VO2 Max Testing · Utah County
One of the strongest predictors
of how long you live.
VO2 max measures how much oxygen your body can actually use. It predicts all cause mortality better than most things your doctor checks, and unlike your family history, you can change it.
What is VO2 max, and why does it matter?
VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during hard exercise, and it is one of the strongest available predictors of how long you live.
That is not a fitness claim, it is a mortality claim. Across large studies, cardiorespiratory fitness tracks with all cause mortality more strongly than smoking status, blood pressure, or cholesterol.
The useful part is that it is modifiable. Unlike your family history, this is a number you can change, and the change shows up on a repeat test.
What you get
A number, and what to do about it.
- Your measured VO2 max, not an estimate from a watch or a step test.
- Your result against age and sex norms, so you know what percentile you are actually in.
- Ventilatory thresholds, which tell us the heart rate zones where your training should live.
- A training prescription built on your numbers, covering how much easy work, how much hard work, and what to prioritize.
- A baseline to repeat, so you find out whether what you are doing is working.
- Physician interpretation tied to the rest of your cardiovascular and metabolic picture.
What is the test like?
You exercise on a treadmill or bike wearing a mask that measures the air you breathe, starting easy and getting progressively harder until you cannot continue. It usually takes eight to fifteen minutes.
It is uncomfortable at the end. That is the point, because the number only means something if you reach your limit. Most people find the anticipation worse than the test.
Avoid hard training the day before, skip the large meal and the caffeine that morning, and wear clothes you would train in.
What people ask us.
Where can I get VO2 max testing in Utah County?
VO2 max testing is available to Impact Medical members in Utah County.
Your physician orders it, interprets the result alongside your labs and body composition, and builds a training plan from it. It is included with Concierge membership through the Impact 100 program and available to DPC members at member pricing.
How much does VO2 max testing cost?
It is included with Concierge membership and available at member pricing for DPC members.
Pricing is reviewed with you before anything is ordered. Call us for current standalone pricing.
Is the VO2 max on my watch accurate?
It is an estimate, and it is usually off by a meaningful margin.
Watches infer VO2 max from heart rate and pace using a population model. That is fine for tracking a trend, but it is not a measurement, and the error is large enough that it can put you in the wrong category entirely.
Do I need to be fit to take the test?
No. The test is more useful the less fit you are, because that is where improvement pays off most.
The protocol adjusts to you. You are not competing with anyone.
How often should I retest?
Once a year for most people, or every three to six months if you are training specifically to improve it.
Meaningful change takes months, so testing more often mostly measures day to day variation.
Is it safe?
For most people, yes. It is a supervised maximal exercise test.
We screen your cardiovascular history first. If you have known heart disease or significant risk factors, we decide together whether the test is appropriate and how to run it.
American Fork, opening December 1.
American Fork, UT 84003
Find out where you actually stand.
We open in American Fork December 1. Join the waitlist and we will call you before opening to answer questions and set your start date. No payment and nothing to sign.