Japanese centenarians have been the subject of study by world scientists since they decided to create a medicine that guarantees immortality. Now it turns out that the secret is in their stomachs.
Here, Nature Microbiology notes that the average life expectancy of the Japanese alone is higher than the general average life expectancy, so the secret of their longevity must be sought, or rather in their bodies. This was done by scientists from the Danish University of Copenhagen.
To do this, researchers studied the health status of 176 Japanese centenarians who lived over 100 years and found that they all had a specific mixture of bacteria and viruses in their digestive systems. This mixture produces unique new molecules that make them resistant to pathogens. According to the researchers, this may be one of the reasons why these centenarians live longer than others, since their intestines are better protected from infection.
To test this hypothesis, the research team developed an algorithm for mapping bacteria and viruses in the guts of older people and then compared the results to those of people aged 18-60. And it became clear to them that centenarians have an impressively wide biodiversity of bacteria and bacterial viruses.
This, of course, indicates a better microbiome in their gut. In particular, centenarians have shown a greater ability to metabolize microbial hydrogen sulfide, which can “maintain mucosal integrity and resilience.”
The researchers propose replacing someone’s gut microbiome with a “lifelong” microbiome, since a person’s genetic predisposition cannot be changed.
Source: news.Mail.ru
