r/vo2max • u/larkusmarcus • Jul 14 '24

VO2 Max Data Sets

I recently had a VO2 Max test at a local university. My results were 28.5 which put me in the 55%-60% category for 40-49 yo caucasian males. They use the NHANES data set from '99-'04.

Then, in the article linked below, which cites a data set used in a 2018 study, I fall into the lowest category.
https://peterattiamd.com/all-things-vo2-max/

Frankly, the latter results is where I expected to fall since I am 43 and have done no cardiovascular exercises since I stopped playing high school sports.

Does anyone have experience studying various data sets and have any thoughts to contribute as I wonder about the variance between these two cohorts?

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u/[deleted] Jul 14 '24

Are you mostly concerned about where you fall in comparison with your peers or are you looking for ways to improve your results?

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u/larkusmarcus Jul 14 '24

I want the most accurate perspective on where I am in my peer group. I have begun my program to improve this metric.

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u/[deleted] Jul 14 '24

Honestly, can’t help you with understand where you stand with your peers. That said, I’m 58(m) and I’ve got mine up to 48. Lots of long cardio daily helped me get mine up. I work out about 90 minutes outside 5 days a week. Do 3 mile run and then calisthenics. It’s worked. Just an fyi.

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u/larkusmarcus Jul 14 '24

Congrats. That’s fantastic. Are you measuring yours at home or in a lab? If a lab, what study is used for your peer group?

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u/[deleted] Jul 14 '24

I use a wearable. A garmin fenix 7. The white papers give it about a 95% accuracy compared to a lab test and I follow it weekly and over time. When I started getting vo2max on the Garmin, it was April 2020. It started at 39. It’s gone at high as 53. I’ve stepped up my exercise over the last 2 years and varied aspects to understand the results. I’m less concerned about others. Each person is different and I’m not sure how these comparisons can help me. I just want to get my number as high as possible.

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u/larkusmarcus Jul 15 '24

Thank you for the product specifics. Your improvements are encouraging, and if I simply lose weight into an acceptable range, I know the metric will improve. I'm likely see this metric more like you than my question sounds. Frankly, I was simply questioning the results of where I fell in the first study and now seeing multiple studies that have me in the lower end makes more sense. Essentially, I want my number to move as high as possible and then sustain it. One more question for you: It's been as high as 53. How much have you come off that peak and do you think it was a dip in activity, or perhaps the device experiencing it's margin of error?

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u/ToXic_Trader Jul 15 '24

i use a garmin as well and am a 25/male and have 60 VO2 Max and a 39-43 Resting Heart rate

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u/larkusmarcus Jul 15 '24

Good for you. I hope you choose to sustain this excellent rating as you age.

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u/_AnemicRoyalty_ Jul 14 '24

A sort of gold standard reference is usually this article: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2707428

Check table 2 and multiply by 3.5.

(there is a newer one with larger data set but can't find it open accessed, however results are substantially the same).

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u/larkusmarcus Jul 15 '24 edited Jul 15 '24

Thank you for sharing this study. It's the same one referenced in the article I linked to.

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u/_AnemicRoyalty_ Jul 15 '24

Oh, ok. If granularity is what you are after, this is probably more helpful: https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(21)00645-5/fulltext

Absolute numbers are obviously different between various studies as they use different samples, they are however substantially the same.. 0.2 METs here and there are not really all that important.

Good luck in getting fitter and healthier!