Dosage Lookup

VO2 Max

4.6

Universal

consensus

Build the aerobic base with Zone 2 (~3-4 hrs/week), then add 1-2 dedicated VO2 max interval sessions per week (Attia's 80/20 split — 80% easy, 20% hard). Hyman: HIIT 20-30 min twice weekly. Johnson: 90-150 min/week in Zone 5.

Based on expert consensus data from publicly available videos, not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any supplement.

Consensus Protocol

Dosage

  • Build the aerobic base with Zone 2 (~3-4 hrs/week), then add 1-2 dedicated VO2 max interval sessions per week (Attia's 80/20 split — 80% easy, 20% hard)
  • Hyman: HIIT 20-30 min twice weekly
  • Johnson: 90-150 min/week in Zone 5

Form

  • The Norwegian 4x4 is the flagship protocol: 4 minutes at ~85-95% of max effort, then 4 minutes easy, repeated 4 times (Attia, Patrick, Hyman)
  • Alternatives that also work: longer 3-5 min intervals, or 1-min on / 1-min off (Patrick/Gibala)
  • Cycling, running, rowing, or stair climbing all qualify — cycling is lower-impact if you have joint issues

Timing

  • 1-2 VO2 max sessions per week is sufficient — more is not better for most people
  • Keep ~80% of total cardio volume easy (Zone 2) and ~20% hard
  • Older adults and beginners should build a base 'pre-training' period before starting hard intervals to avoid orthopedic injury (Attia/Joyner)

Notes

  • Track via lab test, a portable analyzer (e
  • g
  • VO2 Master), a wearable estimate (trend, not gospel), or the 12-minute Cooper run/walk test
  • Heart-rate recovery — a drop of ≥30 beats within 60 seconds of stopping — is a free proxy (Huberman/Galpin)
  • VO2 max is trainable at any age, even into the 80s and beyond (Hyman, Attia)

Expert Positions

Andrew Huberman
Andrew Huberman
Ranks It Above Any Supplement
Peter Attia
Peter Attia
Centenarian Decathlon Pillar
Rhonda Patrick
Rhonda Patrick
Core to Her Vigorous-Exercise Case
Bryan Johnson
Bryan Johnson
Trains Zone 5 in Blueprint
Mark Hyman
Mark Hyman
Calls It a Vital Sign

What Each Expert Says

Andrew Huberman
Andrew Huberman
Ranks It Above Any Supplement

Huberman covers VO2 max primarily through his in-depth guest series with Dr. Andy Galpin, treating it as a measurable, trainable health metric. He cites health-floor targets (above ~35 ml/kg/min for men and ~30 for women, with 50-55+ preferred for long-term health), points to lab-free assessments like the 12-minute Cooper run test and the submaximal one-mile walk test, and highlights the Stockholm study of lifelong cross-country skiers who maintained high VO2 max and low resting heart rates into their 80s and 90s as a marker of independence. In his longevity supplements AMA, he explicitly ranks cardiorespiratory fitness (Zone 2 plus VO2 max work) far above any supplement for longevity.

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More on VO2 Max

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Common Questions

How much VO2 Max should you take?

Build the aerobic base with Zone 2 (~3-4 hrs/week), then add 1-2 dedicated VO2 max interval sessions per week (Attia's 80/20 split — 80% easy, 20% hard). Hyman: HIIT 20-30 min twice weekly. Johnson: 90-150 min/week in Zone 5.

What form of VO2 Max is best?

The Norwegian 4x4 is the flagship protocol: 4 minutes at ~85-95% of max effort, then 4 minutes easy, repeated 4 times (Attia, Patrick, Hyman). Alternatives that also work: longer 3-5 min intervals, or 1-min on / 1-min off (Patrick/Gibala). Cycling, running, rowing, or stair climbing all qualify — cycling is lower-impact if you have joint issues.

When should you take VO2 Max?

1-2 VO2 max sessions per week is sufficient — more is not better for most people. Keep ~80% of total cardio volume easy (Zone 2) and ~20% hard. Older adults and beginners should build a base 'pre-training' period before starting hard intervals to avoid orthopedic injury (Attia/Joyner).

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