Nurturing our gut bacteria can help support lifelong health

When María Branyas Morera died in 2024 at the age of 117, she left more than memories. She left science a gift: samples of her microbiome.

Researchers discovered her gut was as diverse as someone decades younger: rich in beneficial bacteria linked to resilience and longevity. Her daily yoghurt habit and Mediterranean diet may have helped. While we can’t all inherit “lucky genes”, nurturing our microbiome may be one way to support lifelong health.

In a recent paper in Cell Reports Medicine, researchers presented what may be the most detailed scientific investigation of a supercentenarian (a person aged 110 or older). Before her death, Branyas agreed to participate in research aimed at uncovering how she lived such a long and healthy life.

When scientists compared her samples with those of people who had not reached such exceptional ages, the genetic results were unsurprising: Branyas carried protective variants that guard against common diseases. But they also looked at something over which we have more control – the gut microbiome.

This microbiome is the vast community of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms that live in the intestines. They help digest food, produce...

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