Recent research has shown common biomarkers found in people who live past age 90. And now, a blood test may reveal those most likely to live to 100.
Scientists Discover Biomarkers Linked With Longevity
It’s a question that humans have been asking for thousands of years. Even Plato and Aristotle discussed and wrote about the aging process more than 2,300 years ago.Â
What is it about certain people that makes them live longer than others? Science is continually trying to crack that code. Diet and exercise are one of the things that have been connected to a long life.
However, there seems to be another factor at play. For example, cigar-smoking comedian George Burns lived to 100 years, and he certainly was no gym rat. Some people who have lived for a century seem to defy certain lifestyle “rules” we are told are necessary. Why is that?
Now, an answer may have been found. Recent research published in GeroScience showed common biomarkers that are found in people who live past the age of 90. And they may provide the keys to unlocking a long lifespan.
This research involved the largest comparison study of biomarker profiles measured throughout life. It looked at long-lived people and their shorter-lived peers. The research included data from 44,000 Swedes who underwent health assessments at ages 64-99. Of those people, 1,224 (2.7%) lived to the age of 100 years old. The vast majority (85%) who reached 100 were female.
Indicators of Aging and Mortality
Twelve blood-based biomarkers that have been associated with aging or mortality in previous studies were included. These included inflammation, metabolism, liver and kidney function, as well as potential anemia and malnutrition. The biomarker related to inflammation was uric acid, ScienceAlert reported.
Indicators of Longevity FoundÂ
The answers to whether you will live to 100 might be found in a blood test.
All of the biomarkers the researchers looked at can be identified through simple blood tests. But the research appeared to indicate that these biomarker levels became most important from age 60 and up.
What researchers ultimately identified were commonalities between people who lived to the age of 90 and up. In many cases, the median values of most biomarkers did not differ significantly between centenarians and non-centenarians. Further, centenarians seldom displayed extremely high or low values.
Of those people who reached their 100th birthday, they tended to have lower levels of uric acid, creatine, and glucose. But these findings were apparent from the time they were in their 60s and onward.Â
All but two of the biomarkers used in the study showed a connection to the likelihood of living to 100. The two determined not to be an accurate gauge of longevity were alanine aminotransferase (Alat) and albumin.
People with high levels of glucose, creatinine, uric acid, and liver function markers were less likely to live to 100.
Surprisingly, people who had the lowest levels of cholesterol and iron had a lesser chance of living to 100.Â
Final Thoughts
The researchers stressed that the differences they found were small, overall. Nonetheless, they suggest a potential link between metabolic health, nutrition, and significant longevity.
However, researchers say the study draws no concrete conclusions about which genes or lifestyle factors might be responsible for longevity.
