What is the approximate normal value for VO2?

What is the approximate normal value for VO2?

• A. 100 mL/min
• B. 250 mL/min
• C. 500 mL/min
• D. 1000 mL/min

Answer: (B)

VO2 is the rate at which tissues consume oxygen from the blood. At rest, metabolic demand is low, so oxygen uptake is about 250 mL per minute. This corresponds to roughly 3.5 mL O2 per kilogram per minute for a typical adult (~70 kg), which rounds to about 250 mL/min. Values like 100 mL/min are far too low for resting metabolism, while 500 mL/min or 1000 mL/min reflect higher levels of activity rather than rest. Therefore, the approximate normal resting VO2 is 250 mL/min.

VO2 is the rate at which tissues consume oxygen from the blood. At rest, metabolic demand is low, so oxygen uptake is about 250 mL per minute. This corresponds to roughly 3.5 mL O2 per kilogram per minute for a typical adult (~70 kg), which rounds to about 250 mL/min. Values like 100 mL/min are far too low for resting metabolism, while 500 mL/min or 1000 mL/min reflect higher levels of activity rather than rest. Therefore, the approximate normal resting VO2 is 250 mL/min.