Best Predictor For Living Longer: Why VO2 Max Matters

Summary

The video script emphasizes the importance of heart health and explores the benefits of high-intensity VO2 Max training for optimizing cardiovascular fitness. It explains how this type of exercise not only strengthens the heart but also improves oxygen consumption, leading to increased capillary density and skeletal muscle efficiency. The script further discusses the strong link between VO2 Max and longevity, highlighting the significant risk reduction in all-cause mortality with higher VO2 Max levels. A training protocol involving 3 to 5-minute high-intensity intervals with a 1:1 work to rest ratio is recommended, suggesting a minimum frequency of once every two weeks for effective results.

Takeaways

• 🫂 The heart is a vital organ that pumps blood to trillions of cells through an extensive network of blood vessels.
• 🏃‍♂️ Regular exercise, especially cardio or aerobic activities, is essential for promoting heart health and reducing the risk of heart attacks.
• 🔥 High-intensity interval training (HIIT) and VO2 Max exercises can significantly improve cardiovascular fitness and heart health.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Just like with muscle strength training, higher intensity leads to better adaptations and a stronger heart.
• 🏃‍♀️ VO2 Max training should aim to maximize both heart rate and oxygen consumption for the best cardiovascular benefits.
• 🚴‍♂️ Examples of effective VO2 Max exercises include running, cycling, rowing, and swimming with high-intensity intervals.
• 📈 VO2 Max is a measure of the maximum amount of oxygen the body can utilize during exercise, which is linked to better fitness and longevity.
• 💪 Consistent cardiovascular training can more than double one's cardiac output, enhancing the efficiency of each heartbeat.
• 📊 VO2 Max has been shown to have a strong inverse relationship with the risk of all-cause mortality, improving as VO2 Max increases.
• 📅 A recommended frequency for VO2 Max training is at least once a week to stimulate significant cardiovascular adaptations.
• 🎓 Brilliant.org is an online learning platform for STEM subjects, offering interactive lessons that can enhance one's understanding of topics like VO2 Max.

Q & A

What is the total length of blood vessels in the human body if they were stacked end to end?

If all the blood vessels in the human body were stacked end to end, they would stretch about 60,000 miles, which is roughly three times the circumference of the earth.

Why is it important to take care of our hearts?

The heart is responsible for pumping blood to trillions of cells throughout the body via an extensive network of blood vessels. It plays a crucial role in our health, making it essential to take care of it to promote overall well-being and prevent heart diseases.

What types of exercise are beneficial for heart health?

Cardio or aerobic exercises are beneficial for heart health as they stimulate physiological adaptations in the heart. Both moderate and high-intensity cardio exercises, such as VO2 Max training, are recommended for optimal heart health.

What is VO2 Max training and why is it important?

VO2 Max training refers to high-intensity exercise aimed at maximizing the heart rate and oxygen consumption. It's important because it pushes the heart and cardiovascular system to adapt, resulting in a stronger heart muscle and more efficient blood pumping with each beat.

How does the heart adapt to high-intensity training?

High-intensity training stimulates the heart to become stronger, increasing its cardiac output. This means that each heartbeat becomes more efficient, allowing the heart to pump a greater volume of blood with improved oxygen consumption and utilization by the skeletal muscles.

What is the recommended frequency for VO2 Max training sessions?

The recommended frequency for VO2 Max training sessions is at least once a week, though some people may benefit from every other week, depending on their other cardiovascular activities.

What are some exercises suitable for performing VO2 Max training?

Suitable exercises for VO2 Max training include running, cycling, using a rowing machine, a VersaClimber, or even swimming. These activities allow for high-intensity intervals that are necessary for maximizing heart rate and oxygen consumption.

How long should the high-intensity intervals be during a VO2 Max training session?

High-intensity intervals during a VO2 Max training session should last anywhere from three to five minutes, with a 1:1 work to rest ratio, meaning equal rest time as the interval duration.

What are the potential benefits of increasing one's VO2 Max?

Increasing one's VO2 Max can lead to a stronger heart, more capillaries around skeletal muscles, and more efficient extraction and utilization of oxygen by those muscles. It also has a strong link with longevity, as higher VO2 Max levels are associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality.

How can one track their progress during VO2 Max training?

One can track their progress during VO2 Max training by monitoring their heart rate during the intervals and adjusting the intensity as needed. An increase in heart rate with each interval indicates proper progression, while the ability to complete longer intervals may suggest a need to increase intensity.

What is Brilliant.org, and how can it be helpful for learning STEM subjects?

Brilliant.org is an interactive online learning platform for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects. It offers lessons that are engaging, fun, and challenging, making it an excellent resource for individuals at various stages of their educational journey, including those interested in analyzing data from research studies related to topics like VO2 Max.

Outlines

00:00

🫀 The Importance of Heart Health and VO2 Max Training

This paragraph discusses the critical role of the heart in pumping blood through the body's extensive network of blood vessels and emphasizes the importance of maintaining heart health. It introduces the concept of VO2 Max training, explaining its benefits for heart health and overall fitness. The speaker argues that incorporating high-intensity VO2 Max workouts into one's routine can significantly improve cardiovascular adaptations, leading to a stronger heart muscle and more efficient blood pumping. The paragraph also touches on the idea that different types of exercise can yield different levels of cardiovascular benefits, highlighting the significance of high-intensity training for maximizing these adaptations.

05:01

🏃‍♂️ Setting Up a VO2 Max Training Session

The second paragraph delves into the specifics of setting up a VO2 Max training session, outlining the proper way to perform high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to effectively target both maximum heart rate and oxygen consumption. It suggests starting with four-minute intervals, using a 1:1 work-to-rest ratio, and completing four rounds. The paragraph discusses the use of different exercises like running, cycling, or even swimming for this training, with a preference for running due to its ease of tracking progress. The speaker shares personal experiences and strategies for adjusting the intensity of the workout to ensure it remains challenging and effective, as well as the recommended frequency of these sessions for optimal cardiovascular adaptations.

10:05

📈 VO2 Max, Longevity, and the Benefits of High-Intensity Training

The final paragraph explores the correlation between VO2 Max and longevity, presenting evidence from studies that demonstrate a strong inverse relationship between the two. It explains how increasing VO2 Max can lead to a significant reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality over a 10-year period. The paragraph also highlights the diminishing returns of extremely high VO2 Max levels in terms of risk reduction. The speaker then transitions into discussing the benefits of Brilliant, an online learning platform for STEM subjects, and its role in enhancing one's ability to analyze and interpret data, which can be particularly useful in understanding research related to VO2 Max and its impact on health and fitness.

Keywords

💡Cardiovascular system

The cardiovascular system refers to the body's circulatory system, which includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood. It is responsible for pumping blood to all parts of the body, providing cells with nutrients and oxygen while removing waste products. In the video, the importance of this system is emphasized by mentioning that the heart pumps blood through an extensive network of blood vessels, highlighting the need to maintain heart health for overall well-being.

💡Heart health

Heart health refers to the condition and functioning of the heart, with a focus on preventing diseases and conditions that affect its ability to pump blood efficiently. The video emphasizes the importance of heart health and suggests various ways to promote it, such as reducing chronic stress, eating a healthy diet, and engaging in regular exercise.

💡Cardio or aerobic exercise

Cardio or aerobic exercise is any physical activity that raises the heart rate and increases breathing for a sustained period, promoting the body's ability to use oxygen efficiently. It is known to stimulate physiological adaptations in the heart and is recommended for improving cardiovascular fitness and overall health.

💡VO2 Max training

VO2 Max training is a type of high-intensity exercise designed to maximize the body's oxygen consumption during exercise. It involves pushing the body to its limits to improve cardiovascular fitness and endurance. This type of training is beneficial for heart health as it stimulates the heart and cardiovascular system to adapt and become more efficient.

💡Myocardium

The myocardium is the muscular layer of the heart responsible for contracting and pumping blood through the circulatory system. Strengthening the myocardium through exercise can lead to a more efficient heart, capable of pumping more blood with each beat and improving overall cardiovascular performance.

💡Cardiac output

Cardiac output refers to the volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute. It is a critical measure of the heart's efficiency and overall health. Regular cardiovascular training can increase cardiac output, allowing the heart to pump more blood with each beat and improving its ability to supply oxygen and nutrients to the body.

💡Oxygen consumption

Oxygen consumption is the measure of the amount of oxygen the body uses during exercise, reflecting the efficiency with which the body can utilize oxygen for energy production. Maximizing oxygen consumption is a goal of VO2 Max training, which in turn can lead to improved cardiovascular fitness and endurance.

💡High-intensity interval training (HIIT)

High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, involves short bursts of intense exercise alternated with recovery periods. This type of training is effective for improving cardiovascular fitness, increasing the heart's efficiency, and burning calories in a shorter amount of time.

💡Fitness progress

Fitness progress refers to the improvement in physical fitness and health over time as a result of consistent exercise and training. The video emphasizes tracking fitness progress through heart rate and the ability to complete increasingly challenging workouts, indicating an increase in cardiovascular efficiency and overall fitness.

💡Longevity

Longevity is the state of living a long life, typically with a focus on health and quality of life. The video highlights the correlation between high VO2 Max levels and increased longevity, suggesting that regular cardiovascular training and high-intensity workouts can contribute to a longer, healthier life.

💡Brilliant.org

Brilliant.org is an online learning platform that focuses on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects. The video mentions Brilliant.org as a sponsor and highlights its interactive lessons and resources for learning math, science, and computer science, which can be beneficial for understanding complex topics such as VO2 Max and its impact on health and fitness.

Highlights

The human heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood to trillions of cells through an extensive network of blood vessels.

The blood vessels in the human body, if laid end to end, would stretch approximately 60,000 miles, which is three times the Earth's circumference.

There are multiple ways to promote heart health, such as reducing chronic stress, eating a healthy diet, and regular exercise.

Cardio or aerobic exercise is known to stimulate physiological adaptations in the heart, enhancing its function.

Both moderate and high-intensity cardio should be incorporated into routines for optimal heart health.

High-intensity VO2 Max training is particularly beneficial for heart health, pushing the heart to adapt and become more efficient.

The myocardium, or heart muscle, can be strengthened through high-intensity exercise, increasing the efficiency of each heartbeat.

An untrained individual can pump about 13 to 15 liters of blood per minute, which can be significantly increased with cardiovascular training.

Elite endurance athletes can achieve a cardiac output as high as 40 liters per minute through consistent training.

VO2 Max training involves high-intensity intervals aimed at reaching or nearing one's maximum heart rate and oxygen consumption.

The proper setup for a VO2 Max training session includes 3 to 5-minute intervals with a 1:1 work to rest ratio, performed four times.

Running and cycling are the easiest ways to perform VO2 Max training, but it can also be done with a rower, VersaClimber, or swimming.

VO2 Max is a measure of the maximum amount of oxygen the body can consume during exercise, and it's linked with longevity.

An increase in VO2 Max can lead to a reduction in the 10-year risk of all-cause mortality, highlighting its importance in promoting health and longevity.

As VO2 Max increases, the risk of dying from all causes decreases, with significant risk reductions observed even from low to average levels.

The ideal frequency for VO2 Max training is at least once a week, providing a sufficient stimulus for cardiovascular adaptations.

Brilliant.org is an interactive online learning platform for STEM subjects, offering lessons that are engaging and challenging.

Brilliant's lessons on data analysis can be particularly helpful for understanding research on VO2 Max and its impact on fitness and longevity.

Transcripts

You are looking at real human hearts and  these amazing muscular organs pump blood  

to trillions of cells in your body through  an incredible network of blood vessels. And  

if these blood vessels were stacked end to  end, they would stretch about 60,000 miles.

That's roughly three times the circumference  of the earth. So clearly this pump, the heart,  

has quite an important job, so we should  probably do our best to take care of it.  

And there are multiple ways for us to take care  of the heart and therefore promote heart health,  

reducing chronic stress, eating a healthy  diet to help mitigate the build-up of  

plaque in these coronary arteries and  therefore reducing the risk of a heart  

attack and of course, exercise but what  type of exercise is best for the heart?

Well, it's difficult to say there's  just one best type of exercise. However,  

it is definitely known that cardio  or aerobic exercise stimulates some  

incredible physiological adaptations in the  heart. But even then, are we talking mild to  

moderate cardio or higher intensity aerobic  training like interval or VO2 Max training?

Well, ideally, we would incorporate both moderate  and high-intensity cardio into our routines,  

but today we are going to focus on the  higher-intensity VO2 Max training and I  

would argue that no matter your fitness  goals, whether you're a bodybuilder,  

a strength trainer, you play team sports  or maybe you're into running or cycling,  

if you are concerned about optimizing  your heart health, you should probably  

incorporate this type of training into  your routine somehow and fair warning,  

this type of exercise can be quite intense and is  not for the faint of... heart. So, let's do this.

[Intro]

So why would you really want to do this type of  exercise? Or why might only doing something like  

moderate steady-state cardio not be enough? Well,  when I've talked about this in the past, I've  

often used the example of let's say you wanted to  increase the strength of your quads and you are  

going to do this by doing squats. If you really  wanted to increase the strength of your quads,  

you wouldn't pick a light weight that you could do  15 to 20 reps of. You would get some adaptations  

from the stimulus, more of a muscular endurance  type of an adaptation but you wouldn't increase  

your overall strength as well as you could  if you increase the intensity by increasing  

the load or the weight to the point where you  could only lift it maybe four to six times.

Now, apply this idea to the heart. If all you  did was moderate steady-state cardio and only  

got up to about 70 to 80% of your max heart rate,  you would be leaving strength adaptations on the  

table. So, we want to do a type of exercise  that maxes out the heart, pushing to that  

level of intensity that stimulates the heart  to adapt even further. So then, the myocardium,  

the heart muscle itself is stronger and  every single beat becomes more efficient.

Someone who has a normal functioning heart but  

isn't too fit can pump about 13  to 15 liters of blood per minute,  

but someone who trains very consistently can  push that up to 30 liters of blood per minute,  

with elite endurance athletes getting as high  as 40 liters per minute. So, that means you  

can more than double your cardiac output with  cardiovascular training. And this high-intensity  

training that we're talking about today can  help contribute to some of these adaptations.

So, how do we do this type of exercise? One, we  just briefly mention this, you want to hit your  

max heart rate or at least get very close to it,  and two, and this is a very important part, not  

only do you want to hit your max heart rate but  you also want to maximize your oxygen consumption.

Earlier, you've heard me refer to this type  of training as VO2 Max training. VO2 Max is  

a measure of the maximum amount of oxygen  that your body can consume during exercise  

and to hit your VO2 Max, you pretty much  have to be going all out during that bout  

of exercise. This is influenced by how  much oxygen your lungs can bring in,  

how much your heart and cardiovascular system can  deliver to your working skeletal muscles, and even  

how much of that oxygen those skeletal muscles  can extract from the bloodstream and utilize.

The reason why I'm stressing these two points,  maximizing heart rate plus maximizing VO2 Max  

is that there are certain activities  or exercises that you could hit your  

max heart rate without fully tapping into your  VO2 Max or maximizing your oxygen consumption.

For example, maybe if you did very short,  high-intensity intervals that you could  

only do for like 20 to 30 seconds and  you did like eight to twelve rounds,  

when you got to those later rounds, you'd  likely hit your max heart rate but you might  

not fully tap into your VO2 Max or again,  maximize your oxygen consumption because  

you'd mostly be utilizing the anaerobic  systems rather than the aerobic system.

Yes, hitting max heart rate would definitely have  benefits for strengthening your heart but again,  

if you don't fully tap into  that maximum oxygen consumption,  

you'd be leaving additional cardiovascular  benefits on the table. Plus, there are some  

awesome correlations with VO2 Max and longevity  and we'll get to those additional adaptations  

and longevity in just a second but we  actually need to get into the training  

protocol on how to properly hit max heart rate  as well as maximize your oxygen consumption.

Now, the proper way to set up a VO2 Max  training session is to do high-intensity  

intervals that last anywhere from three  to five minutes. Some will broaden that  

window from two to six minutes but that sweet  spot is really in that 3 to 5-minute range  

and I like to start with four-minute  intervals and with whatever you pick,  

whether it's three minutes,  4 minutes, or 5 minutes,  

you'll want to do four rounds of that with a 1:1  work to rest ratio. So, if you pick 4 minutes,  

you'd rest for four minutes and then go into the  next round until you complete that four times.

I think this is easiest to do with either running  or cycling. You could pull this off with a rower,  

a VersaClimber, or even potentially in a swimming  pool but again, I think it's easiest with running  

and cycling and I personally do running. I've done  it on a track, I've even done it on a treadmill  

and I'm starting to gravitate more towards the  treadmill because I can just set the incline and  

the speed and focus on running and I feel like  that gives me the ability to track my fitness  

progress a little bit more accurately because  I could just make subtle adjustments on the  

treadmill, but whatever you choose to do, this  needs to be challenging. It needs to be hard.

By that fourth interval, those last  few seconds of that fourth interval,  

you should be gassed and not want  to continue going. Now, admittedly,  

the first interval, those first one to two  minutes especially, you might be thinking,  

"Huh, this isn't too bad" but as you get closer  to that last minute, you'll notice it starts to  

get harder and harder and for me personally,  I'll get within 10 to 12 beats of my max heart  

rate during that first interval and that's  okay because I've still got three more to go.

The second interval, I'll hit a higher heart  rate and it will be more difficult. That third  

interval, same thing. Getting a higher heart  rate will be more difficult and it's really  

cool. I like looking at this on my fitness app  that tracks my heart rate. With each interval,  

I'll notice I'll hit a higher heart  rate and by that fourth interval,  

if I've set this up properly, I'll hit my max  heart rate and will not want to continue going  

because I'm pretty much gassed and there are  times when I've been doing this workout that  

I've noticed I've got a little more energy  where I could go like 10 to 15 seconds longer  

during that fourth interval and I'll just push  through that if I've got the energy for that.

But if you notice that you're consistently  doing that, that your fourth interval you  

could go longer workout after workout, that's  an indicator that you either got more fit or  

you're just not pushing it hard enough and you  need to increase the intensity. On a treadmill,  

that's pretty straightforward. You could either  increase the incline or increase the speed,  

cycling you could go faster or increase the  resistance or you could increase the total time.

Maybe instead of doing four-minute  intervals, you did four-minute and 10  

second intervals and obviously, if you can't  even make it through the fourth interval,  

that means you've come out too hot and you  need to decrease the intensity. So, hopefully,  

that gives you some useful information on how  to set up this workout but how often should  

you be doing this? Ideally, once a week  with a minimum of about every other week.

Anything less than that probably will not provide  a frequent enough of a stimulus to promote  

significant adaptations. Now, this would depend  on the other cardiovascular training that you  

are participating in but even endurance athletes  with all the cardiovascular work they put in will  

do these workouts weekly or sometimes alternate  them biweekly with other high-intensity sessions.

Well, let's come back to some of these other  benefits with this type of training. We already  

mentioned the heart will get stronger, increasing  its cardiac output and being able to pump more  

blood with each beat, but we also stress this idea  of training at your maximal oxygen consumption.

Training at this level will stimulate the body  to adapt, to be able to consume even more oxygen,  

and if you remember, we mentioned that  VO2 Max, your ability to consume oxygen,  

is influenced by the amount of oxygen you  can bring in through the lungs and diffuse  

into the bloodstream, how much of that blood  the heart can pump and how much blood can be  

delivered through the blood vessels to those  working skeletal muscles and even how efficient  

those skeletal muscles are in extracting  the oxygen from the blood and utilizing it.

So, this type of training (I geek out about  these adaptations, I'm sorry) will stimulate  

not only your heart to get stronger but will  also increase the number of capillaries,  

those tiny little blood vessels that  are exchange vessels to the skeletal  

muscles and the skeletal muscles get more  efficient at extracting and utilizing.

So, if you put all those things together,  

we've created multiple adaptations where the body  can now consume even more oxygen, and therefore,  

fitness levels will go up and if you were  to do a VO2 Max test, your VO2 Max would  

increase and if all of that was not enough to  excite you about doing this type of exercise,  

maybe this will help - VO2 Max has an  incredibly strong link with longevity.

About a year ago, we did a similar video  where we went over some of these studies  

about VO2 Max and its links with longevity  and I'll give you some compelling highlights  

of one of those studies. It probably  won't shock you that the study found  

a strong inverse relationship between VO2  Max and 10-year risk of all-cause mortality.

So, as VO2 Max went up, the risk of dying  of all-causes went down. But how big of a  

risk are we talking here? Just going from the  low VO2 Max group to the below average group,  

there was a 50% risk reduction in all-cause  mortality over a 10 year period. And going  

from the low to above average group, there  was about a 60 to 70% risk reduction.

Now, you might assume that having an elite  VO2 Max would correlate with the greatest  

overall risk reduction. And you'd be  correct. But looking at the chart,  

you can see that you start to get diminishing  returns between the higher groups. For example,  

there is much less of a difference in risk  reduction between the high and elite groups  

and so, I guess that leaves us with just one last  question - which group are you going to belong to?

But before you fully decide which  VO2 Max group you want to strive for,  

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