Supercentenarians are a rare breed. They thrived where others periled. They overcame disasters. And yet they largely kept a smile on their face. They learnt to accept the good and the bad that life throws at them.
I spent this year and the last year researching major patterns on how other species age. But at the end of the day, aging in people is controlled by human genes which may or may not be common to other species. Hence the importance of studying the genetic differences between people displaying extraordinary longevity and people of normal lifespan with known causes of death.
Which genes protect people from cardiovascular disease?
Which of them are involved in the management of blood sugar?
Do supercentenarians accumulate lipofuscin more slowly?
Do they even have cancer?
Are supercentenarians genetically that different from the rest of us?
Did their parents enjoy long lifespans?
Supercentenarians are rare indeed – it is estimated there are currently 70 of them worldwide among a population of 7 billion people. Check out this table of the 100 oldest documented people.
DNA is obtained from simple blood drawing or spit or tissue if the donor is deceased. If you know anybody over 105 years old who would like to participate in the Supercentenarian Study, please fill out this form.
Anca Ioviţă is the author of Eat Less Live Longer: Your Practical Guide to Calorie Restriction with Optimal Nutrition available on Amazon and several other places. If you enjoyed this article, don’t forget to sign up to receive updates on her second book regarding a comparative biography of aging from the simplest to the most complex organisms known.
