Research
Mixed
Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and maximal heart rate decline with age at rates of approximately 3.5 mL/kg/min and 6 beats/min per decade, respectively, starting from peak values in the 20-29 age group.
Your fitness naturally declines as you age, but you can slow this down. Focus on maintaining physical activity, especially if you are a woman over 50, as activity levels have a stronger impact on your VO2max than on men in the same age bracket. Don't rely on the '220 minus age' rule for heart rate; it overestimates the decline.
StrongSupportsVERY_HIGH confidence
The highest VO2max and maximal heart rate among men and women were observed in the youngest age group (20–29 years)... with a subsequent reduction of approximately 3.5 mL?kg21?min21 and 6 beats?min21 per decade.
Why this rating
Large sample size (n=3816), objective measurements, healthy population.
Source
Aerobic Capacity Reference Data in 3816 Healthy Men and Women 20–90 Years
Löe H et al. · PLoS ONE · 2013
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0064319
cross_sectional · n=3816Cited 214×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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