VO2 Max Explained: Does This Viral Fitness Metric Actually Predict Health & Longevity?

[upbeat music] Ruby.

I was really curious to find out what my actual VO2 max score was.

There were a lot of influencers doing their VO2 max, and then even, like, just sharing information on what it means.

I'm curious what this number actually is and how it really affects me.

If we're talking about VO2 max specifically, it's a very important number.

You've probably heard the term before, VO2 max.

Maybe you follow fitness influencers who are constantly sharing their smartwatch stats after intense exercise.

Maybe you've seen the testing videos on your social media feed.

You know, the ones where people are, like, running with a funny face mask on and they're going really fast on a treadmill.

VO2 max scores are even, this is real, showing up on dating profiles as a fitness brag.

VO2 max scores are in the spotlight, and it makes it seem like it's the only metric that matters in your fitness and health journey.

But what do all those tests and numbers really mean for your health? It's a question lots of people are trying to answer for themselves, from elite athletes like Danny Cirka and Grace Hilzen, who are figuring out how it fits into their training and performance.

There's a litany of other things that basically determine how your performance as an athlete is, and it's not solely determined by VO2 max.

I am a performance-driven runner, but also, like, the more you identify your performance in the form of numbers, the less that you really find satisfaction out of what you do.

To average folks like Brandon Osborne, who is wondering if knowing their VO2 max score is meaningful for their overall health and longevity.

I'm not in my 20s anymore where I can just take on the world and be fine.

It could happen where all of a sudden all my dreams and ambitions go away, all because I didn't pay attention to these numbers.

To doctors like Robert Maynard, who want people to understand what this test is really about.

Remember that, you know, the person who crosses the finish line first, it may or may not be the person with the best VO2 max.

Welcome back to Health vs.

Hype with the American Medical Association.

I'm your host, Trace Dominguez.

Today we're talking about VO2 max.

At its simplest, VO2 max is a measure of how much oxygen your body can use during exercise.

It's often described as your body's horsepower or the maximum output you can sustain during physical activity, like running, for example.

You might also hear it called maximal oxygen consumption or aerobic capacity.

But for now, we'll stick to the normal VO2 max.

We'll get into the more technical definition in a minute.

Lately, VO2 max has taken off online as a must-know fitness metric.

But does this number really tell you how fit or healthy you are? Is the VO2 max score on your fitness tracker accurate? Or should you rush out and take that lab test with the mask and the treadmill? And does your VO2 max score even matter as much as the hype suggests? Let's find out whether this viral metric is all health or just hype.