What is VO₂max, and why does it matter for longevity?
VO₂max is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during intense exercise, measured in ml/kg/min. It's the single best measure of cardiorespiratory fitness, and one of the strongest predictors of long-term health — higher VO₂max is associated with lower all-cause mortality. It rises with endurance training and declines with age and inactivity.
What's a good VO₂max?
It depends on age and sex, but broadly: for adults, values in the 30s are average, the 40s are good, and 50+ is excellent for most non-athletes. The most actionable fact is that VO₂max is trainable — consistent aerobic and interval work raises it at almost any age.
How Vita uses VO₂max
Apple Watch estimates VO₂max (as "Cardio Fitness") from your workouts and heart-rate data. Vita reads it from Apple Health and makes it a core driver of your Body Age, so you can see how improving your fitness makes your body "younger" over time.
FAQ
How do I measure VO₂max without a lab?
An Apple Watch estimates it automatically as Cardio Fitness from outdoor walks, runs and workouts. Vita reads that estimate from Apple Health.
Can I improve my VO₂max?
Yes — it's one of the most trainable fitness markers. Regular aerobic base work plus some higher-intensity intervals raises it over weeks to months.
Why does VO₂max matter for longevity?
Large studies link higher cardiorespiratory fitness to substantially lower risk of death from all causes — it's a proxy for how resilient your cardiovascular system is.