Researchers have been trying to find the secret behind a long and healthy life for years. And the quest is not new - Plato and Aristotle wrote about the ageing process over 2,300 years ago. But in the last few decades, centenarians have become the fastest-growing demographic group in the world. So, scientists want to know if exceptional longevity is due to genetic predisposition or lifestyle factors. A new study has shed light on this aspect, claiming that the blood of such people shows key differences.
The research, published in GeroScience, has unveiled some common biomarkers, including levels of cholesterol and glucose, in people who live past pat 90.
The study is among the largest that has been conducted in this field, comparing biomarker profiles measured throughout life among exceptionally long-lived people and their shorter-lived peers.
The researchers studied 44,000 people in Sweden between the age of 64 and 99, who underwent health assessment. The data of 35 years was analysed and scientists found that 2.7 per cent (1,224) of the sample lived to be 100 years old.
They also found that 85 per cent of these centenarians were females.
The study found that lower levels of glucose and creatinine - linked to kidney function and uric acid, a waste product in the body caused by the digestion of certain foods - were linked to those who made it to their 100th birthday.
It also suggests a potential link between metabolic health, nutrition and exceptional longevity.
The study did not make any conclusion about the lifestyle factors, but its authors added that alcohol intake and proper nutrition play a reasonable role in determining the age of the people.
