Longevity secrets of a 117-year-old woman who lived cancer and dementia free

When María Branyas Morera passed away in August 2024, she was 117 years and 168 days old, the planet's oldest person living at the time. Her life was not only making news—it offered scientists a once-in-a-lifetime chance to study human aging on its edge. Spanish and foreign scientists pried into her biology, and what they uncovered could revolutionize the way you look at aging.

A team led by Dr. Manel Esteller from the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute took a complete inventory of her molecular map of the body. They analyzed her DNA, proteins, metabolism, gut microbiome, and immune system to build what they call a "multiomics blueprint" of her extraordinary longevity. What they found was a body that showed unmistakable signs of being older than their years, and at the same time holding elements of a person several decades younger.

At more than 117 years old, María's body bore the marks that you would expect. Her telomeres—the tiny little caps on chromosomes that shorten each time cells divide—were indeed very short. These tiny clocks are the benchmark for measuring cellular age, and hers were exhausted.

Her blood also had a pattern called clonal hematopoiesis, and that is to say some of her stem cells had picked up mutations and expanded. These mutations, seen in genes such as SF3B1 and TET2, have a tendency to raise the risk of blood cancers. Her immune system also had another feature of aging: more of certain B cells that typically are found later in life and are not as good at fending off infections.

These sightings gave a vivid vision of a body that had long surpassed the average life expectancy. And María was still walking proof that old age and bad health are not synonymous.

Despite her advanced age, María also possessed health and vitality markers more characteristic of people decades her younger. Her markers for inflammation were incredibly low. Older adults normally experience low-grade, chronic inflammation that can drive such diseases as dementia and heart disease. But her body was resistant to that path.

Her cholesterol profile was a physician's dream. She had virtually no very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) or triglycerides, both of which are linked to cardiovascular disease, and lots of HDL, the "good cholesterol." Her lipid particles were large and efficient, a sign that her body metabolized fat very well.

Her proteins also exhibited patterns of defense, including elevated levels tied to cholesterol transport and antioxidant defense. Even more surprising, her immune memory appeared unusually strong, with antibodies showing that she was still capable of marshaling an assault on illness.

And then there was her gut. While most older people's microbiomes shed their beneficial bacteria, María's kept a healthy amount of Bifidobacterium, microbes associated with a healthy gut and reduced inflammation. Researchers noted that she ate yogurt every day, which could have been keeping those microbes under control.

Most striking of all, though, was her "epigenetic age," calculated from chemical tags on her DNA that act as a biological clock. Chronologically, she was 117, but her epigenetic clocks showed that her cells were 20 to 30 years younger, roughly equivalent to the 80s or 90s.

Genetics also played an important role. María had uncommon genetic variants related to strong heart function, brain healthy aging, mitochondrial strength, and immune system strength. At the same time, she lacked most of the common genetic risk factors contributing to vulnerability to Alzheimer's disease, cancer, or diabetes.

Her mitochondrial activity—the cells' ability to produce energy—was also strong, another potential aspect of her extended health span. Even her extremely short telomeres may have been an advantage, cutting short the runaway cell division that can lead to cancer.

The history of María's biology was not one of defying aging at all. Rather, it was one of balance. Her body exhibited distinct signs of cellular wear, but these were balanced by defense mechanisms that prevented her from falling into disease. Aging and disease walk hand in hand, but María appeared to isolate the two.

Epigeneticist and co-author of the research Eloy Santos-Pujol summed it up in a few words: "The picture that arises from our research, although based only on this one exceptional individual, suggests that extreme old age and poor health are not necessarily linked."

This idea—that disease and aging can be divorced—is a powerful one. It assumes that while you cannot stop time, maybe you can add years to your life without terrible sickness.

Naturally, one extraordinary exception can't explain it all. María's strategy is unique, based on her genes, lifestyle, and environment. She lived much of her life in Catalonia, Spain, where longevity has picked up speed over the past decades. She ate a Mediterranean diet, remained socially engaged and mentally sharp, and avoided major disease until late in life.

Experts caution against sweeping conclusions. More research must be done with larger groups of centenarians to see which markers always predict longevity. Still, María's story provides researchers with a rare model of what can be achieved biologically.

Her final months did include health struggles—bronchiectasis, esophageal problems, and arthritis—but she never developed cancer, dementia, or cardiovascular disease. She died peacefully in her sleep, leaving a scientific legacy that can make others' lives healthier.

María's biology could redefine the science of aging. Instead of learning only about damage, scientists could also look for ways to increase resilience. That might mean developing therapies that mimic healthy epigenetic alterations, raising healthy gut microbes, or optimizing older bodies to metabolize fats more effectively.

For ordinary individuals, the research emphasizes that genes are an influence, but choices in lifestyle are also important that encourage healthy lipid metabolism, low inflammation, and thriving gut microbes. Yogurt, fiber-rich vegetables, and fermented foods can help maintain an intact young microbiome.

Most importantly, María's existence proves that exceptional longevity does not inherently mean prolonged suffering. It can also mean more years free of disease. By studying the equilibrium her body discovered, researchers hope to unlock the avenues to methods that render healthy aging the rule, rather than the exception.

Research findings are available online in the journal Cell Reports Medicine.

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