Science:
VO2 max — your maximal oxygen uptake during exercise — is the strongest predictor of all-cause mortality. Moving from the bottom to middle quartile for your age cuts mortality risk ~50%.
Action:
Begin Zone 2 cardio 3x weekly: train at 60-70% of max heart rate (~220 - age) for 30-45 minutes at a conversational pace.
From the Neurologist:
VO2 max reflects cerebrovascular reserve. Higher VO2 max is linked to greater cortical thickness, larger hippocampal volume, faster processing speed, and ~35% lower dementia risk. Each 1-MET increase corresponds to a 13% reduction in all-cause mortality. (MET = metabolic equivalent; 1 MET = VO2 of 3.5 ml/kg/min; which represents your resting metabolic rate)
References:
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