The maximum VO2 corresponds to the volume of oxygen consumed by the person during the performance of an aerobic physical activity, such as running, for example, and, therefore, the VO2 value is often used to assess the physical fitness of an athlete, since best represents a person's aerobic capacity.
The acronym VO2 maximum stands for Maximum Oxygen Volume and specifically expresses the body's ability to capture oxygen from the atmosphere and get it to the muscles during physical exertion. Of course, what is desired is that the person has the greatest possible capacity to take the largest possible amount of oxygen available in the air and get it to his muscles efficiently and quickly, which depends on the respiratory, circulatory capacity and level training person.
High maximum VO2 is related to health benefits such as lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, depression and type 2 diabetes, especially due to healthy habits and physical conditioning.
What is normal VO2
The maximum VO2 of a sedentary man is approximately 30 to 35 mL / kg / min, while the most famous marathon runners have a VO2 max of approximately 70 mL / kg / min.
Women have a slightly lower VO2, ranging from 20 to 25 mL / kg / min in sedentary women and up to 60 mL / kg / min in athletes because they naturally have a greater amount of fat and less hemoglobin.
People who are sedentary, that is, who do not practice physical activity can improve their VO2 faster, however people who are already well trained and who practice physical activity regularly, may not be able to increase their VO2 much, although it can improve their performance in a general form. This is because it is also related to the person's own genetics, which is why certain people are able to increase their VO2 in relatively little training time.
In addition to VO2 being related to genetics, it is also influenced by the person's age, ethnicity, body composition, training level and type of exercise performed.
VO2 max test
To measure VO2, you can perform the ergospirometry test, also called the pulmonary capacity test or the exercise test, which is performed on a treadmill or exercise bike, with the person wearing a mask on the face and with electrodes attached to the body. This test measures maximum VO2, heart rate, gas exchange on breathing and perceived exertion according to the intensity of the training.
The test is usually requested by the cardiologist or sports doctor to evaluate athletes, or to assess the health of people who suffer from lung or heart problems, and in some cases, the amount of lactate in the blood is also measured at the end of the test.
See also which heart rate is ideal for weight loss.
How to increase the maximum VO2
To increase the maximum VO2 it is necessary to increase the physical training because this improves the physical conditioning, making the body better capture the oxygen using it in the best way, to avoid fatigue. Usually it is only possible to improve 30% of the maximum VO2 and this improvement is directly related to the amount of body fat, age and amount of muscles:
- Amount of fat: the less body fat, the greater the VO2; Age: the younger the person, the greater the VO2 can be; Muscles: the more muscles you have, the greater the VO2 capacity.
In addition, strong training with at least 85% of the heart rate also helps a lot to increase the VO2 rate, but as this is a very strong training, it is not recommended for those who are starting physical activity. To start a physical activity and increase your VO2, a lighter training is recommended, with about 60 to 70% of VO2, which should always be guided by the gym trainer. In addition, an option to improve VO2 is through high-intensity interval training.
