The Holy Grail Metric of Longevity | Peter Attia

The gist

1. Attia says people in the bottom 20-25% of VO2 max have a 4-5 times higher risk of dying in any given year than those in the top 2-3%.
2. Even moving up one quartile in fitness, such as from second to third, can yield 50-75% better mortality outcomes, Attia says.
3. Cardiorespiratory fitness outperforms age, cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI, and smoking status as a predictor of all-cause mortality, according to Attia.
4. Higher fitness builds physiologic reserve, helping the body handle stress from infections, surgery, or daily demands more efficiently, Attia explains.