Maria Branya Morera lived to be 117 years old and was once the oldest living person. Before she passed away, she asked scientists to study her. A research team was put together in Spain to analyze her blood, saliva, and stool in an effort to understand how and why she managed to live so long. They discovered that her long life came from a combination of healthy lifestyle choices, favorable genetics, and a beneficial microbiome.
Branyas was on a strict Mediterranean diet, did not smoke or drink, and stayed active until late in her life. She carried genetic variants that protect against diseases like dementia, cancer, and heart disease. After inspection, her cells appeared biologically much younger than expected for a person of her age. It was also found that her microbiome was rich in helpful bacteria. The bacteria that were abundant in her gut are supported tremendously by eating yogurt, which she consumed three times a day.
Scientists, however, urged people not to take her life habits to try to live longer, because it depends heavily on a person-to-person basis. Genetics alone cannot determine or explain lifespan. It was also noted that Branyas seemed unusually resilient.
This article was great to read. It really showed that genetics alone cannot determine a lifespan. Especially noting that her family members did not live as long as her. Her long life came primarily from her decisions she made in her life.
References:
Kolata, G. (n.d.-b). How did Maria Branyas Morera, who was the world’s oldest person, live so long? - The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/24/health/maria-branyas-longevity-genes-microbiome.html
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2024, June 17). Can you lengthen your life?. National Institutes of Health. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2016/06/can-you-lengthen-your-life
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