Longevity May Run in Your Blood

Larger Lipoprotein Particles Linked to Long Life

By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Medical News Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD


Oct. 14, 2003 -- Size matters when it comes to your blood and the secret to long life.

A new study of people with exceptional longevity and their offspring show they have larger-than-normal high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles in their blood. Lipoproteins are particles composed of a protein and a fat component that carry fats such as cholesterol in the blood.

Researchers say this finding may at least partially explain why longevity runs in families.

In fact, previous research has shown that siblings of centenarians (those who live past 100) are eight to 17 times more likely to live past age 100 themselves. The children of parents who grew to a ripe old age also have about 50% lower rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, and stroke.


Longevity Runs in the Blood


For the study, published in the Oct. 15 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers looked at 213 Ashkenazi Jewish adults with exceptional longevity (average age 98) and their children and compared them with two age-matched control groups of Ashkenazi Jews and participants from the Framingham Offspring Study.

The participants' medical histories were evaluated and blood samples were taken to analyze their lipoprotein levels and composition.

The researchers found that the HDL and LDL particle sizes were significantly larger in the exceptionally old adults compared with both control groups, regardless of their cholesterol levels.

Large lipoprotein particle size was also typical among the children of exceptionally old parents, but not the age-matched controls.

The study showed this trait was also associated with lower rates of high blood pressure, heart disease, and other health problems that account for a large number of deaths among the elderly.

Researcher Nir Barzilai, MD, of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, and colleagues say the findings suggest that lipoprotein particle size is hereditary and may help promote longevity.




SOURCE: Barzilai, N. The Journal of the American Medical Association, Oct. 15, 2003; vol 290: pp 2030-2040.

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