# Vital Capacity Calculator

URL: https://speedycalculator.com/calculators/health/vital-capacity/
Last updated: 2026-10-30

> The vital capacity calculator predicts the maximum amount of air you can exhale after a full breath in, from age, sex and height with the Baldwin formula, and compares it with a measured value.

## Inputs

- Sex
- Age (years)
- Height (cm, in, m, ft, mm)
- Measured vital capacity (optional) (L)
- Weight (kg, lb, st, g)

## Results

- Predicted vital capacity
- Measured as % of predicted
- Measured vital capacity per kg

## Formula

```
Men: VC (mL) = (27.63 − 0.112 × age) × height (cm)
Women: VC (mL) = (21.78 − 0.101 × age) × height (cm)
```

## Explanation

Vital capacity is reduced in restrictive lung diseases, neuromuscular weakness and after chest surgery. In neuromuscular conditions such as Guillain–Barré syndrome, a vital capacity below about 20 mL/kg warns of respiratory failure.

### How to use the Vital Capacity Calculator

- **Sex**
- **Age**
- **Height**
- **Measured vital capacity (optional)**
- **Weight**

Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.

### How it works

Enter sex, age and height, plus measured vital capacity and weight if available.

### Inputs explained

FieldWhat to enterSexChoose one: Male, FemaleAgeIn yearsHeightUnits: cm, in, m, ft, mmMeasured vital capacity (optional)In LWeightUnits: kg, lb, st, g

### Example values

How the main result changes when **Age** changes and everything else stays at the example values above:

Age (years)Predicted vital capacity (L)204.44304.25404.05503.86603.66803.27
*Health note: this calculator is for education and screening only and is not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Discuss your results with a qualified clinician.*

## Worked example

Inputs — Sex: Male; Age: 40 years; Height: 175 cm; Measured vital capacity (optional): 0 L; Weight: 75 kg.

Results — **Predicted vital capacity = 4.05 L**; Measured as % of predicted = 100 %; Measured vital capacity per kg = 54 mL/kg.

## Key terms

- **VC**: Vital capacity.

## FAQ

**What is a normal vital capacity?**
About 4–5 litres in adult men and 3–4 litres in women.

**Why is mL/kg important?**
In neuromuscular weakness, below 20 mL/kg is a warning sign for ventilation.

**How is vital capacity measured?**
With a spirometer, slowly (SVC) or forcefully (FVC).


## Sources

- Baldwin ED et al. Pulmonary insufficiency: physiological classification. Medicine, 1948