Maria Branyas Morera died at the age of 117 last year
The secrets behind the exceptionally long and healthy life of Maria Branyas Morera have just been unravelled. The American-Catalan passed away last August at a remarkable 117 years old, was recognised as a supercentenarian after surpassing the grand age of 110.
For over a year, Maria held the title of the world’s oldest person and attributed her extensive lifespan to three simple factors; avoiding toxic people, “luck” and “good genetics”. As her body was study by scientists, it turns out that Maria’s claims are quite close to the truth.
Barcelona University researchers found her “key to longevity” within Maria’s gut. They shared their findings with NeedtoKnow, noting that Maria’s microbiome resembled that of a young child, and she also possessed unique genes. It noted: “Overall, these data suggest that one of the reasons that our supercentenarian reached such a world record age was that her cells ‘felt’ or ‘behaved’ as younger cells, with a biological age of a centenarian.”
The study has not yet been peer-reviewed. Maria also boasted excellent cholesterol levels, “exceptional” blood sugar, and a perfectly balanced immune system. This is all believed to be heavy contributors to her longevity, which could have been driven by her diet.
Maria reportedly never indulged in alcohol or tobacco and maintained a daily intake of three yoghurts along with her regular meals. In addition, she relished her fruits and vegetables and incorporated daily walks into her routine.
Professor Manel Esteller, a genetics expert at the university, described Maria’s biological age as around 17 years less than her physical age. This not only contributed to Maria’s extraordinary longevity but also ensured she remained healthy throughout her life.
Her daughter, Rosa Moret, previously noted that her mum rarely fell ill. It was only in the latter stages of her life that Maria experienced a decline in her sight, memory and hearing – much later than expected for someone of her advanced years.
Researchers are now keen to study her body to further anti-ageing medical research and understand which diets could potentially increase lifespan. They concluded with optimism, stating: “The picture that emerges from our study shows that extremely advanced age and poor health are not intrinsically linked.”
Maria hailed from Catalonia, Spain, a region noted for its impressive life expectancy rates, clocking in at 86.49 years for women and 81.29 years for men. Following Maria’s passing, the title of the world’s oldest person currently sits with 116-year-old Brazilian nun Canabarro Lucas.