Studies Link VO₂ Max to Longer Lifespan as Expert Sets 35 and 27 Benchmarks

Q: What is the absolute minimum cardio you can do to significantly extend your life?

The absolute minimum that appears to meaningfully extend life is very small: about 15 minutes of vigorous cardio per week is linked to roughly a 17% lower risk of death compared with doing none. The biggest gain often comes from moving from inactivity to even a little activity. That said, the more established public-health minimum is 75 minutes of vigorous cardio or 150 minutes of moderate cardio per week, the benchmark recommended by the American Heart Association and World Health Organization for cardiovascular health and longevity. Moderate intensity means you can still talk, but you are breathing harder and sweating. The reason cardio matters so much is that it raises VO₂ max, a key measure of how well the body uses oxygen during exercise. Higher VO₂ max is strongly associated with longer life, and even small improvements matter: research cited in the background suggests each 1 mL/kg/min increase may lower mortality risk by about 9%. If “minimum” means the least you can do and still likely get a real benefit, the evidence points to short, vigorous efforts, including brisk uphill walking, stair climbing, cycling, running, or similar bursts. If you want a practical floor rather than a bare minimum, aim for 75 minutes of vigorous or 150 minutes of moderate cardio weekly. Even incidental movement helps. For very inactive people, replacing sitting with walking and reaching roughly 4,000 to 4,500 steps a day is associated with a meaningful share of mortality benefit.

2 articles · Updated · Vogue · Jul 3

Scientific studies tie higher VO₂ max—the body’s maximum oxygen use during intense exercise—to longer lifespan, with Dr. Vicente Mera calling it a mortality-protective factor even beyond BMI in middle-aged men.
VO₂ max reflects aerobic capacity and endurance, and Mera says sedentary behavior pushes it lower while raising aging-related chronic disease risk; former athletes with higher levels also tend to outlive lower-VO₂ max control groups.
35 ml/kg/min for men and 27 for women are the average VO₂ max targets Mera recommends, and most smartwatches, fitness bands and rings can estimate the metric during brisk walking, hiking or running.
150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week remains the American Heart Association’s baseline, with running, cycling, swimming, boxing and gym cardio machines among the suggested ways to improve it.
Regular cardio’s payoff extends beyond endurance, with cited research linking physical activity to lower risks of type 2 diabetes, some cancers, falls, fractures and depression, plus better cognition, quality of life and lower mortality.