PNOĒ's New Mask Lets You Test Your Metabolism in 8 Minutes, No Lab Needed

The device, called PNOĒ 2.0, reads your breath. It measures how much oxygen your body uses and how much carbon dioxide you breathe out. The company's software turns those numbers into 23 health markers, then gives advice on eating, training and living longer.

How the Test Works

The idea is simple. You put the mask over your nose and mouth, press a button and breathe normally while sitting. Eight minutes later, you have your results.

Among the 23 markers, three stand out:

• VO2 max: the most oxygen your body can use during hard exercise. It is one of the best single measures of fitness.

• Resting metabolic rate: how many calories your body burns at rest.

• Metabolic flexibility: how well your body switches between burning fat and burning carbs.

Normally, VO2 max is measured while you run or cycle as hard as you can. PNOĒ says its software estimates it from the breath data collected during the seated test.

The new model is smaller and has fewer parts than the first version. PNOĒ designed it with Milan-based Design Group Italia. Atsalakis said it took many rounds of design work, because a self-run metabolic test had never been built before.

One smart detail is about hygiene. The electronics snap off the silicone mask and straps. That way, a gym can share one device among many members while each person gets their own mask.

Why Your VO2 Max Matters

This is not just a number for athletes. A large 2018 study from the Cleveland Clinic, published in JAMA Network Open, followed more than 122,000 patients. People with the lowest cardio fitness had about five times the risk of death of those with the highest fitness. The researchers found that low fitness was a bigger risk factor than smoking or diabetes.

That research is one reason VO2 max has become a hot topic in the longevity world. Doctors, trainers and health influencers now talk about it as a key sign of how well you will age.

Smartwatches from Apple, Garmin and Whoop already show a VO2 max number. But they estimate it from your heart rate. PNOĒ says measuring your actual breath gives a much more detailed picture.

How Accurate Is It?

PNOĒ calls its readings lab-grade, and there is some evidence behind that.

A 2019 study in Frontiers in Sports and Active Living compared PNOĒ's earlier device with a standard lab machine. Twenty-two adults were tested while cycling. The two devices produced closely matching results, with no significant differences in oxygen or carbon dioxide readings.

There are limits, though. That study was small, it used an earlier device, and a trained team ran it. There is not yet independent research on the new self-serve version, where people run the test on their own while sitting down. Readers should treat the results as a helpful guide, not a medical diagnosis.

PNOĒ agrees on that point. The device is not cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Atsalakis said;

We do not provide medical recommendations.

Two Childhood Friends and a Cambridge Idea

PNOĒ started as a research project. Atsalakis was studying sensing technology for his PhD at the University of Cambridge when he built an early prototype. He left the program to start the company with his childhood friend Panos Papadiamantis, who is now chief product officer.

Ten years later, the company has about 110 employees. It joined the startup program Y Combinator in 2019 and has raised about $22 million, including a recent $11 million round. Backers include the investment firm 50 Years and Lars Rasmussen, a co-founder of Google Maps who now lives in Athens.

Atsalakis said PNOĒ recently became profitable and is growing more than 100% a year. It plans to raise a larger Series B round in the next six to 12 months.

Where You Can Try It

You can't buy PNOĒ for your home. The company sells only to businesses, which then offer the test to their customers.

Businesses pay a subscription of $400 to more than $1,000 a month. That covers the hardware, software, staff training and marketing materials, which Atsalakis calls a "business in a box."

Its customers already include:

• Equinox, where it is offered at almost all clubs

• Four Seasons hotels

• Red Bull and the NBA

• Mount Sinai Health System

• Restore Hyper Wellness clinics

About 85% of PNOĒ's business comes from the United States, which Atsalakis called "by far the most advanced market globally" for longevity. The company is now growing in Europe, Latin America and Asia.

Because the new version needs no trained staff, PNOĒ hopes it will reach many more places, including smaller gyms and even pharmacies.

Atsalakis said

We made it accessible to everyone.