A study revealing certain biomarkers common to centenarians could shed further light on the origin of their longevity.
- Among the 44,000 participants, 1,224 were over the age of 100 (2.7%). The overwhelming majority (85%) of centenarians were women.
- Researchers found that those who reached their 100th birthday tended to have lower glucose, creatinine and uric acid levels from age 60 onwards than those who did not.
- According to INSEE, France is the country in Europe with the most centenarians (21,000 in 2016), ahead of Spain and Italy. Died in 1997 at the age of 122, Jeanne Calment still holds the record for human longevity.
If centenarians were once rare, today they have become almost commonplace. So much so that they constitute the fastest growing demographic group in the world’s population, their numbers doubling approximately every ten years since the 1970s. Do super-seniors have a secret? What role do genetic predisposition, lifestyle and environmental factors play? A new study published in the journal GeroScience and relayed by The Conversation reveals that centenarians have certain biological characteristics in common.
44,000 people followed for 35 years
As part of their research, the scientists compared the biomarkers of people over the age of 100 and those of people with a shorter life expectancy, in order to establish a possible link between biomarker profiles and the chance of becoming centenary. In total, a cohort of 44,000 Swedes between 64 and 99 years old was assessed by questionnaires and followed for a maximum of 35 years. Among the participants, 1,224 passed the century mark (2.7%). The overwhelming majority (85%) of centenarians were women.
Twelve blood biomarkers related to inflammation, metabolism, liver and kidney function, and potential malnutrition and anemia were examined. All of these biomarkers have been associated with aging or mortality in previous studies. Among them, uric acid (biomarker linked to inflammation) which is a waste caused by the digestion of certain foods, total cholesterol and glucose (linked to metabolic functions), or even creatinine (linked to kidney function ).
Live longer and healthier
Researchers found that those who reached their 100th birthday tended to have lower glucose, creatinine and uric acid levels from age 60 onwards than those who did not. For example, very few centenarians had a glucose level above 6.5 mmol/L earlier in life, or a creatinine level above 125 µmol/L.
Meanwhile, people with higher levels of glucose, creatinine, uric acid and liver function markers reduced their chances of becoming centenarians. Just like people with the lowest levels of total cholesterol and iron, who are less likely to reach the century compared to those with higher levels.
This study could help scientists understand how to live longer, and perhaps also healthier lives. “Although the differences we found are rather small overall, they suggest a potential link between metabolic health, nutrition, and exceptional longevity.” writes researcher Karin Modig in The Conversation. “It is reasonable to think that factors such as diet and alcohol consumption play a role. Keeping track of your kidney and liver values, as well as your glucose and uric acid as you get older, is probably not a bad idea.”
