Energy balance
Maximal fat oxidation (MFO) occurs at exercise intensities between 45% and 65% of VO2max, with rates ranging from 0.17 to 1.27 g/min in trained individuals, and can exceed 1.5 g/min in ketogenic-adapted individuals.
To maximize the amount of fat your body burns per minute, exercise at a moderate intensity, specifically between 45% and 65% of your maximum heart rate capacity (VO2max). If you are adapted to a ketogenic diet, you may achieve even higher fat oxidation rates, but for most people, staying in this moderate zone is key for maximizing fat burning efficiency.
Maximal fat oxidation has been reported to occur between 47 and 75% of VO2max... Nonetheless, MFO has been observed to range from 0.17–1.27 g/min [7], where ketogenic adapted individuals can exceed ≥1.5 g/min [3].
Why this rating
The paper is a review citing multiple primary studies and meta-analyses, providing strong consensus on the general range.
Source
Understanding the factors that effect maximal fat oxidation
Troy Purdom et al. · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2018
DOI 10.1186/s12970-018-0207-1
More from this paper
- Endurance training increases maximal fat oxidation (MFO) rates and shifts the intensity at which MFO occurs to higher workloads by upregulating cellular transport proteins (CD36, CPT-1) and mitochondrial enzymes (HAD, Citrate Synthase).Good
- High-intensity exercise (>75% VO2max) limits fat oxidation due to a depletion of free carnitine, which is consumed to buffer excess acetyl-CoA from glycolysis, thereby restricting fatty acid transport into the mitochondria.Good
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