Does Brazil Hold the Keys to Extreme Human Longevity?

Beatriz Ferreira Duarte was born in Pernambuco, Brazil, in 1911, turned 115 in 2026, and was recognized by the international organization LongeviQuest as the second oldest person in Brazil and the sixth oldest person in the world. She was married to Amaro Cipriano Duarte for 53 years until his death in 1990, and she has eight children (three of whom are still living) as well as seven grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and at least two great-great- grandchildren. She was always a homemaker, devoted to her home and family.Duarte is remarkable for maintaining good health without medication and for her excellent clinical profile. She ran regularly until age 104 and remained fully lucid until age 106. Today, although her responsiveness to her surroundings has diminished, she continues to show affection and maintain social connections, both of which are recognized as protective factors against cognitive decline.Lifestyle Factors Duarte’s experience is consistent with international evidence highlighting the influence of lifestyle on exceptional longevity. Contributing factors include a healthy diet rich in minimally processed foods, fruits, vegetables, and lean protein; a simple, peaceful life free from chronic stress; regular physical activity well into older age; and faith and spirituality, which may contribute to emotional resilience.Biological Factors Research suggests that supercentenarians possess protective genetic variants associated with cellular repair, efficient metabolism, and resistance to cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Among the best studied genes are:FOXO3, involved in regulating longevity and cellular repair APOE, associated with protection against Alzheimer’s disease and lipid metabolism CETP, associated with cholesterol homeostasis and protection against cardiovascular disease The immune systems of these individuals also seem to age more slowly, exhibiting less chronic inflammation and a greater ability to respond to infections. This characteristic is considered one of the pillars of longevity because it reduces vulnerability to many age- related diseases.Clinical Insights For me, the most important finding is that Brazil’s remarkable genetic diversity has produced unique genetic variants, many of which have yet to be cataloged in international databases. This may help explain the resistance to disease observed among people who reach extreme ages.Mayana Zatz, PhD, from the Human Genome and Stem Cell Research Center Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil,and colleagues analyzed more than 160 Brazilian centenarians and 20 supercentenarians. Researchers are also investigating the role of the gut microbiome, which in some individuals appears to reduce inflammation and improve nutrient absorption.The case of Beatriz Ferreira Duarte illustrates the interplay among protective genetics, a resilient immune system, and healthy lifestyle habits. Her longevity is not only an individual phenomenon but also a valuable scientific resource for understanding how biological and environmental factors interact to enable survival beyond age 110. Because of its genetic diversity, Brazil is emerging as a natural laboratory for the study of exceptional longevity. This is particularly important because genetics is playing an increasingly key role in longevity research.The authors’ conflicts of interest are reported in the original study publication. This story was translated from Medscape’s Portuguese edition.