Gut microbiome of world's oldest person stuns scientists

Key Points:

• María Branyas Morera, who died at 117 in 2024, became the most thoroughly studied supercentenarian, with researchers analyzing her genome, proteome, epigenome, metabolome, and microbiome.
• Her gut microbiome resembled that of a much younger person, with Bifidobacterium making up about half of it—five times more than typical older adults—challenging assumptions about aging and gut health.
• Despite her extreme age, DNA methylation clocks indicated her biological age was 17 to 23 years younger, revealing a duality of aging markers that suggest long life and good health are not mutually exclusive.
• While María consumed three yogurts daily, scientists caution that her longevity likely resulted from a combination of factors including a Mediterranean diet, physical activity, social engagement, good sleep, and no tobacco or alcohol use, rather than yogurt alone.
• The study highlights the gut’s role in aging but underscores that genetics, particularly rare protective gene variants, play a crucial role in extreme longevity, and lifestyle changes alone cannot replicate María’s unique genetic profile.