Is this the secret to living to 100? Scientists have identified a specific mix of bacteria and viruses that may help us live longer
Humans may have finally discovered the secret to longevity, hidden in our intestines.
Scientists from the University of Copenhagen studied 176 healthy Japanese centenarians – a rare population that reaches 100 years or more – and found that they all had a mixture of bacteria and viruses in their gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
Studies have shown that specific gut viruses can benefit the gut microbiome and, therefore, our health.
While it’s impossible to change people’s genetic predispositions, researchers think they can change a person’s gut biome to include that unique mix.
Scientists from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research at the University of Copenhagen studied 176 healthy Japanese centenarians – people who have reached 100 years of age – and used an algorithm to map their intestinal bacteria and bacterial virus.
Joachim Johansen, author of the study, said: ‘We are always curious to know why some people live so long.
‘Previous research has shown that the gut bacteria of old Japanese people produce new molecules that make them resistant to pathogenic — that is, disease-causing — microorganisms.
‘And if their intestines are better protected against infection, well, then maybe that’s one of the things that causes them to live longer than others.’
The team developed an algorithm to map the intestines of centenarians and bacterial viruses.
These results were compared to a group of adults between the ages of 18 and 60.
Mr Johansen said the team found ‘great biological diversity in both bacteria and bacterial viruses’ among the centenarians.
He said: ‘High microbial diversity is often associated with a healthy gut microbiome. And we expect that people with a healthy gut microbiome will be better protected against age-related diseases.’
He added that the information could be used to increase the life expectancy of other people by engineering the microbiome to the optimal balance of viruses and bacteria to protect against disease.
Mr Johansen said: ‘We found that if a virus visits a bacterium, it can make the bacteria stronger.
‘The viruses we found in healthy Japanese centenarians contained extra genes that could make the bacteria stronger.
‘We found that they were able to boost the conversion of specific molecules in the gut, which can serve to stabilize gut flora and prevent inflammation.’
For example, the study paper stated that centenarians showed greater metabolic output of microbial hydrogen sulfide, which may ‘support mucosal integrity and resistance to pathobionts’.
Mucosal integrity refers to the stability of the GI tract—the passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus.
Pathogens are pathogens that originate within the gut.