July 11th 2024.
Have you ever wondered what the secret is to living to 100 years old? It seems like more and more people are reaching this milestone, with around 15,100 centenarians in the UK alone in 2022. If you were to ask one of these individuals how they managed to do it, they might have their own theories. Some may credit their diet, a daily drink or two, or simply having a positive outlook on life. But now, researchers believe they have found a way to predict who will make it to 100 years old.
According to a study published in GeroScience, those who reach the age of 100 have different biological markers in their blood compared to those who do not. This was the largest study of its kind and could potentially lead to a simple blood test that can determine an individual's likelihood of living past their 100th birthday. The study involved analyzing data from over 44,000 Swedes who underwent health assessments between the ages of 64 and 99, and then tracking their progress for up to 35 years through the Swedish register data.
Out of the participants who were followed, only 2.7% (1,224 individuals) lived to be 100 years old, with the majority being female. The researchers looked at 12 biomarkers, including those related to inflammation, metabolism, liver and kidney function, as well as nutrition and anemia. They discovered that a marker for inflammation, uric acid, was a waste product from the breakdown of certain foods, while markers for glucose and cholesterol measured metabolic states and function. Additionally, they also measured creatinine, a waste product linked to kidney function, and iron to assess anemia levels.
Interestingly, the researchers found that, aside from one liver enzyme and albumin, the other biomarkers were linked to the chances of an individual becoming a centenarian. Those with higher levels of total cholesterol and iron were more likely to reach 100 years old compared to those with lower levels. However, for the biomarkers related to glucose, creatinine, uric acid, and liver enzyme, lower levels were associated with a higher chance of living past 100.
Speaking of living past 100, have you ever wondered who the UK's oldest living person is? Well, it's currently Ethel Caterham, who was born on August 21, 1909, making her 114 years and 305 days old. She falls under the category of "supercentenarians," a term used for individuals who reach or surpass 110 years of age. When asked about her secret to longevity, Ethel simply stated that she takes everything in her stride, both the highs and lows. The oldest known British person was Charlotte Hughes, who passed away in 1993 at the age of 115 years and 228 days.
In the Conversation, the researchers wrote about their findings, stating that those who reached 100 years old tended to have lower levels of glucose, creatinine, and uric acid from their 60s and onwards. They also noted that although the median values did not differ significantly between centenarians and non-centenarians for most biomarkers, centenarians rarely displayed extremely high or low values. While the differences may seem small, they suggest a potential link between metabolic health, nutrition, and exceptional longevity.
However, the authors also mentioned that their research does not provide any conclusions about which lifestyle factors or genes are responsible for the biomarker values. They did, however, suggest that factors such as nutrition and alcohol intake could play a role. In light of their findings, they also recommended keeping track of kidney and liver values, as well as glucose and uric acid, as one gets older. After all, it's never a bad idea to take care of our health and potentially increase our chances of reaching the impressive age of 100.
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