Centenarians Show a Distinct Metabolic Profile Tied to Bile Acids and NAD+
People who live past 100 have a unique metabolic fingerprint. In a study of 213 participants from the New England Centenarian Study, extremely long-lived individuals had higher levels of certain bile acids and lower levels of bilirubin compared to younger controls. Higher bile acid and steroid levels were linked to lower mortality risk. The researchers also built a "metabolomic clock" that estimates biological age, and deviations from it predicted death risk.
Key Insight
This study suggests bile acid metabolism and NAD+ pathways may be key targets in longevity research.
Related Studies
A New Blood Test Uses 8 Amino Acids to Estimate Your Biological Age
Scientists built a tool called AmiAge that estimates how old your body really is by measuring 18 amino acids in your blood. They then simplified it down to just 8 amino acids. People whose AmiAge was higher than their actual age tended to be frailer, had shorter telomeres, and got age-related diseases more often.
Blood NAD+ Levels Stay Flat With Age, Challenging Popular Aging Theory
One of the most repeated ideas in longevity is that NAD+ declines as we age, a story that helped make NR and NMN household names in the space. This large, carefully controlled study takes a closer look. Across seven independent cohorts and more than 300 people, researchers found that whole-blood NAD+ levels stayed remarkably stable with age, and didn't shift meaningfully in response to exercise, protein-rich diets, or multimodal lifestyle interventions in older adults. Importantly, NR supplementation did raise blood NAD+ as expected, confirming that the supplements work pharmacologically, the question is just whether blood NAD+ is the right thing to be measuring in the first place.
Just 5,700 Daily Steps Cut Death Risk By 13% In Older Adults
Looking at dozens of studies with over 367,000 older adults, regular walking was tied to lower risk of death, disease, and cognitive decline. Each extra 1,000 daily steps was linked to a 13% drop in death from any cause. Walking pace did not change the benefit, so slow walks counted too.
Disclaimer: Research summaries are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.