Question

how those who climb everest that their VO2 max was not much more than their resting VO2. How can this be possible? Does it just mean that they are extremely capable of metabolizing oxygen at rest and while climbing Everest? So if they have a high resting VO2 already why does it not continue to increase further? I wonder how much of this are due to genetics and are due to training, I know those who want to climb Everest train for a large portion of their lives to be prepared.

Answer 1

It was formerly believed that a person could not climb Mount Everest without oxygen because the estimated VO2 max at altitude was close to basal metabolic rate.

Barometric pressure was higher than they previously had thought and that the estimated VO2 max was about 15mlog-1min-1 at this altitude

Those who are successful at these high altitudes have a great capacity to hyperventilate. Thus drives down the PCO2 and the [H+] in blood, and allows more oxygen to bind at the same arterial PO2.