VO2 Max
VO2 max (maximal oxygen uptake) measures the maximum rate at which the body can use oxygen during intense exercise, expressed in mL of oxygen per kg of bodyweight per minute. It is one of the core measures of aerobic fitness and endurance capacity, alongside tests like the Cooper 12-minute run and the 1.5-mile run; in large cohort studies it is associated with all-cause mortality risk.
Percentiles are from the FRIEND Registry (Kaminsky et al. 2022, n=7,783 US adults), the largest US reference for treadmill CPET-measured VO2 max. Read more on Wikipedia
Data source: FRIEND Registry About this study
VO2 Max Norms Chart by Age and Sex (ml/kg/min)
| Age | Sex | Percentile | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 95th | ||
| 20-29 | Male | 31.1 | 37.1 | 42.5 | 49.0 | 57.0 |
| Female | 24.3 | 29.7 | 35.2 | 41.0 | 49.6 | |
| 30-39 | Male | 28.7 | 34.5 | 40.0 | 46.0 | 54.3 |
| Female | 22.0 | 27.2 | 32.3 | 38.0 | 46.5 | |
| 40-49 | Male | 25.5 | 31.3 | 37.0 | 43.0 | 51.5 |
| Female | 19.5 | 24.5 | 29.5 | 35.0 | 43.5 | |
| 50-59 | Male | 23.5 | 29.4 | 35.2 | 41.0 | 49.7 |
| Female | 17.5 | 22.3 | 27.0 | 32.5 | 41.0 | |
| 60-69 | Male | 20.3 | 25.7 | 31.0 | 36.7 | 45.0 |
| Female | 15.0 | 19.3 | 23.5 | 28.5 | 36.8 | |
| 70-79 | Male | 17.0 | 21.8 | 26.5 | 32.0 | 40.2 |
| Female | 12.5 | 16.3 | 20.0 | 24.5 | 32.0 | |
| 80+ | Male | 14.0 | 18.0 | 22.0 | 27.0 | 35.0 |
| Female | 10.0 | 13.2 | 16.5 | 20.5 | 27.5 | |
What to expect by age group
Among adults in their 30s, the middle 50% score roughly 35 to 46 ml/kg/min for men and 27 to 38 ml/kg/min for women. VO2 max declines steadily with each decade in both sexes, with men scoring around 8 ml/kg/min higher than women on average. Scores below 35 ml/kg/min (men) or 27 ml/kg/min (women) are typically below average for this age group; scores above 46 ml/kg/min (men) or 38 ml/kg/min (women) are above average.
| Age | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 37.1 to 49.0 | 29.7 to 41.0 |
| 30-39 | 34.5 to 46.0 | 27.2 to 38.0 |
| 40-49 | 31.3 to 43.0 | 24.5 to 35.0 |
| 50-59 | 29.4 to 41.0 | 22.3 to 32.5 |
| 60-69 | 25.7 to 36.7 | 19.3 to 28.5 |
| 70-79 | 21.8 to 32.0 | 16.3 to 24.5 |
| 80+ | 18.0 to 27.0 | 13.2 to 20.5 |
Detailed Breakdowns
Select an age group and sex below for detailed percentile charts, tables, and ratings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good VO2 max for my age?
VO2 max varies by age and sex. Use the percentile table above to compare your score. The 50th percentile represents the median for your demographic.
How is VO2 max measured?
VO2 max is typically measured during a graded exercise test on a treadmill or cycle ergometer, using a metabolic cart to analyze expired gases. The FRIEND Registry norms on this page aggregate data from multiple clinical exercise testing sites, exact protocols varied across sites.
Can you improve your VO2 max?
Yes. Aerobic training, particularly high-intensity interval training (HIIT), can improve VO2 max. Improvements of 15-20% are common with consistent training.
What factors affect VO2 max besides age and sex?
Body composition, altitude, genetics, and training status all affect VO2 max. Because it is expressed per kilogram of bodyweight, carrying excess body fat lowers the score even if absolute oxygen uptake is unchanged. Elite endurance athletes can exceed 80 ml/kg/min; sedentary adults may score below 25 ml/kg/min. Smoking and cardiovascular disease reduce it substantially.
What is the difference between VO2 max and VO2 peak?
VO2 max is the true maximum oxygen uptake, usually confirmed when oxygen consumption stops rising despite a harder workload. VO2 peak is simply the highest value reached in a test and may fall short of the true maximum if the test ends early. In practice, many papers use the terms loosely, including large registry datasets.
Why do men score higher than women on VO2 max?
Men average about 8 ml/kg/min higher than women across these reference tables. The main reasons are higher haemoglobin concentration, larger stroke volume and cardiac output, more lean mass, and lower body fat on average. Those differences raise oxygen delivery and make relative VO2 max values higher in men.