Creatinine, uric acid, gamma GT… Swedish researchers have identified biomarkers common to blood tests from people who live beyond the age of 90.
The keys to longevity revealed in our blood? THE global number of centenarians – people reaching their 100th birthday – has almost doubled every 10 years since 1950 and is expected quintuple by 2050. Scientists confirm that exceptional longevity is the result of a complex interaction of several determinants including, for example, genetic predispositions and factors related to way of life. After analyzing existing studies, Swedish researchers found that knowledge about how blood biomarkers in centenarians differed from those of non-centenarians at the same ages were rare. Their study published in GeroScience in September 2023 aimed to describe and compare the biomarker profiles of‘individuals aged 64 to 99 years eventually becoming centenarians to those of their peersshorter life expectancy. “We examined the biomarkers of metabolism, inflammation, liver, kidney, anemia and nutritional status they explain.
First differences from age 65
In total, out of 44,636 participants, 1,224 participants (84.6% women) lived to their 100th birthday. After following the participants for approximately 11 years, the researchers found that “from the age of 65, a difference in biomarkers was observed between individuals who became centenarians and those who did not. Concretely, centenarians had homogeneous biomarker profiles, precisely:
- higher levels of total cholesterol and iron
- and lower levels of glucose, creatinine, uric acid, AST, gamma GT, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and transferrin (TIBC).
Liver and kidneys should be particularly monitored as we age
“Our results concerning biomarkers of liver function (ASAT, GGT) and renal (creatinine) as well as inflammation (CRP, uric acid) are consistent with previous research which showed that low levels were predictive of exceptional longevity” commented the authors. They also point out that several alcohol-related biomarkers are higher among non-centenarians than in centenarians, notably gamma GT (GGT) and ASAT. L’Uric acid may also increase due to alcohol consumption. In conclusion, they believe that “Although chance likely plays a role in reaching age 100, differences in biomarker values more than a decade before death suggest that genetic and/or lifestyle factors, reflected in these biomarker levels, may play a role in exceptional longevity.”