Dr. Sofiya Milman spends her days studying some of the longest-living people on the planet — humans who are living proof that it’s possible to live decades past the average American lifespan of 75 to 80 years old.
What she’s learned so far — about lifestyle but particularly about DNA — is opening up avenues that could lead to a new era of anti-aging treatments for the rest of us.
“We have people who live to 100 and are healthy, so our bodies are capable. It’s biologically plausible, therefore we just have to tweak things to get us there,” she told Business Insider.
Milman, director of human longevity studies at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, is leading a study to recruit 10,000 people aged 95 and older, along with their relatives, to find out what makes them live longer and healthier lives than their peers.
These so-called “super-agers” may owe their long lives to luck and good genes, but the studying them could help scientists give the rest of us a biological edge, too.
“Then we can have a drug that will benefit the other 99.9% of the population that didn’t win the genetic lottery and wasn’t lucky enough to inherit that gene,” she said.
In the meantime, don’t get sidetracked on common misconceptions about living longer. Here’s what Milman said really works (and doesn’t) for longevity.
Aging isn’t inevitable
While we can’t control the passage of time, medications and treatments could help us delay, prevent, or even reverse the process of getting older, at least in the sense of becoming frail or ill over time, according to Milman.
“People do not recognize the fact that there is a biology that drives aging and that you can actually manipulate that biology,” she said.
We already have medications to treat conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol — some of them, like statins, have anti-aging benefits too.
Doctors might one day have even more treatments for age-related decline, and sooner that you might think. Milman is hopeful that we’ll start to see viable options in the next decade or so.
“It’s really not science fiction anymore,” she said.
Healthspan is more important than lifespan
By age 65, a majority of Americans have at least one chronic illness like arthritis, diabetes, cognitive decline, or cardiovascular disease.
No one wants to live to 100 if they can’t get out of bed or engage with the world around them.
“I think most people would argue the more important thing here is healthspan. How many years of healthy life free of chronic conditions do you have?” Milman said.
Super-agers are a perfect example of an ideal healthspan, able to stave off dementia, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer for 10 or even 20 years later than the general population.
“They’re not only living longer, they’re actually living healthier,” Milman said — and that can hold lessons for the rest of us.
A lot of centenarians drink alcohol and snack
Centenarians — they’re just like us, even when it comes to unhealthy lifestyle habits.
“They drink same amount of alcohol, they exercise the same, no less, no more, they’re just as likely to be overweight. They’re not less likely to smoke. And so there isn’t a lifestyle feature that we can say, well, if you do that, then you’ll live to be a hundred,” Milman said.
Factors like genetics, and even good luck, seem to play a big role in getting people over the 100 year mark, more than any specific centenarian habits.
Milman said studying centenarians has been a poignant reminder to herself about focusing on the little habits that can make a big difference for longevity.
“For the time being, I need to be doing everything that has been shown to help us live longer and healthier, so exercising, eating a healthy diet, reducing stress in my life, and getting enough sleep,” Milman said.
Regular exercise is really important
But before you skip your workout or have an extra glass of whiskey, Milman notes that healthy habits might be even more important if you aren’t lucky enough to be naturally long-living.
“Lifestyle is important for 99.9% of us who don’t have longevity genes. So there’s indisputable evidence that leading the healthy lifestyle will allow you to live longer,” she said.
While science may not guarantee you’ll live to 100, you can add years to your life with habits like eating a diet high in nutrient-dense whole foods like produce, nuts and seeds, and high-quality protein.
And if you’re only going to prioritize one habit for living longer and healthier, it should be exercise, according to Milman.
Getting enough physical activity more bang for your buck in terms of health benefits, she said, and best kind of exercise is one you’ll do consistently, whether that’s walking with friends or lifting weights in the gym.
