A “Goldilocks principle” applies to many health metrics – going either too low or too high can increase the risk of disease and mortality. For instance, when blood pressure is too high, it is a risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, but when too low, it increases the risks of blood clots and fainting. But the Goldilocks rule certainly has exceptions, and with respect to longevity, one of the most notable of these exceptions is maximal aerobic capacity – known as VO2 max.
Not only has it been shown that increasing VO2 max is associated with a monotonic risk reduction in cardiovascular mortality, but increasing VO2 max is also associated with a monotonic risk reduction of all-cause mortality (ACM) at any age.