How Genetics and Diet Helped the World’s Oldest Woman Live to 117
October 1, 2025
3 Min read
How the oldest woman in the world lived at 117
Maria Branyas Morera was the oldest person in the world when he died. Scientists have analyzed its genes, its metabolism and more
Maria Branryas Morera had been checked as the oldest person when she died last year at 117 years.
Xavier Dengra (public domain)
Maria Branryas Morera lived at the age of 117 with a little genetic luck and a healthy diet which included daily yogurts, according to a study published today Cell reports medicine. During her last year – she died on August 19, 2024 – she was verified as the oldest living person, a feat that drew the attention of researchers who explore the biology of aging.
“We wanted to learn from his particular case for the benefit of other people,” explains Manel Esteller, doctor specializing in genetics at the University of Barcelona in Spain.
At the time, Branryas lived in the small town of Olot, in the region of Catalonia of Spain, where she liked to read books, play with dogs and spend time with friends and a family, including her two daughters – both in the 90 years. During several meetings with Branryas and his family, Esteller and his colleagues collected samples of blood, saliva, urine and stools that provided information on his unique physiology, including his genetics, his metabolism and his intestinal microbiome.
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The Supercenarian was happy to collaborate. “She was a very humble person,” recalls Esteller. “She said:” My only merit is that I am alive “.”
The researchers compared the genetic, metabolomic and other branrya profiles with those of women of various ages living in the same region. One of the main ideas of work, known as Esteller, is that it is possible to distinguish the molecular changes that occur in the body due to the aging of those who occur due to poor health.
For example, the research team learned that Branryas telomeres – the repetitive DNA expanses that protect the ends of chromosomes – were exceptionally short. Telomeres are naturally shortening with age and unusually short telomeres have been associated with age -related diseases. But the Branryas did not have such diseases. “This tells us that the loss of telomeres is not necessarily associated with the disease, it is simply associated with the old man,” explains Esteller.
Mayana Zatz, geneticist at the University of São Paulo in Brazil who studies the genetics of healthy centenarians, says that the study is deepened, but notes that the conclusions which are based on a single individual are limited. “It would be interesting to compare the results with supercentenarians in other populations,” she said.
Win the genetic lottery
While analyzing the genome of Branryas, the authors have spotted genetic variants which are known to protect against cardiovascular disease, cognitive loss and diabetes. On the other hand, they found no variant associated with an increased risk for certain deleterious conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease.
The researchers also looked for genes linked to longevity. “She had variants in genes which, in other beings such as dogs, worms and flies, are associated with an extreme lifespan,” explains Esteller. “She was lucky at the genetic lottery.”
But his luck does not stop there. The Branryas have accessed his blood analyzes; It had low levels of “bad” cholesterol and high levels of “good” cholesterol, which suggests an effective lipid metabolism. Her inflammation markers were also weak and she had a strong immune system – at the age of 113, she was the oldest in Spain to have covid -19 and survive. “Sometimes our immune cells become a little little populated and begin to attack our own cells, causing inflammation,” explains Esteller. “There was nothing like it.”
Esteller thinks that the lack of inflammation of Branryas could be linked to its healthy intestinal microbiome, which looked like that of a much younger person. He points to his high levels of BifidobacteriumA kind of beneficial bacteria that has probably been stimulated by its diet, which included three daily portions of yogurt.
Some of his other lifestyle choices that probably contributed to its longevity included a Mediterranean diet and exercise regularly. “Our genes are the cards in a poker game,” says Esteller. “But how we play them, that’s what really matters.”
This article is reproduced with permission and was first publication September 24, 2025.
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