VO2 max tests in London and the UKWhere to have one, what it costs and what happens on the day, from each provider’s own pages.

What happens on the day

In the providers’ words

Many labs measure the air you breathe out while the exercise gets harder. Projuvenate describes it as “Around 10 to 15 minutes on a treadmill or bike, wearing a lightweight mask that analyses the air you breathe out, building to a hard effort”. Roehampton: “The visit will last approximately 1 hour of which you will be exercising for ~15 minutes (plus warm-up).”

Not every test runs to a maximum. The University of Westminster: “If you’re 40+ and train less than 3 hours/week, a submaximal version will be used.” Dr Shilpa Davé’s surgery in Teddington describes its bike test as an estimate: “We offer Wattbike assessment which provides an accurate estimate of your VO2 max.”

Who it is for

Several providers ask health questions before they book you in. Roehampton: “Due to the maximal nature of this test, this test is only suitable for healthy, fit individuals.” Projuvenate: “Testing involves a maximal effort, so everyone is screened for suitability first, and some people will be advised to see their GP before testing.” My Vital Metrics: “If you have a condition on this list, you will need a doctor’s letter that specifies you can partake in a maximal exercise test.”

Pure Sports Medicine: “you should only do a physiological test when you are fully fit and well.” The University of East Anglia asks every buyer to complete a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire and to be aged 18 to 75.

Sources 2, 6, 7, 12, 16, 17 and 18

Who runs them

Clinics, sports labs and universities

The tests are sold by 3 kinds of place. 20 longevity clinics in this directory mention a VO2 max test, and 3 of them sell it on its own. 6 private sports labs and 13 universities sell it to the public, and the universities are often the cheapest.

The Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences, called BASES until April 2025, accredits physiology labs. 5 of the labs in this guide are on its register: the University of East London, Plymouth Marjon, Solent, Liverpool John Moores and Teesside.

Of the 10 London labs, 3 are on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) register: BodyView, My Vital Metrics and Pure Sports Medicine. A search of the NHS website for “vo2 max” returns “No results for vo2 max”.

Sources 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30