- Brazil is home to three of the 10 longest-lived male supercentenarians in the world.
- A new paper explores why Brazil is home to an unusually high number of long-lived individuals.
- The authors believe distinct genetic and immunological factors may be driving this effect.
The field of longevity is exploding. You can’t scroll an inch on your social media feed before you come across someone who claims they’ll live to 150.
Nine times out of 10, these people believe they can achieve this by spending huge sums on wellness “hacks,” untested treatments, and supplements.
Only time will tell whether their high-cost, bespoke protocols will extend their lives. Meanwhile, in Brazil, many people — without access to $1,000-per-night wellness clinics or cryotherapy chambers — are routinely living to 100 and beyond.
Despite limited access to healthcare, many of these centenarians stay healthy even up until the end of their century-long lives.
A recent Viewpoint article in the journal Genomic Press describes ongoing genomic and cellular studies on some of these people.
This research aims to identify the biological signatures associated with surviving to advanced age. Before we dig into the research, here is some terminology:
- centenarians — people aged 100 years or older
- semisupercentenarians — aged 105–109 years
- supercentenarians — aged 110 years or older.
Team Health Accessible
Health & Wellness Editorial Team
HealthAccessible editorial team delivers trusted, accessible, and evidence-based health information for everyone.
