VO2 max shows when you go from aerobic to anaerobic exercise. It is a sign of heart health, lung health, and exercise capacity.
How can you increase VO2 max?
Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) can be increased through aerobic exercise training. When you exercise, you improve oxygen delivery to the muscles by increased heart output (“cardiac output”) and improved muscle ability to remove oxygen. In Cardiology another method of looking at heart health and endurance is MET. MET = Metabolic Equivalent of a Task = the energy cost of doing a physical activity, expressed as a mutiple of your resting metabolic rate (which we also test at Biohackr Health RMR). MET values go from 1 and higher. For example, sitting = 1 MET where weeding the garden = 2 MET. Cardiologists use MET levels to classify patients activity tolerance to figure out the intensity of activity they can safely do.
Heart performance improvements
To get technical, your heart improves by increased stroke volume, the amount of blood your heart pumps out with one heartbeat. Training increases:
- end-diastolic volume
- ventricular (heart muscle) mass
- left ventricular chamber compliance
All of these increase stroke volume during maximal exercise. Blood volume also usually expands by 20-25% with training. This increase in volume also helps oxygen delivery and stroke volume.
Muscle change improvements
Skeletal muscle, which includes the heart and makes up the voluntary muscles you think about when you work out- quads, biceps, triceps, pectoral muscles- also change and improve their ability to extract oxygen. How?
- increased capillary density,
- greater proportion of type I oxidative muscle fibers
- improved mitochondrial content and function.
When you have a better blood vessel (capillaries) to muscle ratio, it helps oxygen diffusion. Mitchondria (which we focus on at Biohackr Health with our NAD and creatine treatments) improve oxidative enzyme capacity. In English? This means more oxygen gets into the muscles, which extends your ability to do aerobic exercise. This improves your endurance, stamina, and VO2 max.
What type of exercise improves VO2 max the most?
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is particularly effective for improving VO2 max.
- Studies show that HIIT protocols can increase VO2 max by 10-13% after 6-10 weeks.
- Sprint-interval training (ie 3×30-second all-out sprints 3x/week for 6 weeks) increased VO2 max by approximately 10%
- It is thought to do this by increased heart output and blood volume
Traditional aerobic exercise training is also effective. Studies show in previously sedentary adults that if you aim to train at 60% of your VO2 max for 3 or more days/week for more than 4 months, you increase VO2 max by approximately 3.8 mL/kg/min, which is about 1 MET. Each 1 MET improvement in heart/lung fitness reduces all cause mortality by 13% and cardiovascular events (heart attack, stroke) by 15%
How can Biohackr Health help?
We are focused on biohacking to increase healthspan. Building muscle and improving your heart are key. Study after study show it not only helps with all cause mortality, but it improves many body systems- heart health, diabetes risk, weight, improves sleep, and lowers dementia risk.
TEST. Do VO2 max and RMR testing. Find out what your baseline levels are for your resting metabolic rate and aerobic activity. VO2 and RMR info
NAD. Test your NAD levels and supplement with IV NAD or oral NAD. NAD helps with mitochondrial health. NAD levels go down as you age naturally. You can improve NAD levels (and mitochondrial function, the powerhouse of the cell) with supplementation. NAD program NAD blogs NAD shop
CREATINE. Paired with resistance and weight training, creatine makes a big impact on muscle growth. Your body makes creatine, but it decreases with age. The only dietary source is animal protein. Most people from middle age up benefit from supplementation and it is very safe. Our Biohackr Creatine is micronized German creatine, 99% pure, third party tested. Creatine info Creatine Shop
Medical Citations