The secret to longevity: what biomarkers can help you live up to 100 years
Kyiv • UNN
A Swedish study of 44,000 people identified key blood biomarkers associated with longevity. Low levels of glucose, creatinine, and uric acid from the age of 60 increase the chances of living to 100 years.
A new study covering data from 44,000 Swedes has identified important indicators that can determine the chances of living up to 100 years. Among the most significant factors are the levels of cholesterol, glucose and metabolic products, which differ significantly in centenarians and those who did not live to the age of one hundred. The study data was published in GeroScience, reports UNN.
Drastic differences in the blood of centenarians
The researchers found that people who lived to be 100 years old generally had lower glucose, creatinine, and uric acid levels from the age of 60. Centenarians rarely had extremely high or too low rates.
For example, very few centenarians had glucose levels above 6.5 mmol/l or creatinine levels above 125 mmol/L at a younger age.
For many biomarkers, both in centenarians and in others, indicators often exceed the normal values recommended by clinical guidelines. But this may be due to the fact that these guidelines are aimed at a younger and healthier population.
The study found that all but two biomarkers (Alt and albumin) were associated with the likelihood of living to 100 years, even after accounting for age, gender, and comorbidities.
People with the lowest cholesterol and iron levels were less likely to live to 100 years compared to those with higher levels of these indicators. In addition, people with high levels of glucose, creatinine, uric acid, and liver function markers were less likely to become centenarians.
The difference in indicators was insignificant for some biomarkers, but more pronounced for others. For example, the difference in uric acid levels was 2.5% points. This means that in the group with the lowest uric acid levels, the chances of living to 100 years were 4%, and in the group with the highest uric acid levels — only 1.5%.
Although these differences were generally insignificant, they point to a possible link between metabolic health, nutrition, and exceptional longevity.
This study does not allow us to draw conclusions about which lifestyle factors or genes are responsible for these indicators. However, according to the researchers, it can be assumed that nutrition and alcohol consumption may play a role.
After all, differences in biomarkers can be seen long before death, suggesting that genes and lifestyle can also affect longevity.
How the research was conducted
Until then, studies of centenarians were often small and focused on limited groups, such as those that usually did not include people living in nursing homes. However, this analysis is the largest to date.
We compared the biomarkers of people who lived to be 100 years old with those of their peers who did not reach that age. We investigated how these biomarkers relate to the chances of living up to 100 years
The study involved 44,000 Swedes who underwent medical examinations between the ages of 64 and 99. These people were part of the so-called Amoris cohort. Their health was then monitored using data from the Swedish registry for 35 years. Of this group, 1,224 people, or 2.7%, lived to be 100 years old, with the majority (85%) being women.
We included 12 biomarkers related to inflammation, metabolism, liver and kidney function, and possible malnutrition and anemia. All of these markers are associated with aging processes or mortality in other studies
A biomarker associated with inflammation was uric acid, a waste product in the body produced during the digestion of certain foods.
The researchers also studied indicators that are related to metabolism and body functions, such as total cholesterol and glucose levels. In addition, scientists paid attention to the function of the liver.
"We investigated creatinine, which is associated with kidney function, as well as iron, which are indicators of anemia. Finally, we studied albumin, a biomarker that reflects the state of Human Nutrition," the study added.
Recall
Signs of aging pass faster through two periods of rapid change over the course of a lifetime. a new study has shownthat the greatest changes in the human body occur at the ages of 44 and 60. Scientists have discovered transformations in molecules associated with metabolism and the immune system
