The Secret of a 117-Year-Old Woman's Long Life Revealed by DNA Studies, Here's the Facts from Scientists

JAKARTA - No one can escape the passage of time, but some people who live to be over 110 years old or supercentenarians, seem to be able to delay aging longer than most people. One of them is Maria Branyas who died at the age of 117.

A deep health examination of him revealed that one of the keys to his longevity was having a genome that looked much younger than his age.

Some of the rare genetic variants he has are associated with longevity, immune function, and excellent heart and brain health.

Scientists in Spain say the findings could be a new insight into understanding human aging.

"These findings provide new insights into human aging biology," said the research team led by Eloy Santos-Pujol and Aleix Noguera-Castells from the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute in Barcelona, quoted from the Science Alert website on Thursday, January 1, 2026.

"This suggests a biomarker for healthy aging, and a potential strategy to increase life expectancy," he continued.

The results of this study were obtained from blood, saliva, urine, and stool samples that Branyas provided before his death in 2024, when he was recorded as the oldest living person in the world.

Scientists found Branyas' cells 'felt' or 'behaved' like those of a person much younger than her age. She also lived more than 30 years beyond the average life expectancy of women in Catalonia, where she was from.

Despite being very old, Branyas's health is excellent. He has excellent heart health, low levels of inflammation, and immune systems and gut microbiomes similar to those of much younger people.

In addition, the levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides are very low, while the good cholesterol is very high.

"Extreme human longevity, such as that possessed by supercentenarians, presents a paradox in understanding aging. Despite their advanced age, they still maintain relatively good health," the researchers wrote.

Branyas lives a mentally, socially, and physically active life, but genetic luck also plays a major role.

The Mediterranean diet, which is rich in yogurt, may also help, but extreme longevity is likely influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Scientists also noted a large erosion of telomeres, the caps at the ends of chromosomes. Shorter telomeres are typically associated with a higher risk of death.

But in Branyas, short telomeres may actually be an advantage, because cells that die quickly can prevent cancer growth.

"The picture that emerges from this study, although from a single individual, is remarkable. It shows that very old age and poor health are not always intrinsically related," the researchers explained.

Although research on one person has limitations, Branyas provides a rare opportunity for scientists to study the pathways that allow human lifespan to reach extremes.

"These findings suggest biomarkers for healthy aging, and potential strategies to increase life expectancy," concluded the research team.