Posted on 05/05/2021 12:45:58 PM PDT by Red Badger
A whole genome study discovered a number of genetic characteristics unique to those who live well past 100ljsphotography/Depositphotos VIEW 1 IMAGES
In the most detailed genomic study ever conducted of individuals over the age of 100 years, researchers have homed in on several particular genetic characteristics that seem to confer protection from age-related diseases. Gene variants improving DNA repair processes were particularly prominent in this cohort of supercentenarians.
If you eat well, exercise frequently and avoid those detrimental vices, you can reasonably hope to live a long and healthy life. Of course, many age-related diseases seem almost inevitable, whether they catch up with you in your 80s or your 90s. But some people show a propensity for extreme longevity, living healthily well past the age of 100.
Research has shown those who live beyond the age of 100 tend to present extraordinarily healthy signs of aging. They are less likely to have been hospitalized in earlier life and have seemed to avoid many age-related conditions most people battle in their 80s or 90s, such as heart disease or neurodegeneration.
This new study presents a comprehensive investigation of 81 semi-supercentenarians (aged over 105) and supercentenarians (aged over 110). The researchers also matched this cohort against a group of healthy, geographically matched subjects aged in their late 60s. The goal was to genetically distinguish those generally healthy people in their late 60s from those extremely healthy supercentenarians.
Five particular genetic changes were commonly detected in the supercentenarian cohort, concentrated around two genes called STK17A and COA1.
STK17A is known to be involved in DNA damage response processes. As we age, the body’s DNA repair mechanisms become less effective. Accumulated DNA damage is known to be responsible for some signs of aging, so increased expression of STK17A can favor healthy aging by preserving DNA repair processes in old age.
Reduced expression of COA1 in the supercentenarians was also detected. This gene plays a role in communications between a cell’s nucleus and mitochondria.
“Previous studies showed that DNA repair is one of the mechanisms allowing an extended lifespan across species," explains senior author on the new study, Cristina Giuliani. "We showed that this is true also within humans, and data suggest that the natural diversity in people reaching the last decades of life are, in part, linked to genetic variability that gives semi-supercentenarians the peculiar capability of efficiently managing cellular damage during their life course."
The researchers also found the supercentenarians displayed an unexpectedly low level of somatic gene mutations, which are the mutations we all generally accumulate as we grow older. It is unclear why these older subjects have avoided the age-related exponential increase usually seen with these kinds of mutations.
“Our results suggest that DNA repair mechanisms and a low burden of mutations in specific genes are two central mechanisms that have protected people who have reached extreme longevity from age-related diseases,” says Claudio Franceschi, another senior author on the study.
The new research was published in the journal eLife.
Source: eLife
Interesting.
Eat foods that aid DNA repair (🥦 , cabbage, brussel sprouts..)
Very interesting.
I have seen a number of interviews on TV, with people who reach 100 or other old age. And it seems a mixed bag. Some have never smoked and/or drank. Others drank in moderation. I remember one old man, said he smoked a cigar a day for decades.
I got the impression that any who smoked or drank, did so in moderation.
Also of note is how skinny these oldsters are. I don’t know if they are on strict diets or just don’t eat as much when older.
I have noticed that too. Less body fat means less inflammation means less dna damage.
They don’t have much appetite...I am one of them.
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LOL! just happens to be the ‘gassy’ veggies..................
Beerigation!
“Also of note is how skinny these oldsters are. I don’t know if they are on strict diets or just don’t eat as much when older.”
Fat people died off decades earlier.
I cannot ever recall seeing an obese 95 year old.
Modern science shows calorie restrictions do extend lifespans. Rodents live 150% longer when on regular intervals of calorie restriction.
I believe your body craves what it needs.
I was craving cabbage soup and it is delicious if made the right way.
cut a half head of cabbage into 4 pieces (1/8’th slices of the whole cabbage, but I only make it with half.)
slow cook them, halfway between medium and low, on one-side only in olive oil. Do not flip them. It should take at least 20 minutes for the heat to reach the top and make it start to cook, while the bottom gets nicely carmelized.
This step is important to do right.
Toss it in a large pot with 2 quarts of water and a couple of bay leaves.
slice and dice 4 carrots, 3 large stalks of celery, and one large sweet onion. Stir fry it in the same pan on slightly ABOVE medium heat- hot and fast. ONLY until they start to get translucent. maybe 8 minutes on medium high heat. Toss them into the pan.
Add some salt and pepper and beef bullion to taste. Boil for about an hour on low.
Very delicious. very cheap. Makes a lot, fills you up and very low in calories. The original recipe I found said you can LOSE WEIGHT eating this every day.
I use saved tomato spaghetti sauce jars to ‘can’ it and store it. I stopped buying MASON jars- they seem designed to be thrown away after each use, so you have to always buy more lids.
Obviously none of them got too close to the Clintons. LOL
I often write about grandmother who lived to be 106.
She smoked moderately, drank moderately—but what made her an unusual person is she had a very positive disposition—off the charts.
She was always smiling, always friendly, always cheerful.
Other people claimed she was stupid because she just did not understand the negative stuff—but I knew her very well, and she was very intelligent—she knew exactly what she was doing..she just refused to play along with stuff that caused stress.
“Also of note is how skinny these oldsters are. I don’t know if they are on strict diets or just don’t eat as much when older.”
Fat people don’t live past 75.
In nearly 100% of cases.
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Several of our age 90+ something members of our church have died this past year or so, basically since the lockups with Covid 19 went into effect.
Some were still living by themselves, coming to church, meeting people for lunch and shopping by themselves.
The pandemic stopped their church attendance, shopping and meeting people for lunch. One active 91 year old man was locked up in his expensive senior citizen apartment/complex and apparently just gave up due to loneliness and boredom.
The rest of the 90+, who died this year, were basically active to the last day, and seemed to be doing okay and just died of natural causes.
Fortunately, for them, death was quick, and they didn’t have a long suffering time before dying. Their deaths were labeled as dying from natural causes.
There is a fairly good sized herd of members/us in our mid to late 80’s. We are fairly active, and most of us have been basically healthy during the past year. Many of us are married, and our spouses are still alive and active.
I think that we are down to 2 ninety year plus individuals. One still drives and can’t wait to get back to church. More on her below.
The other lady has basically outlived her family and basically has no relatives to drive her to church. She loves our new “Live and recorded church services” and her retirement/rest home with good people working there. They are her new family.
The other 90+ lady has been in the big PPO study group for those who have lived past a certain age with a good health profile for their age. I was contacted by them for this group study and joined. They have my DNA and health profile.
“Other people claimed she was stupid because she just did not understand the negative stuff—but I knew her very well, and she was very intelligent—she knew exactly what she was doing..she just refused to play along with stuff that caused stress.”
My mother had an older first cousin, who fit your mother’s description. She lived to be 96, survived 2 WW’s, the depression and other calamities.
My mother and her sisters made it to their late 80’s and this older cousin outlived all of them. She was a great bridge player and refused to allow any bad discussions to occur during her bridge playing and social life.
I can remember her telling my grandfather/her uncle not to watch the local and national news on tv. She said it was probably all lies and B$. That was in the mid 1950’s.
She loved the late night comedy shows on tv.
Her daughter is now 96 and probably in better health than her mother was @ 96. They both had a few extra pounds and ate like normal humans. Their exercise was/is walking. They never smoked, and enjoyed their wine with dinner.
She/the daughter has been like a big sister to one of my siblings and a very positive influence.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Sound like the "Howard Families" of Robert Heinlein's novels with Lazarus Long.................
Many, if not most of these so called senior citizens are amazing people re what they have done in their life, are doing and plan to do.
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