Very Old People Carry More Bile Acids in Their Blood
Graded Preliminary — a blood analysis of 213 people, checked against four other studies; it shows links at one point in time and cannot prove cause and effect.
- Design
- Cross-sectional study
- Participants
- 213
- Duration
- —
- Funding
- National Institute on Aging (NIA), NIH
People who live to an extreme old age have more bile acids and less bilirubin in their blood than their children and comparison participants.
People who reach an extremely old age have their own pattern of metabolic substances in the blood. Compared with their own children and with comparison participants, they had higher levels of bile acids, which the liver makes to digest fat. They had lower levels of bilirubin and biliverdin, two breakdown products of the red pigment in blood. People with more bile acids and certain steroid hormones in their blood also had a lower risk of dying.
The data come from the New England Centenarian Study, which follows people who live to 100 in the US. Researchers measured more than 1,400 substances in the blood of 213 participants. They then compared their results with four other studies. From the data they built a metabolic clock that estimates biological age. When this estimate differed from a person's actual age, that gap was linked to their risk of dying. Taurine and citrate mattered for the clock, although simple age comparisons had missed them.
This is a snapshot of 213 people, so it shows patterns, not causes. It cannot tell us whether more bile acids help anyone live longer. The researchers see these as metabolic pathways worth studying further.
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.