This was me. Except I’m not Black. Or shirtless. Or this muscular. Or a dude. Okay, shut up.
During my little exercise metabolic test, Personal Trainer Jordan dropped an interesting little nugget of information. He said that a person’s VO2 max is correlated with disease risk. So of course I had to go home and look it up. Turns out he’s even more right than he knows.
If you remember (and who can blame you if you don’t) your VO2 max is your maximal oxygen uptake and “is widely accepted as the single best measure of cardiovascular fitness and maximal aerobic power.” So of course it is a fun number for us competitive types to know. But it turns out there is an even better reason to know your number.
The Study
Danish researchers examined 86 men and 115 women, all between the ages of 23 and 27. They tested their VO2 max. They then studied their physical activity, blood pressure, blood lipids, body fat and smoking habits.
The Results
As expected, a greater VO2 max (remember the average sedentary man’s is 45 and the woman’s is 38 – Lance Armstrong’s is in the 90’s) was significantly correlated with a better cardiovascular profile. This means that the higher the VO2 max, the lower the LDL cholesterol, body fat, and blood pressure.
Here’s the kicker: Physical activity was not correlated with a better cardiovascular profile.
The Conclusion
If you want to lower your cholesterol, blood pressure, body fat and bikini inhibitions, then your workouts need to be intense enough to increase your VO2 max. If better heart health is your goal, it isn’t enough just to be physically active (although physical activity of any intensity has numerous other benefits). You have to keep pushing yourself. Never get comfortable! Wow, that came out sounding a lot harsher than I meant it to. You know what I mean.
More Interesting VO2 Tidbits – you know, in case you’re ever lacking in interesting dinner party conversation.
– As we age, we lose about 1% of our VO2 max per year after age 25. But if we keep exercising, we only lose 0.5%!
– A higher VO2 max is correlated with a decrease in symptoms of the scary metabolic syndrome (Scary because it’s a precursor to diabetes. Which is scary because you could lose toes. Or, you know, your life.)
– Your VO2 max can be used to predict your athletic performance.
– VO2 max is an “excellent predictor” of a heart attack.
So, next time you see your doctor and he orders up the standard tests, see if he’ll throw in a VO2 max test. Ask nicely. And maybe bring a buy-one-get-one-free coupon. Don’t have one? Make your own! Health insurers love those kinds of antics. They’ll give you points just for creativity.
Note: Dr. J posted a link to his article on VO2 max in the comments section and I thought it was so fabulous that I’m putting out here. Definitely check it out for more information!
Well I’m screwed.
I remember testing my VO2 Max in physiology lab, and it was woeful. While in that class I did a study testing the VO2 Max for two different groups. I went to college at a Catholic school that was on a steep hillside. Half of the people in my study were in their 20s and lived off-campus (drove to class). The other half were in their 70s, nuns who lived at the top of the hill and thus had to climb those 200+ stairs several times a day.
Guess which group came out better? Yep, it’s true. Moral: either a) become a nun or b)take the stairs more and drive less. The nuns did not hit the gym, they didn’t do weightlifting or use a treadmill, but they did make stair climbing a part of their lives. (Well, they had to.)
Ive never had my vo2 max tested.
I wonder if my dr would (Fingerquote) order (unFQ) it?
I wonder if he did if Id show up?
all these questions.
M.
Thanks for posting about this, Charlotte! The first time I heard about VO2 Max was in that PBS Nova special about running a Marathon (that was on a few months ago – did anyone see it?)
Anyway, it’s something I’ve always wanted to have done. I’m thinking the MBG has made me waaaaay stronger than I was before – I’m definitely pusing myself harder.
Hi!
Perhaps you would enjoy my take on V02 max!
Dr. J
http://calorielab.com/news/2008/02/07/dr-j-will-see-you-now-diet-success-staying-off-boot-hill-and-a-motivating-story/
http://calorielab.com/news/2008/02/11/keep-on-keepin-on-raising-your-v02-max-to-increase-your-aerobic-fitness-and-lengthen-your-life/
Merry – ROFL! How much do I love nuns?! I think that is how we are meant to get our exercise – going about the business of living.
MizFit – If you do ever decide to take the plunge, let me know how it goes! I thought it was fun. Suffocating. But fun. I’m weird like that.
Rachel – I missed that show! It sounds right up my alley too. I’ll have to see if I can find it online. And AMEN to the MBG. I feel the same way. Glad it is still going well for you.
Dr J – Love it!! I posted one of your links up in the article – great info.
I remember when I was marathon training 6 years ago and the big thing was to work on improving my VO2 max. I didn’t get tested on the machine, but my trainer would give me these cardio tests just to see where I was, and over time I remember how something that seemed so hard at the beginning, eventually became easier over time basically because I was becoming fitter and my breathing was getting better too. I have asthma issues so I gotta watch that.
I remember just feeling really great during those days, and I noticed too that I was taking deeper breathes in my daily life because I really liked feeling all that air in my lungs and body. Breathe is very healing.
Pingback:What If I Fail? The Trees I Cannot Climb | The Great Fitness Experiment
Pingback:There’s Now a Genetic Test to Tell Your Athletic Potential: Would You Take It? [epigenetics] | Everyth1ng