Centenarians Show a Distinct Metabolic Profile Tied to Bile Acids and NAD+

Moderate Evidence·GeroScience·Mar 2026

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.

Original Paper

GeroScience··213 centenarians, their offspring, and matched controls

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