It turns out that those who reach 100 years old possess an extraordinary ability to avoid diseases.
What Did the Scientists Discover?
Researchers have long pondered whether the resilience of can be explained by their ability to better withstand serious illnesses, or if they simply avoid certain diseases altogether.
In a recent study, the team analyzed the health of individuals with longer and shorter lifespans who were born in the same year. Initially, the researchers involved 170,787 participants born in Stockholm between 1912 and 1922.
The results showed that centenarians experienced fewer diseases throughout their lives. Additionally, compared to their peers who lived shorter lives, the risk of developing fatal illnesses was significantly lower among the centenarian participants.
The scientists assessed the risk of, heart attack, hip fracture, and various types of among all participants—both those who reached 100 and those who had shorter lifespans.
It was found that by the age of 85, only 4 percent of those who lived to 100 had suffered a stroke. Meanwhile, among those who reached 90-99 years, about 10 percent had experienced a stroke by the age of 85.
Moreover, despite the fact that centenarians lived longer, the risk of a majority of diseases never reached the levels typical for their peers who lived shorter lives.
Regarding , 12.5 percent of centenarians experienced one, compared to over 24 percent of those who lived to 80-89 years. This indicates that centenarians not only delay the onset of major age-related diseases but often avoid them altogether, rather than simply coping with them more easily.
Findings Extend Beyond Serious Illnesses
Initially, the researchers focused on analyzing more serious diseases. However, to gain a deeper understanding, the team later concentrated on 40 different ailments. The severity of these conditions ranged from mild to severe, as reported by Science Alert.
This time, the scientists included 274,108 residents of Sweden born between 1920 and 1922. From this cohort, only 4,330 participants reached the age of 100, which is 1.5 percent.
Even when analyzing a broader spectrum of diseases, the researchers reached the same conclusions as in the first phase. Centenarians developed fewer diseases, and the rate of accumulation over their lifetimes was lower.
The team also found that centenarians were more likely to suffer from that were limited to a single organ system. Such diseases are significantly easier to treat and manage in the long term.
Interestingly, by the age of 80, cardiovascular diseases were diagnosed in only 8 percent of those who crossed the 100-year mark. In comparison, over 15 percent of individuals who died at age 85 had such conditions by the age of 80.
Centenarian participants also demonstrated a high level of resilience against neuropsychological issues, such as depression and .
Notably, individuals who did not reach the age of 100 typically experienced a sharp increase in the number of diseases in their final years. In contrast, centenarians did not experience such a drastic decline in health even after turning 90.
Why Is This Research Important?
This study challenges the common belief that a long life is inevitably accompanied by a multitude of diseases.
The findings indicate that exceptional longevity is not only associated with delaying illness but also with a unique aging process. However, it remains unclear whether this is due to genetics, lifestyle, environmental factors, or a combination of these elements. The next step for researchers will be to explore the factors that enable people to reach 100 years and how these factors influence health throughout life.
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