Studies indicate that people with this blood type have higher chance of living to 100

In the high-stakes pursuit of human longevity, researchers have long sought a “biological crystal ball”—a way to predict who among us will defy the odds and reach a second century of life. Now, a massive longitudinal study out of Sweden has identified 10 specific blood “markers” that separate future centenarians from their peers, offering a microscopic look at the chemistry of extreme aging. Once considered anomalies of nature, centenarians are now the world’s fastest-growing demographic. Their numbers have roughly doubled every decade since the 1970s, a trend that reflects seismic shifts in healthcare. Yet, beyond quality of life and medicine, scientists are increasingly focused on the internal mechanics of survival. This latest breakthrough, utilizing decades of data, suggests that the secrets to living to 100 are written in our blood as early as our mid-60s.

The 35-Year Wait: Mapping the Stockholm Cohort

The study’s scale is as impressive as its findings. Researchers analyzed clinical lab results from 44,637 residents of Stockholm County, all born between 1893 and 1920. At the time of their initial blood tests between 1985 and 1996, participants were aged 64 to 99.

Scientists then performed a “long wait,” tracking the cohort for up to 35 years through national registers that recorded everything from disease and residency to the exact date of death. Of the original group, 1,224 individuals reached their 100th birthday. Predictably, women made up the vast majority of that elite group at 84.6%, consistent with established global gender gaps in longevity.

The investigative question was simple: Could blood work taken decades prior have predicted this outcome?

The “Goldilocks” Zone: Avoiding Extreme Values

Researchers scrutinized 12 routine biomarkers, focusing on metabolic health, kidney and liver function, and markers for inflammation and nutrition:

• Metabolic Health: Glucose and total cholesterol.

• Organ Function: Creatinine (kidney) and liver enzymes (GGT, ALP, and LD).

• Nutritional & Inflammatory Status: Iron, albumin, and uric acid.

The overarching conclusion was precise: outliers rarely reach 100. Those who lived the longest tended to stay within a “Goldilocks” zone—avoiding extreme highs or lows in their lab values.

The Specific Chemistry of 100

According to lead researcher Karin Modig, those who reached the century mark exhibited significantly lower levels of glucose, creatinine, and uric acid from their 60s onward.

“For example, very few of the centenarians had a glucose level above 6.5 earlier in life, or a creatinine level above 125,” Modig noted in a recent article for Live Science.

The data showed that lower levels of glucose, creatinine, uric acid, liver enzymes (ASAT, GGT, ALP), total iron building capacity (TIBC), and lactate dehydrogenase (LD) were all associated with a higher probability of becoming a centenarian.

The Cholesterol Contradiction

Perhaps the most surprising finding involved total cholesterol and iron. In a departure from traditional clinical guidelines for younger populations, the study found that higher total cholesterol levels were actually associated with a greater chance of reaching 100.

While high cholesterol is often flagged as a cardiovascular risk in middle age, these results align with emerging geriatric research suggesting that higher levels may be protective—or at least favorable regarding mortality—in the very old. Conversely, those with very low total cholesterol or iron levels had a significantly lower chance of hitting the 100-year milestone.

Genetics vs. Lifestyle: The Final Verdict

While the study establishes a powerful link between metabolic health and longevity, it stops short of declaring a “smoking gun” for lifestyle choices.

“The study does not allow any conclusions about which lifestyle factors or genes are responsible for the biomarker values,” Modig explains. “However, it is reasonable to think that factors such as nutrition and alcohol intake play a role.”

The fact that these differences were observable decades before death suggests that while “chance” plays a role in avoiding fatal accidents or rare diseases, the biological foundation of longevity is laid early through a combination of genetic predispositions and sustainable habits.

What This Means for Your Future

This research isn’t a mandate to obsess over every decimal point in your next lab report, but it does serve as a roadmap for healthy aging. The key takeaway is balance: maintaining mid-range values for blood sugar, kidney, and liver function appears more beneficial for the “long game” than pushing numbers to their absolute minimums.

As we age, tracking these trends alongside a physician becomes a vital tool. Focusing on the pillars of metabolic health—balanced nutrition, consistent physical activity, and restorative sleep—may just be the best way to tip the biological odds in your favor.