Study reveals the "secret" of the Spanish woman who lived to be 117 years old
2025-09-28 10:30:12
TiranaPost
A study published in Cell Reports Medicine has revealed the factors that helped Maria Branyas Morera – a US-born Spanish woman and the world's oldest person until her death in August 2024 – reach the record age of 117 years and 168 days.
The team led by Dr. Manel Esteller in Barcelona analyzed her blood, saliva, urine and microbiome, comparing it to that of 75 other women from the Iberian Peninsula. The result? A rare mix of "genetic lottery" and a healthy Mediterranean lifestyle.
Her daily secrets:
He did not consume alcohol or smoke.
He followed a diet rich in olive oil.
He ate up to 3 servings of yogurt a day.
He lived in the countryside and walked regularly for about an hour a day.
Scientists emphasize that such habits maintained a gut microbiome as healthy as a young person's, helping to reduce inflammation and aging.
On the other hand, her genes protected immune function, memory, metabolism, and brain and heart health. However, experts warn: there is no "magic recipe" for longevity, as every body ages differently.
This study is seen as one of the most comprehensive to date and is expected to pave the way for new research into the biological secrets of supercentenarians.
