VO₂ max

noun

ˌvē-ō-ˈtü-ˈmaks 

: the maximum amount of oxygen the body can utilize during a specified period of usually intense exercise

Examples of VO₂ max in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

More recently, older adults who practiced Japanese walking for five months showed improvements in resting blood pressure, lower-limb muscle strength and VO2 max, a key indicator of cardiovascular fitness and aerobic endurance, according to a 2025 study by a different group of scientists. —Melanie Radzicki McManus, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025

Compared to its shorter-interval workouts, for example, the Norwegian 4x4 is especially effective at raising VO2 max and, in turn, at building endurance, experts previously told SELF. —Marissa Gold, SELF, 9 Oct. 2025

VO2 max Testing your VO2 max is not exclusive to elite athletes. —Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 1 Oct. 2025

The program also increased maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max), which is the highest amount of oxygen a person can use while exercising. —Kristin Canning, Health, 22 Sep. 2025

Central to the protocol’s anti-aging effects is its impact on VO2 max, the maximum amount of oxygen your body can utilize during exercise. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025

That's why a high VO2 max is a good indicator of a high fitness level. —Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2025

How to find your VO2 max The most accurate way to calculate your VO2 max is in a clinical setting, says Tanayan. —Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 13 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

volume of O₂ maximum

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

VO₂ max

noun

ˌvē-ō-ˈtü-ˈmaks 

: the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during a specified period of usually intense exercise that depends on body weight and the strength of the lungs

called also maximal oxygen consumption, maximal oxygen uptake, max VO₂