Unlocking longevity: blood secrets of centenarians

The number of people living to 100 has doubled every decade since 1950 and is expected to grow five times between 2022 and 2050. Living a long life involves many factors, including genetics and lifestyle, which we don’t fully understand yet. By studying people who live to 100 and comparing them to those who don’t, we can learn more about aging and what helps people live longer. Comparing Blood Markers for Longevity

This study looked at blood markers in people aged 64 to 99 to understand aging better. It compared those who lived to 100 (centenarians) with those who didn’t. The goals were to:

1.Describe and compare blood markers between centenarians and others.

2.See if certain blood markers are linked to reaching 100.

3.Check if centenarians had similar blood markers earlier in life.

The study followed 1,224 people (mostly women) from 1985 to 1996 for up to 35 years. It examined markers related to metabolism, inflammation, liver, kidneys, anemia, and nutrition.

Findings showed that higher cholesterol and iron, and lower glucose, creatinine, uric acid, and other markers were linked to living to 100. Centenarians had more favorable blood markers from age 65 onwards compared to those who died before 100. This suggests that genetics and lifestyle factors reflected in these markers may play a key role in exceptional longevity.

References Blood biomarker profiles and exceptional longevity: comparison of centenarians and non-centenarians in a 35-year follow-up of the Swedish AMORIS cohort | GeroScience.(springer.com). World population ages 100 and up to grow eightfold by 2050, UN projects | Pew Research Center. The ageing population : Numbers and Statistics - (silvereco.org). Number of people 100 and older is growing in US and around the world | Pew Research Center. Centenarians: who are they? A description of the total Swedish centenarian population in terms of living arrangements, health, and care utilization | Aging Clinical and Experimental Research (springer.com).