Maria Branyas Morera was a remarkable supercentenarian from Spain who lived to the age of 117 before she passed away last year.
Throughout her life, Maria experienced two world wars, witnessed 21 American presidents, and saw innovations that completely transformed life from what it was at her birth.
She was born in the United States but relocated to Catalonia in 1915, where she spent the remainder of her extraordinary life.
Before her passing, Maria requested that doctors examine her DNA to understand what contributed to her status as the oldest living person, with the hope of assisting others in extending their lifespan.
This led doctors in Spain to investigate her biological profile through a study conducted by a team of scientists, which included researchers from the University of Barcelona and the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute. They gathered samples from Maria and analyzed her cells and genetics, as reported by the Mirror.
In an interview with the Times, Dr. Manel Esteller, the lead investigator of the study, stated, “Typically, as we age, we tend to get sicker, but she was an exception, and we aimed to find out why. For the first time, we’ve managed to distinguish between aging and illness.”
Dr. Esteller further remarked: “We can create medications that mimic the benefits of good genes. Maria’s parents provided her with excellent genes, but we don’t have the ability to choose our parents.
The findings indicated that she was biologically 10 to 15 years younger, making her seem more like a lively centenarian at the time of her passing than her actual age. Additionally, she exhibited remarkably low levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol and triglycerides, along with very high levels of ‘good’ cholesterol.
Maria maintained a healthy lifestyle that featured ample exercise, no harmful habits like smoking or drinking alcohol, and a vibrant social life.
Yet, there was one more thing she cherished that might have contributed to her longevity: the yogurt from her beloved Spanish brand, La Fageda. This yogurt is a probiotic type that contains bacteria known for combating inflammation.
As reported by the Mirror, Maria began her mornings with a smoothie loaded with cereals, incorporating eight different varieties.
Science Alert has reported that researchers have noticed considerable erosion in Maria’s telomeres, which serve as the protective caps on chromosomes. Although shorter telomeres are typically associated with increased mortality, new studies indicate they may not be a dependable indicator of aging in the elderly. In Maria’s situation, her remarkably short telomeres might have actually benefited her, potentially restricting the growth of cancer cells.
“The findings from our research, although based solely on this one remarkable individual, indicate that extreme old age and poor health are not necessarily connected,” stated the researchers, led by epigeneticists Eloy Santos-Pujol and Aleix Noguera-Castells, as reported by Science Alert.
Dr. Esteller remarked that “the secrets to extreme longevity lie in a combination of our genetic inheritance and our lifestyle choices,” further noting that “this combination varies, but it could be […] fifty-fifty.”
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