Brazil’s Supercentenarians’ Guide To Longevity

Getting older is easy, but aging well is harder than you think, which is why centenarians are so lauded. However, there’s an even more impressive subset of centenarians known as supercentenarians—people who live to be 110 years old or older and represent about 1 in 1,000 centenarians. While they are scattered around the world, Brazil does have a notable population of supercentenarians, housing three of the world’s top 10 oldest living validated men and women.

With that, researchers are looking to better understand the biological and immune processes of Brazilian supercentenarians and use these insights to help support the longevity of others.

What’s Going on with Brazil’s Supercentenarians?

A group of researchers from the University of São Paulo’s Human Genome and Stem Cell Research Center collated nationwide data featuring over 100 Brazilian centenarians, including 20 supercentenarians, who came from multiple Brazilian regions, with varied social, cultural, and environmental backgrounds.

The team then collected health information, as well as blood samples and cells, to better study their DNA and cell function.

1. A Stronger Immune System

Unfortunately, with aging come detrimental changes to our bodies, which include our immune systems slowing down and becoming less effective – yet a supercentenarian experience is a little different.

The aforementioned cohort featured three supercentenarians who had survived COVID-19 in 2020 before vaccination was available. The supercentenarians displayed strong antibody levels against the SARS virus, as well as other immune markers that help the body fight infections. What’s more, when contacted by researchers, some of them remained mentally sharp and able to function independently, including eating.

Cleaning up

Speaking more on the findings, published in Genomic Psychiatry, the researchers noted that the immune cells of supercentenarians retained the same cleanup ability as much younger people, clearing damaged proteins, which keeps cells healthier for longer.

What’s more, the researchers also identified an unusual kind of immune cell. CD4+ cells are coordinators that guide other cells’ immune responses; in supercentenarians over 110, however, these cells transform into fighter cells that directly destroy infected or damaged cells. The unusual thing is that this type of cell barely exists in younger people.

Coupled with the fact that supercentenarians have higher numbers of natural killer cells, this is how their immune systems can fight off chronic infections that would normally wear down most people’s immune systems..

2. An Extensive Genetic Maintenance System

One of the supercentenarians identified lived to 112 and possessed rare variations in genes that control the immune system, and individuals with these particular genetic variations are less likely to experience inflammatory and autoimmune problems as they age.

What’s more, this same person also possessed rare genetic variants linked to how cells maintain themselves.

Autophagy refers to the cell’s ability to reuse and recycle damaged cell parts, which promotes cellular renewal and helps to prevent age-related disease. Additional variants include helping the mitochondria work more efficiently, as well as how DNA damage is repaired.

Together, these systems help to keep cells healthier for longer, and the researchers noted that thousands of genetic features in the supercentenarians are not yet seen in global genetic databases. This suggests that these unique variations may be the reason Brazil hosts so many supercentenarians.

Lessons from Brazil’s Supercentenarians

Now, while many claims of extreme longevity in Brazil still lack official documentation, it shouldn’t take away from the fact that they’re clearly doing something right about their longevity. Understanding how their systems work could help us live longer and healthier.

Granted, we can’t exactly implement their genes into our lives, but we can adopt and learn a thing or two from Brazil’s oldest living population. On October 5, 2025, João Marinho Neto turned 113, becoming the World’s Oldest Man. With that, here’s what we can learn from Brazil’s top supercentenarian.

1. Strong social ties

Speaking to Guinness World Records when they named him the world’s oldest man in November last year, Neto shared that his secret to his longevity is being surrounded by good people, with his loved ones close by.

According to a 2025 report from the World Health Organization (WHO) Commission on Social Connection, social connection can help reduce inflammation, lower the risk of serious health problems, and even prevent early death.

2. Physical activity

Born into a family of farmers, Neto began helping his father in the fields from the age of 4. He spent the rest of his life staying physically active through agricultural work, cultivating land inherited from his then-wife, and raising cattle and other farm animals.

Whether through work, chores, or exercise, staying active helps to keep your heart, muscles, and brain healthy well into old age.

3. Connect to nature

Having been born and spent the entirety of his life in rural settings, Neto is familiar with nature, and such greenery has had a significant impact on his health.

Per the 2025 findings, living in greener residential areas can lead to slower biological aging by about 1.6 years. Hiking, taking a walk in the park, birdwatching, or even enjoying a picnic in the park are all great ways to get your dose of nature.

4. A natural diet

Having followed a farm-to-table diet, Neto’s focus on unprocessed, organic foods can be directly correlated to his longevity.

As fatty and processed diets can increase one’s chances of developing heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions, adopting a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is the way to go.

Want to know more?

Despite populations with long lifespans existing in Africa, the continent has been excluded from conversations about Blue Zones until recently. The Vhembe (Venda) district municipality could potentially be South Africa’s very own ‘Blue Zone’.

References

de Castro, M. V., Silva, M. V., Guilherme, J. P. L., & Zatz, M. (2026). Insights from Brazilian supercentenarians. Genomic Psychiatry, 2(1), 18–20. https://doi.org/10.61373/gp026v.0009

Egorov, A. I., Griffin, S. M., Klein, J., Guo, W., Styles, J. N., Kobylanski, J., Murphy, M. S., Sams, E., Hudgens, E. E., & Wade, T. J. (2025). Greater residential greenness is associated with reduced epigenetic aging in adults. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 3558. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82747-3

ewman, V. (2024). World’s oldest man confirmed as Brazil’s João Marinho Neto, aged 112. [online] Guinness World Records. Available at: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2024/11/worlds-oldest-man-confirmed-as-brazils-joao-marinho-neto-aged-112.

Richards, B. (2025). The World’s Oldest Man Celebrates His 113th Birthday. Here’s His Secret to Living a Long Life. [online] People.com. Available at: https://people.com/worlds-oldest-man-turns-113-shares-secret-to-long-life-11824574