What Is A Good VO2max For My Age?
People like to measure fitness in simple ways. It could be how much you weigh, how far you can jog, or maybe how fast you can row. But there is one step that goes a little deeper into the way your body actually functions. VO2max. It sounds technical, but it is the extent of oxygen that can be made available to your body when exercise is gruelling and you are working as hard as possible. All the muscles, all the motions, all the actions, are made through oxygen. The more your body can take in and use, the fitter you are at the most basic level.
Athletes chase VO2max scores because it reflects endurance. Doctors are concerned with it because it determines the outcome of health. When the score is high, then your heart, lungs, blood vessels and muscles are collaborating efficiently. A low score means the opposite. And unlike weight or body fat, VO2max is harder to fake, because it’s physiology at its core.
Here’s the part many don’t like to hear. VO2max starts declining earlier than you expect. In your mid-20s, the line starts dipping and continues by roughly 10% each decade. Then, around 50 years of age, the slope steepens to become more like 15% per decade. By 70, VO2max could be less than half of what it was in youth.
The reasons aren’t mysterious, just layered:
Put all that together and VO2max shrinks with time. But the story isn’t all downhill. Exercise, especially challenging, regular exercise, slows the decline. People who train hard in their 50s often test higher than inactive people in their 20s.
There isn’t one universal number. A ‘good’ VO2max depends on age, gender, and fitness level. Elite skiers or runners hit numbers in the 70s or 80s (ml of oxygen per kg per minute). Average people are often half that. The important part isn’t matching an Olympian, it’s knowing where you fall for your age and how much room there is to improve.
The Cooper Institute created charts to give a benchmark. Here’s what they look like:
| Age | Very Poor | Poor | Fair | Good | Excellent | Superior |
| 13–19 | <25.0 | 25.0–30.9 | 31.0–34.9 | 35.0–38.9 | 39.0–41.9 | >41.9 |
| 20–29 | <23.6 | 23.6–28.9 | 29.0–32.9 | 33.0–36.9 | 37.0–41.0 | >41.0 |
| 30–39 | <22.8 | 22.8–26.9 | 27.0–31.4 | 31.5–35.6 | 35.7–40.0 | >40.0 |
| 40–49 | <21.0 | 21.0–24.4 | 24.5–28.9 | 29.0–32.8 | 32.9–36.9 | >36.9 |
| 50–59 | <20.2 | 20.2–22.7 | 22.8–26.9 | 27.0–31.4 | 31.5–35.7 | >35.7 |
| 60+ | <17.5 | 17.5–20.1 | 20.2–24.4 | 24.5–30.2 | 30.3–31.4 | >31.4 |
| Age | Very Poor | Poor | Fair | Good | Excellent | Superior |
| 13–19 | <35.0 | 35.0–38.3 | 38.4–45.1 | 45.2–50.9 | 51.0–55.9 | >55.9 |
| 20–29 | <33.0 | 33.0–36.4 | 36.5–42.4 | 42.5–46.4 | 46.5–52.4 | >52.4 |
| 30–39 | <31.5 | 31.5–35.4 | 35.5–40.9 | 41.0–44.9 | 45.0–49.4 | >49.4 |
| 40–49 | <30.2 | 30.2–33.5 | 33.6–38.9 | 39.0–43.7 | 43.8–48.0 | >48.0 |
| 50–59 | <26.1 | 26.1–30.9 | 31.0–35.7 | 35.8–40.9 | 41.0–45.3 | >45.3 |
| 60+ | <20.5 | 20.5–26.0 | 26.1–32.2 | 32.3–36.4 | 36.5–44.2 | >44.2 |
Looking at the chart, you see how much age changes the ranges. A 25-year-old man in the ‘excellent’ range has VO2max above 46.5. By 60, the ‘excellent’ line drops to 36.5. For women, a 30-year-old at 35.7 is ‘excellent’. At 60, just above 30 is the same.
It shows two things. First: VO2max decline is normal with age. Second: there’s still a wide gap between ‘poor’ and ‘superior’ at every age. So this means lifestyle matters just as much as birthdays.
So why care? Isn’t VO2max just for athletes? The answer is no. Studies show every unit increase in VO2max links to longer lifespan. An increase in scores indicates improved functioning of the heart and increased vascular flexibility and more efficient muscles. They are indicative of decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even dementia.
It also changes daily life. Climb stairs without breathlessness. Walk longer distances. Recover faster from stress. It’s not just performance, it’s quality of life.
And here’s the key: VO2max isn’t fixed. Yes, age lowers it, but training raises it. People in their 60s who train regularly often beat the scores of unfit people decades younger. That’s the empowering part.
So you’ve seen the charts, and maybe compared yourself to the ranges. That’s only half the story. The real question is: What happens if you raise your VO2max? Why is it worth the effort?
An increased VO2max indicates that your heart rate has a greater power source. The heart works better, arteries pump blood more easily, and muscles have the opportunity to seize oxygen and use it. The latter means less heart disease, and reduced risk of stroke. Doctors pay attention to VO2max because it predicts outcomes in ways blood pressure or cholesterol alone don’t.
It’s not only the heart. VO2max is an attribute related to endurance, not like marathon running, but endurance that simplifies daily life. Think endurance of long walks without fatigue, keeping up with grandkids, and recovering more quickly during sickness.
Brain health connects here too. Research links higher VO2max to sharper cognitive function, lower inflammation, and healthier brain structure. People with higher levels often have lower risk of neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s. It’s not magic, it’s blood flow and oxygen reaching the brain consistently.
And then there is inflammation. A high VO2max normally implies reduced indicators of systemic inflammation. That offers protection not only against heart issues, but also against diabetes, and some types of cancer, and some flare ups of autoimmune diseases. It is a cascade, and oxygen efficiency is an aid to all systems.
The science can sound intimidating, but the test itself is pretty simple. The most used method is the Bruce Protocol. Picture this: you step on a treadmill. It starts slow and easy. Every three minutes, the speed and incline go up. Gradually, your body works harder, your breathing deepens, and the legs push against steeper ground.
Through it all you wear a mask to capture your every breath in and out. Machines scan the rate of oxygen you are absorbing, and the amount of carbon dioxide you are expelling. Meanwhile, heart rates, blood pressure, potentially even ECG measurements, are monitored to be safe. You still have to continue until you just can no longer, when the point of exertion is achieved.
From that data, your VO2max is calculated. Along with it, you might see other markers like peak VO₂, aerobic threshold, and anaerobic threshold. These show where your body shifts from steady oxygen use to that burning ‘no more oxygen, we’re pushing through’ zone.
It sounds intense, but for many, it’s just a structured treadmill walk that gradually builds. Not everyone needs to go to total exhaustion. Sometimes submaximal tests estimate VO2max too, especially for those with health conditions.
The good news: VO2max responds to training. You can raise it no matter your starting point. But how? It’s not by guessing, but with consistent strategies.
It is not about being perfect but having consistent practice. Each session pushes VO2max up-or-down, or slows the rate of drop.
VO2max isn’t a vanity metric. It’s tied to survival. Research shows even modest increases link to significant extensions in lifespan. A fitter cardiovascular system handles stress better, and fights disease more effectively. Higher VO2max often means fewer medications later, fewer hospital visits, and more independence.
Consider it healthspan-lifespan alignment. It is not just life span but life quality – the maintenance of mobility, clarity, and strength. One of the strongest predictors of whether such years will be active or limited, is VO2max.
It’s easy to dismiss fitness tests as something only for athletes. But VO2max isn’t about medals, it’s about daily life. It is about reducing the risk of major diseases, about thinking clearly into older years, about walking stairs without gasping.
And since VO2max is known to decrease upon ageing, the testing and training of it becomes affected even more with age. Being aware of where you are is a place to start. Enhancing it, even modestly, has a payoff in heart, brain, muscles and long-term independence.
At Longevity Clinics, VO2max assessments are part of a bigger picture, helping people see where their cardiovascular fitness stands, and how to strengthen it before problems set in. If you’ve never measured it before, it might be the missing number in your health story.
We’ve developed a comprehensive six-step process that acts as your personal health roadmap, to follow towards your health goals.
