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Portland · Guide · DEXA and VO2 max

DEXA and VO2 max testing in Portland

Tests that measure your muscle, bone, fat and fitness, the things that keep you strong and independent as you age. Here's what each one tells you and which Portland clinics offer them.

Main tests
A DEXA scan and a VO2 max test Plus metabolic rate, strength and balance tests
What you do
Lie still, then a short, hard workout Ask how to prepare
You get
How you compare with people your age And when to retest
Portland photograph by Brandon DesJarlais · Unsplash

The tests, in plain English

A DEXA scan measures bone, muscle and fat, including the fat around your organs. A VO2 max test measures your fitness, which is strongly linked to long-term health. Both are most useful repeated over time, so you can see whether your training is working.

Think of it like checking a car. DEXA looks at the frame: your bones and muscle. VO2 max tests the engine: how well your heart and lungs deliver oxygen.

DEXA scan

A low-dose X-ray that measures your fat, muscle and bone density, including the fat around your organs.

Cash price: $65 to $249

VO2 max test

Measures how well your body uses oxygen while you exercise hard, on a bike or treadmill with a mask on.

Cash price: $100 to $675

Resting metabolic rate

Measures how many calories you burn at rest by analyzing your breath while you sit quietly.

Cash price: $50 to $300

Bioimpedance body composition

A scale or handheld device that sends a tiny current through your body to estimate fat and muscle. Quick and cheap, but readings shift with how much water you have had.

Strength, mobility and balance

Simple tests like grip strength, standing up from a chair and holding your balance.

Prices that clinics publish on their own websites, across all the cities we cover. Prices change, so confirm with the clinic.

Physical activity in Portland, by the numbers

The rate of physical inactivity in Portland is lower than the national rate. About 1 in 5 adults in Portland did no physical activity outside work in the past month, compared with about 1 in 4 nationally. That adds up to roughly 370,000 adults across six counties.

18.7%of adults in Portland did no physical activity outside work in the past monthUS: 25.1%
370,000adults in Portland did no physical activity outside work in the past monthEstimated from CDC county figures
4Portland clinics list dexa and vo₂ max testingSee them below
Portland does better than the US on all 3 measures
Share of adults, 2023. Lower is better.
No exercise outside work
Obesity
Serious difficulty walking
↓ Data
By county
CountyNo exercise outside workObesitySerious difficulty walking
Multnomah17.6%28.9%10.5%
Washington17.7%32.4%10.2%
Clark19.8%35.3%11.8%
Clackamas19.7%34.0%11.9%
Yamhill20.8%37.0%13.2%
Columbia22.1%33.5%14.3%
Portland18.7%32.3%11.1%
United States25.1%33.2%13.8%

Source: CDC PLACES, 2023 county estimates. Portland = Multnomah, Washington, Clark, Clackamas, Yamhill and Columbia counties, weighted by adult population.

longevityclinicshub.com

Your regular doctor is the place to start, especially before a big change in how active you are. The tests above show where you're starting from, so progress is easier to see later.

Showing 4 clinics that publish dexa and vo₂ max testing in Portland

How we order clinics
Dr. Jordan SennDr. Jon van den Boogaard

Apex Performance Wellness & Rehab

SW Greenburg Rd, Tigard
Dr. Jordan Senn, DO
Strength, fitness & body compositionMetabolic health & blood sugar

Apex Performance Wellness & Rehab (Apex PWR) is a training, sports physical therapy and wellness testing facility on SW Greenburg Rd in Tigard. Its wellness team runs DEXA body composition and bone density scans, VO2 max, resting metabolic rate and lactate tests, with Dr. Jordan Senn, DO on the team to review DEXA results. Physical therapists, coaches and a nutritionist work alongside. Led by Dr. Jordan Senn, DO.

Tests & services

DEXA scan VO₂ max testing Lactate threshold testing Metabolic rate testing
See if it’s a fit
Dr. Adama Diarra, Diarra Health

Diarra Health

SW Hampton St, Tigard
Dr. Adama Diarra, DO
Men’s health & testosteroneMedical weight loss

Diarra Health is a membership internal medicine practice in Tigard run by Dr. Adama Diarra, DO, board certified in internal medicine and obesity medicine. Its Pacific Weight Loss & Metabolic Health program pairs DEXA body composition scans with GLP-1 medications, and its Apex Men's Health Plan includes lab panels, body composition scanning and testosterone therapy. Visits are in clinic, by telehealth or at home. Led by Dr. Adama Diarra, DO.

Tests & services

DEXA scan Testosterone therapy
See if it’s a fit
Dr. Kathryn Retzler, HormoneSynergy Clinic

HormoneSynergy Clinic

Monroe Parkway, Lake Oswego
Strength, fitness & body compositionHeart & circulationTrack my progress & optimize over time

HormoneSynergy Clinic is a direct-pay practice in Lake Oswego led by Dr. Kathryn Retzler, who trained as a naturopathic physician and completed a fellowship in preventive cardiology. New patients start with the Optimal Aging Assessment and may then join a concierge membership. Bone density and body composition scans, a carotid ultrasound with CIMT and Cleerly coronary plaque analysis are also booked on their own.

Tests & services

Continuous glucose monitoring DEXA scan Carotid ultrasound Menopause hormone therapy +2 more
See if it’s a fit
Dr. Siatta Dunbar, Saravit Direct Health

Saravit Direct Health

SW 116th Ave, Portland
Strength, fitness & body compositionMetabolic health & blood sugar

Saravit Direct Health is a direct primary care practice in Cedar Mill, Portland, founded by Dr. Siatta Dunbar, who describes herself as board certified in family, sports and lifestyle medicine. It offers metabolic testing with the PNOE breath analyzer, measuring VO2 max, fat and carb burn and training zones, alongside annual physicals, EKGs, chronic disease care and lifestyle coaching on a monthly membership.

Tests & services

VO₂ max testing Electrocardiogram
See if it’s a fit

How a testing visit usually goes

  1. Goals first

    Muscle, bone, fitness or weight. This decides which tests to book.

  2. The tests

    DEXA is 10 minutes lying still. VO2 max is a short, hard workout. Ask how to prepare.

  3. Results, explained

    How you compare with people your age, and what to aim for.

  4. Retest

    After a few months of training. Use the same machine each time so the numbers compare.

If you've had a recent injury or chest symptoms during exercise, see your doctor before a fitness test.

Go deeper

Explainer What a DEXA scan shows about your body, and what it costs

One machine, two scans. What each one measures, how to read your report, and what it costs.
Explainer VO2 max by age: what’s a good number for you?

A chart by age and sex, how much oxygen your body can use at full effort, and what the test costs.
Explainer Healthspan vs lifespan

Living longer and living well are different goals, 9.6 years apart worldwide and 12.4 in the United States. What healthspan is made of, what tends to end it, and what actually moves it.

Common questions

Which clinics in Portland publish dexa and vo₂ max testing?

4 in our Portland guide: Apex Performance Wellness & Rehab, Diarra Health, HormoneSynergy Clinic and Saravit Direct Health.

Is a DEXA for body composition the same as a bone density scan?

Same machine, different settings. A bone density scan looks at your hip and spine. A body composition scan covers your whole body. Insurance usually covers only bone density, and only when you meet the screening rules.

How often should I retest?

Often after a few months of training, then once a year. Use the same machine and similar conditions each time, like the same time of day and how much you've eaten.

Is my watch's VO2 max good enough?

Watches estimate it from your heart rate and pace. They're useful for spotting trends, but can be off for one person. A lab test measures the air you breathe in and out.

What does a VO2 max test feel like?

You ride or run while the effort keeps rising, wearing a mask, until you can't keep going. It's hard, but short.

What does it cost, and will insurance cover it?

These are usually self-pay. Bone density screening may be covered when you meet the screening rules. Our guides on cost and insurance go deeper.

How do you decide which clinics appear on this page?

A clinic appears here when its own published material shows it offers this kind of testing at that location.

Sources (2)
  1. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, Osteoporosis to prevent fractures: screening
  2. American Heart Association, Importance of assessing cardiorespiratory fitness in clinical practice: a case for fitness as a clinical vital sign

This page is educational information, not medical advice, and it is not a recommendation to have or to skip any test. What is right for you depends on your age, your history and your personal risk, so discuss it with a clinician who knows them. If you have a symptom that concerns you, seek a medical evaluation.

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