A 2025 study in Cell Reports Medicine of a supercentenarian who lived to be 117 years old identified several key areas that explain her exceptional health and longevity. Keys that help us answer the question—how do you live a long life?
Her extreme longevity is not because of a single cause, but rather a combination of her innate genetic makeup (nature) and beneficial external factors (nurture).
And while we cannot control our genetic makeup, her lifestyle and environment also played a role in her longevity that we can attempt to mirror.
She kept strong physical and mental health throughout life with good sleep habits, balanced Mediterranean diet, and active social life. She largely enjoyed quality time with family and friends, playing with dogs, reading books, growing a garden, walking, and playing the piano.
While she had chronic age-related diseases with her lungs, esophagus, and osteoarthritis; she never suffered from other diseases like cancer or neurodegenerative diseases.
She passed away on August 19th 2024, while sleeping, at the age of 117 years, 5 months, and 18 days.
We will summarize the six areas identified in the study that are beneficial to living a longer life and outline everyday items you can do to emulate her lifestyle.
The study identified a combination of rare and common genetic variants that likely contributed to her disease resistance and longevity.
Rare Variants: her genome contained rare variants in genes associated with longevity and protection against age-related diseases.
These variants affected genes involved in:
Immune function and cognition: DSCAML1
Lifespan regulation and aging: MAP4K3
Heart and brain health: The protocadherin alpha cluster (PCDHA1-9)
Neuroprotection: NSUN5, TTBK1, EPHA2, MAL, CLU, and HAPLN4
DNA repair: a rare variant in the TIMELESS gene
Mitochondrial Function: she possessed rare variants in genes crucial for mitochondrial function, such as ND5, COX1, which are vital for energy production and aging.
Pro-Longevity Alleles: increased longevity in genes like RABGAP1L, TMEM43, LSM3, and SOX6. She also had a protective genotype for APOE, which is linked to a decreased risk of aging-associated diseases.
Absence of Harmful Variants: she did not carry any homozygous harmful variants known to be associated with a shorter lifespan.
Her blood analyses revealed an exceptionally efficient lipid metabolism (the ability to break down fat and cholesterol) and excellent cardiovascular health markers.
Lipid Metabolism: she displayed one of the most efficient lipid metabolisms reported, a trait linked to extended longevity and absence of dementia.
Specific markers included:
Extremely low levels of VLDL-cholesterol and triglycerides.
Very high levels of HDL-cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol).
A high number of medium and large HDL particles and large LDL particles, indicating effective lipoprotein maturation.
Low levels of other biomarkers associated with poor health, such as saturated fatty acids, esterified cholesterol, and linoleic acid.
The supercentenarian showed multiple signs of very low systemic inflammation, which is a key factor in healthy aging compared to younger controls.
Inflammatory Markers: her plasma had very low levels of GlycA and GlycB, which are strong indicators of systemic inflammation and cardiometabolic risk. Low levels of these markers are consistent with a favorable cardiometabolic profile.
Microbiome Link: her gut microbiome was dominated by Bifidobacterium, a genus known to contribute to anti-inflammatory responses, which aligns with her low inflammation markers.
She had a proficient immune system capable of controlling infections and possibly cancer, contributing to her longevity.
Genetic Basis: her genome was enriched with genes related to T cell differentiation, response to bacterium, and antigen receptor-mediated signaling pathway. Meaning her body could detect bacteria quickly and activate immune responses efficiently to ward off sickness.
Cellular Profile: while she showed signs of an aged immune system, her T cells were still able to fight harmful invaders.
Immunoglobulin Increase: an increase of immunoglobulin G genes (IGHG2, IGHG4), responsible for fighting infection, which meant she stayed better protected from repeatedly getting sick, even at an advanced age.
Her gut microbiome composition was described as "rejuvenated" because it more closely resembled that of a younger person than what is typical for older individuals.
High Bifidobacterium: the most significant finding was an extremely high level of Bifidobacterium, a beneficial bacterium that typically declines with age. High levels of this are associated with anti-inflammatory effects and the production of healthy fatty acids.
Dietary Link: she consumed about three yogurts daily, which are known to favor the growth of Bifidobacterium, suggesting a potential dietary contribution to her healthy microbiome.
Favorable Bacterial Ratios: she had lower levels of the bacterium Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobiota, that are often found in higher amounts in unhealthy guts. This lower level is a pattern usually seen in older adults who are still strong, independent, and not suffering from frailty. She also had diminished levels of the pro-inflammatory genus Clostridium.
Her epigenome was significantly "younger" than her chronological age, suggesting her cells "behaved" as younger cells.
rDNA Clock Confirmation: a clock based on ribosomal DNA (rDNA) estimated her biological age to be 23.17 years younger than her chronological age and showing a biological age deceleration of -17.34 years.
Stability of DNA: unlike the typical age-associated loss of DNA methylation, she retained high methylation levels which protects against genomic instability--an advantage for healthy longevity.
With the discoveries made from studying this supercentenarian, the following blueprint outlines lifestyle habits that closely align with ways to increase longevity.
1. Nutrition for Longevity
Mediterranean-style eating: whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, olive oil, fatty fish.
Prioritize prebiotics & fermented foods: yogurt/kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, beans, oats, bananas, garlic, onions (supports Bifidobacterium and lowers inflammation).
Healthy fat balance: more omega-3 (fish, flax, walnuts) and monounsaturated fats (olive oil, avocado); minimize processed seed oils, excess saturated fats, and trans fats.
Polyphenol & antioxidant intake: berries, green tea, dark leafy greens, turmeric, herbs/spices.
Moderation in calories: avoid chronic overeating, maintain a healthy weight.
2. Movement & Physical Health
Daily aerobic activity: aim for at least 150 min/week of moderate activity. Brisk walking, cycling, swimming, or dancing.
Strength/resistance training: 2–3× weekly supports muscle, immune function, and epigenetic stability.
Regular light movement throughout the day: avoid long sedentary stretches.
3. Rest & Recovery
Sleep: 7–9 hours nightly with consistent circadian rhythm.
Stress regulation: mindfulness, yoga, deep breathing, or time in nature to lower systemic inflammation.
Recovery balance: exercise enough to stimulate immune/metabolic health, but avoid overtraining.
4. Immune & Inflammation Support
Adequate protein intake: supports immune cell renewal (fish, legumes, tofu, poultry).
Maintain oral health: brush, floss, and get dental check-ups to avoid low-grade systemic inflammation.
Limit alcohol & avoid smoking: both impair lipid metabolism and immune resilience.
5. Microbiome Health
Fermented food: ideally 1–2 servings per day.
Diverse plant intake: aim for 20–30 different plants per week for microbial diversity.
Hydration: fiber + fluids = healthy fermentation balance.
6. Epigenetic & Cellular Youth
Protect DNA from toxins: avoid smoking, excess alcohol, and minimize pollutant exposure.
Polyphenol-rich diet & antioxidants: counter oxidative stress at the cellular level.
Social connection & sense of purpose: linked to younger biological age.
Calorie moderation: supports genomic stability.
Overall, these data suggest that one of the reasons the supercentenarian reached such a world record age was that her cells ‘‘felt’’ or ‘‘behaved’’ as younger cells.
How do we attempt to live a long life? Through diet, movement, healthy aging, regulating stress, and social connections. It is something we continually need to implement, but by following the lessons learned from this study we have a path to follow.
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