Highlights
- Maria Branyas Moreira lived up to 117 years before passing away in 2024.
- Scientists found her genes protected her from age-related diseases.
- Eating yogurt three times a day may have helped her gut health.
- Researchers say longevity is a mix of genetics and lifestyle.
- Study published in Cell Reports Medicine.
The Curiosity Behind Longevity
When someone lives beyond 110 years, people often wonder — what is the Secrets of Longevity? Scientists are now trying to answer this question through genetic research.
A recent study published in Cell Reports Medicine analyzed the life of Maria Branyas Moreira, an American-born Spanish woman who lived until 117 years old and died in August 2024. Before her death, she was the world’s oldest living person.
Genetic Lottery and Healthy Lifestyle
The research team, led by Dr. Manel Esteller from the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute in Spain, collected Maria’s blood, saliva, urine, and stool samples. They compared her genome with that of 75 other Iberian women.
They concluded that Maria’s extraordinary lifespan was due to both genetics and lifestyle. Her body had protective genes against common age-related diseases, and she maintained healthy habits throughout her life.
“She was someone with a genome related to health from the beginning, and throughout her life she kept improving herself.”
He credited half of her long life to her genes and the other half to her lifestyle.
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A Simple and Healthy Lifestyle
Maria never smoked or drank alcohol. She loved working as long as she could and enjoyed rural life with daily exercise, often walking for an hour.
“He also told CNN: She never smoked or drank. She loved to work as long as she could. She lived in the countryside and exercised moderately (walking an hour most days). Her diet included olive oil, Mediterranean food, and especially yogurt.”
She ate yogurt three times a day, which scientists believe helped maintain her gut health like a younger person and reduced inflammation.
Experts on the Findings
Professor Claire Steves from King’s College London, who was not part of the study, admired the depth of the research but warned against drawing broad conclusions from one case.
She said:
“When you study only one person, you cannot be sure whether what you see is just a coincidence.”
Still, she agreed that focusing on one person can provide valuable insights.
Genes Identified for Healthy Aging
The researchers identified several genes linked to:
- Stronger immune system
- Better memory
- Fat metabolism
- Brain health
- Protection from heart disease
These genetic traits, combined with her lifestyle, helped Maria live a long and healthy life.
The Message from the Study
Professor Steves explained:
“Illness is not inevitable with age. It happens due to biological processes, and this is something we can change.”
She added that there is no single solution to healthy aging; it is the result of multiple factors.
Dr. Esteller hopes these findings will help researchers develop medicines targeting such protective genes and proteins in the future.
Professor Steves concluded:
“Our goal is not to live 117 years. What we want is to make the period of illness and suffering as short as possible. And this lady did exactly that while also having a long life.”
Source: TBS
