artifact? Any study would have to filter their sample to just fit people and measure their VO2Max levels and longevity.

[@grantrussum9560]

@donwinston, this is a perfect point. We have to put other factors into play, but I think VO2 max is a very good indicator, as it shows cardiorespiratory fitness. As previously stated, there are other important factors as well.

[@bills6825]

Fantastic content! One question: how good is the vo2 estimate that Garmin calculates? Thank you.

[@michaelregan427]

If running make sure it's done on a level surface. Also use the chest strap it's more accurate than the sensors on the watch.

[@robertcioata]

It typically seems like +/- 3 compared to lab tests.

[@jenniferpeterson5206]

My cardiologist said "accurate enough". And when I asked what that meant he said usually a point or 2 difference in his experience. He also uses the info on his garmin in his fitness metrics

[@wetzky]

I had my VO2 max tested in the lab, and was told it was 57. My Garmin reports 56-57.

[@bills6825]

Good info, thanks all

[@redtestarossa]

V02 max of 73 @ 57 years old. Father is 91 and has never been an athlete and has been overweight for 50 years. Genetics mean a ton.

[@me-lg1yw]

I have trouble believing that you’re at 73 at your age probably because I’m the same age with a Vo2max of 43.😂

[@scottymackay1801]

A good Vo2 also helps with lifting. You'll notice your lifts getting better, more reps because you aren't gassed out and faster recovery between sets.

[@SteveHofsaess]

I try to have a healthy lifestyle, do a variety of sports. my garmin watch has my VO2 max 65 and 66 cycling. I turned 60 last June. not sure how accurate garmin is.

[@HN-er2km]

Wonderful presentation and explanation Peter. Thanks so much for all this valuable information.

[@walkabouttv73]

I have a question no one seems to be able to answer! Is it OK to do a 5min sprint everyday at the end of a jog instead of doing a 30 minute high intensity interval workout once a week??

[@RSG71]

Do people living in the Blue Zones who regularly live past 100 years old have high VO2 max and strong grip strength? So many conflicting opinions out there on longevity and how to live a long healthy life, who do we believe?

[@RGatGala]

I'm not a doctor or a scientist, but I think I know enough about basic statistics to say that health/longevity is a matter of complexity that renders determination of causation extremely difficult. The blue zones are a good example. They are almost surely some "chicken or the egg" process of genetics, healthier people, healtheir lifestyles or vice versa. My opinion -- the stuff that works is the age-old shit that is so boring (eat healthy, get excercise, don't abuse drugs, don't be too stressed out). And for god's sake, don't stress and waste too much time trying to optimize the fuck out of your lifespan and health. Life's short no matter what, enjoy it.

[@gregagregy]

@@RGatGala absolutely amazing point. When you reach the point of decent energy it will be enough of the 80/20 rule. But someone who is not healthy and wants to have better body and look better will surely want to do everything possible. Someone who can't heal with western medicine will want to try every diet and it optimally because otherwise they will have destroyed life. Someone who is healthy can have decent amount of failures and will still be ok and live long life.

[@DrProfX]

What about high VO2 Max (e.g., in the 50s for a 50yo) but also high CAC score (asymptomatic and 18 METs on stress test)?

[@ezraromer05]

My Vo2 max is 59 at 19 years old after 2 years of boxing and 6 months off cigarettes 🙏

[@yongliangteh7957]

The math explanation nailed it. Maybe VO2 max is also a convolution, because it is an accumulation of all the work we put in at all times tau until the present time t. Hence VO2max(t).

[@psmtz]

When I take the VO2 Max test as a strict nasal breather with a heart rate monitor, I get a score of 52, which is excellent. When I took the VO2 Max test at a lab with a mask measuring oxygen consumption as a strict nasal breather, I got a score of 30.5, which is bottom %5. The VO2Max test measures over breathing -- how long you can go all out while breathing as much as possible. That is so stressful and destructive in terms of oxidative stress and catabolic hormones. How can training for that possibly be good for longevity?

[@abc..6533]

For short period

[@spellbinder6818]

Is there any data to suggest that having an "elite" VO2max (>97.7 percentile?) is predictive of superior longevity compared to a high VO2max (75-97.7 percentile)? It would be great to see if that's the case considering the following arguments to the contrary: 1) traditionally long lived populations aren't indulging in intense exercise but frequent moderate activity 2) data such as Olympian cyclists don't live longer than golfers, or professional athletes don't live longer than otherwise generally fit individuals 3) injury risk esp in later life arising from pushing the envelope

[@nomadman5288]

How would having an "athletic pulse" factor in to this? I ask because I have one. When I'm in pretty good shape, my RHR is around 42 and even out of shape, it's usually no higher than 47.. The lowest it's been is 39 when I was about 27 and in really good condition. According to the calculator I used which goes by your RHR, mine VO2 Max is 59 and I'll be 40 in less than 2 months. I'm actually pretty out of shape right now too, but I've gotten back into the groove recently and working on it.

[@jmm8340]

Now that you've raised the topic, I wonder the same. In my case, I'm 52, and my average RHR is around 37, and it may be as low as 32 for hours (even two continuous hours), and my VO2Max is currently 62.

[@cerveloultegra]

I’m between 60-78 . When I start training hard it’s up there. I’m a cyclist

[@ScottChristensenabc]

Thanks! Now we need a video on how accurate the Garmin VO2 estimate is.

[@quercus21]

My watch reads 49 and my test score is 51. Obviously can be different for everyone.

[@jmm8340]

@@quercus21 I scored 56 on the test, and my Garmin showed 58, so the gap is 2 points too. It seems that Garmin is pretty accurate.

[@quercus21]

@@jmm8340 Yeah that’s pretty accurate for sure. Good effort!

[@ABhd84]

Not very…..

[@alanhandermann7263]

@@quercus21It’s accurate enough; however, the more important feature is to monitor the trend…my Garmin indicated my VO2 Max increased from 38 to 49, after 2 years of running about 2-3 hours per week. The “side-effects” of that Garmin observed increase have been loss of 25 lbs and ability to run a 5K at a pace of 8:14 min/mile; when I started only able to run at a pace of 10:52 min/mile….and that at a higher average heart rate. Believe me, if you increase your VO2 Max 11%, based on a Garmin watch, you will see absolutely amazing results….especially if you start when you’re 66 years old! 😉

[@goldenarm2118]

I'm a 50 year old and extremely out of shape. I wanted to start working on cardio and endurance. Running causes my heart rate to blow through zone 2 so I decided to regulate it through inclined walking on treadmill. Walking on a treadmill incline allows me to adjust the incline/speed to maintain a specific heart rate. I read an article that says running helps increase more mitochondria than walking. Is this true? I figured the increase in mitochondria was a result of working at a particular effort level and not a particular mode of exercise. If I maintain zone 2 by incline walking treadmill, will I increase the amount of mitochondria the same as if I run?

[@01rnr01]

Walk before you run - check out the “navy seal” protocol for running continuously etc - good luck (need to get back in shape too ;) )

[@johanrg70]

Just to make this a bit more reasonable when he says that everyone can be in the top %25 percent for their age and sex with "long enough training history". That sounds almost impossible right? I went from a couch potato with a VO2 max of 29 at the age of 52 to a VO2 max of 43 in one year. This by running twice a week sprinkled with a few normal walks here and there. The first months was a lot of run/walking, always taking a extra day of recovery if I didn't feel like I recovered enough. So yes, it takes work, but it's very achievable if you have the motivation for it.

[@johnbryanserrano5288]

As part of an overall healthy lifestyle and potential to increase Vo2max, you advocate for frequent use of sauna. Do you have any insight in Saunabox/portable saunas? Hard to find any benefits to these types of saunas. Any thoughts?

[@nagillig]

Not sure how accurate Garmin with the V02 max, but I wear a Fitbit and it has always put my V02 max around 55. I went and got a Dexa Scan along with a V02 max a few weeks ago. My V02 max is 31, I’m a few months away from 70 years old so not bad but I’m working on improving that. So the Fitbit is way off. I hope your Garmin is correct but I would check into that if I was you. By the way, I never did really trust the Fitbit number. I mainly just use it to make sure I get a certain amount of steps in everyday.

[@RT-vw6yw]

Apple Watch reports mine to be 36.5 which is below average and concerning since I'm a reasonably in shape 37 year old dude who works out regularly. I've been doing the 80/20 thing for about a month, so hoping to see improvements?

[@thebestthingthatneverhappe6729]

give it a good 6 months to really gage your inprovements

[@morningperson707]

I also wear an Apple Watch and watched it fall to below average after 2020. I gained like 20 pounds over 3 years and it took me like 6 months to get it back to above average. I had to lose that weight also 😅

[@felipecirne]

Nice hat ❤!! Kudos from Brazil!!

[@philipsmith6152]

Great video, do you have any information in relation to Trimethylglycine supplementation for high blood pressure? Thanks

[@TravelsWithTony]

Can you recommend an upper arm pulse meter for my cycling

[@mcfarlac1]

Maybe having a high VO2 max is also a good indicator that you have avoided chronic injury. ronaldo luis nazario had an elite VO2 max during his soccer career. Then he eventually destroyed his knees. Tell me what his VO2 max is now. Maybe his heart is in good shape but he is limited by his injuries and would do poorly on a VO2 max test. I agree with Peter that exercise is important and some focus should be on maintaining a good VO2 max, but there is a tipping point where more training carries a greater risk of eventual chronic injury. Peter never emphasizes this, it’s usually an oversimplification. I’ve read his book and he made the same oversimplification there too.

[@thebestthingthatneverhappe6729]

I bet his vo2 would still be quite high... I've dealt with knee injuries from jumping and basketball the past 15 years and I measured my vo2 last summer it was 53ml/kg/min and I weigh like 215lbs lol

[@joerapo]

Peter talks about not overdoing it so much. I don't think anytime he talks about strength and V02Max benefits he has to caveat it by finishing every sentence that you shouldn't deadlift 1000lbs or do ultra marathons for longevity's sake.

[@Godisahomo]

Would like Peter Attia’s opinion on how doing sports could influence longevity. 🤷‍♀️

[@obugirl04]

It is in an interview somewhere where someone asks him a question. He talks about tennis and basketball not being as good as consistent cardiovascular exercise in zone 2. If added to it, then it's fine as long as you don't get hurt? 😂

[@Godisahomo]

@@obugirl04 wondering if there are any studies on sports and longevity, but probably not 🤷‍♀️

[@benhadman2812]

What about having a vo2max that is too high? Any data to suggest the upper limits? I'm a decent club runner but nothing special and my vo2 max when tested in the lab was 66

[@strategicsage7694]

There's no such thing. The data so far indicates that there is no ceiling on the benefits from having a high VO2 max, and the higher the better.

[@benhadman2812]

@@strategicsage7694 many endurance athletes have health problems particularly with their heart that might suggest otherwise. They don't tend to live longer lives than moderately fit people

[@professor-wright]

47 years old. My habit is Combat sports 4x per week. HIIT. Swimming. Rock climbing. Running. Ballet. Tai chi. wake up at 4-5 am. Mediate. Work 3 hours. Recover. Nutrition.

[@gutohssb]

Ayrton Senna's hat 👏👏👏

[@gusromul3356]

nice info, thanks. the hat and the helmet give me saudades... his greatest quote came down to something like: no fear no longevity :(

[@ParadiseProjectsGroup]

I would really like to hear what can an average person do with a given VO2 max. At 68 I should be able to walk x miles with a VO2 max of y, what are those round numbers for x and y, ballpark. I use the Apple Watch, but it seems low given what I can do in a typical training session.

[@alanhandermann7263]

I’m 68 and have increased my VO2 Max from 38 to 49 in two years, starting the day after I retired…I had never been a regular exerciser. I lost 25 lbs, got off all my medications, my cholesterol dropped to 125, my shoulder inflammation stopped, I no longer needed my sleep apnea machine that I had used for 17 years and the low risk prostate cancer I had been controlling through my active surveillance plan has seen a 25% reduction in my PSA level from before my biopsy and diagnosis. When you get to age 68 it’s not about what you can do…it about living an amazingly energetic life WITHOUT all the typical problems that most Americans take for granted as part of being 68 years old 😉

[@GohardGTRSCars]

Is the table showed in the video for running or cycling VO2 max? I understand that the values can be quite different between running and cycling.

[@kevinmeisner5380]

I'm 42, with a 44 V02, walk 20k steps, play hockey for my zone 4, don't actually do sustained zone 2. Going to give 3 hours a week a try and see what a 6 month improvement looks like.

[@nadernayo]

I guess vo2 max is sport specific.. so this table is for what sport ?.. I have two vo2 max, one for cycling and one for running and they are different..

[@michaeltaylor8204]

im 62 box 3/4 hrs everday _ unable to cycle, run, cross trainer crippling hip tendonophyy, bursitis so cnt test for V02. but i would think my VO2 is good. never had a drivers licence run cycled walked all my life till now so box and swim.

[@AirbikeSpeedBoxing]

Airbike HIT is the best training to improve your VO2 MAX 💯👍

[@valindor]

I've been doing CrossFit and strength training consistently for 8 years. I recently did two InBody metric tests so I could compare them against one another. My body percent fat was 12%, my SMM was 100, and my weight is 196 (I'm 5' 11"). My body type via this metric was a D; in other words, athlete. I'm a 49 year old male. My VO2 Max according to my Apple watch over a year was steadily in the low 40's average. Not great and as a matter of fact considered below average for my age. I had a cardiac ablation in April of last year and it plummeted to 21.4 average and the doctor's just scratch their heads. That was 8 months ago and it's held steady at "very poor." Dr. Attia, how?? How can that be???

[@StankHunt42]

1:15 Why? - "VO2 max is a remarkable integrator of the work you have done to get fit" That doesnt explain why VO2 max is the greatest predictor either.

[@napnap609]

Peter, you didn't list CAC score as a bio marker for determining longevity. Where does that rank in the list of bio-markers your rattled off? High VO2 Max still wins? For example, if someones CAC score ranks in the 90th percentile for their age, is that still beaten out by that same person that's in the 90th percentile of VO2 Max for their age?

[@RM-jb2bv]

Peter doesn’t troll the comments section, you woke pleb.

[@PhotosinMotion2U]

How can I find out my VO2 max number? I am a cyclist, and very curious what it may be? TIA

[@FT__Cool_Stuff______-of5pi]

I guess that's great; my VO2max seems to be significantly higher than the 'elite' category on the chart. Guess i'm living to 120.

[@AlexWindover]

I guess the "WHY" i was looking for was the causal not corrollary, as in the actual mechanism that makes VO2 important biologically as opposed to just ; those with high VO2 live longer, why do they live longer? because they have a high VO2 ....maybe i missed something?

[@facundosepulveda286]

I was looking for this comment. The publications on which this vo2 max hype are based are all observational studies. Sure, people on the 10% top vo2 max live -say-10 years longer than those in the bottom 10%. Does this mean that if you exercise enough to go from the bottom to the top 10% you will add 10 years to your expected lifespan? Certainly not. People in the top 10% are just different -genetically, in terms of risk taking, of family composition, eating habits, etc- so the lifespan differences are due to a number of factors beyond vo2 max.

[@trevorhare4238]

As as a 56yo with a VO2 Max of 56, BUT with a calcium score of 710, this is somewhat encouraging!

[@kevinstarski1598]

Best thing is just take care of yourself, eat good, exercise, supplement selectively...if we're start getting hung up on all these numbers/predictors/biomarkers, no matter how healthy you are, some of them aren't going to be good...and will cause too much anxiety...sometimes ignorance is bliss

[@GarethOchse]

How does running economy stack up as a predictor?

[@chrispyy606060606]

I’m a lifetime athlete (Was a national level 100m, 200m sprinter, played soccer through HS and University). Fell into cycling in my late 30s and ended up becoming a competitive cyclist. (Went to worlds in Europe 4x for the TT, podiumed nationals, provincials etc.) Best FTP was 340 watts at a race weight of 78kg. Extrapolated V02 was around 65 in my late 40s. Not sure what % decline there was as you age but am assuming my ceiling was higher in my 20s. Are there are rough calculations you can do to estimate the decline from age? *EDIT* Wrote this comment before the video ended and just saw the chart now. Thanks for the great vid!

[@philippecapraro5766]

Can anyone answer me How accurate is Garmin vo2 max on bike

[@OldSchoolCalisthenics]

very good! the trajectory is important aka the effect of training the vo2 max, that's what all untrained should focus on

[@italianpizza9794]

16 with a vo2 max of 76, estimated by my garmin. I train around 12 hours a week with high intensity and plenty of recovery. Seems a bit high, but could be true. My ftp is around 270, with a w/kg of 4.7, so I’m wondering if this vo2 is accurate?

[@grantrussum9560]

I've seen videos showing the VO2 max estimate to be exactly that, ESTIMATES. If your Garmin is saying 76, then your VO2 max is way up there! I'm jealous

[@joseperez1085]

I have known people in Cuba that have smoked cigars since 5 years old, never excercise a day in their life, they were strong and fit as a mule, and died at 100 years plus…

[@geddon436]

I'm interested to hear you speak about Japanese having higher life expectancy than other countries.

[@KBradAdams]

Peter can you post a video of you doing an actual 4 X 4 Norwegian protocol. I can't imagine older people doing this workout unless they are pretending to be going hard and barely moving. Maybe I am thinking you have to go harder than you actually do but I just want to see an average person doing this "whole" workout like what they looked like in these studies. It sounds like something most people can not even do especially when we talk about people in the 60's and 70's doing this. I don't care how long they try to ease into it, most older people would be stopping way before the 4 minutes is up or crawling to a stop. Does anyone have video of the actual study and what they looked like? Has anyone in the comments done this 4 X 4 workout? Curious....I tried it jogging up a small mountain 4 minutes then rest 3 and I could only do (2) 4 minute sessions maybe I was going to fast?

[@chefmikebenninger481]

I was a pack a day for 20 years, then quit 20 years ago, but got to 230 lb, very fat as on my 5-9 frame. in the past 5 years I dropped to 200, cycle on my trainer 15 miles x 3 times a week, for body fat i do a 1 minute full plank, 15 second high hold and 12 pushups repeated 6 times followed by 6 sets of curls, at 20lbs, 2 x 20, 2 x 15 and 2 x 10....in the best shape of my 60 years...

[@Robert1546_Sea]

Still didn't really explain why other than saying because you're in shape? What is it about VO two max that makes you live longer? That wasn't explained at all.

[@backcountrybumpkin]

So cool that he is Tom Morello's brother from rage against the machine!

[@danallan2]

Peter, have you read "Immortality" by Dr. Wallach and Dr. Lan?

[@naumanshah4764]

Looks like VO2 max is like HbA1c of fitness. Gives a peep at how well you are doing over a long time

[@sebastiandanko3295]

what is more important to improve Vo2max, heart rate or watts? E.g. 30min at heart rate over ?90% of the max heart rate at 250 watts. Or 10 min at heart rate over 90% of max heart rate at 350 watts (like during intervals)?

[@8__vv__8]

Heart rate. Everyone’s power output is different, comparing watts is less useful. If you can sustain 30 minutes at 90% max HR, you’re either already an elite athlete, or more likely, you’re not actually at 90%. You don’t actually need to push yourself that hard to increase VO2max, and you only need to train VO2max a couple times a week. It’s better to work at a sustainable level than it is to overtrain or injure yourself.

[@abcD-wf9yr]

Just ride more

[@sebastiandanko3295]

@@8__vv__8 well if I do 60-90 min rowing I can easily have heart rate 30-40 min over 90% and 20-25% over 95%.But with 4*4 min intervals I can barely have heart rate over 90% for 10 minutes. So it would mean that 4*4 protocol is inferior to 60min all out effort for Vo2 max training?

[@Baddawg22]

Glad to hear you have some regrets on your book Peter. I’ll be looking forward to the 2nd edition 😁