Brazil’s supercentenarians are rewriting the rules of human longevity by living past 110 without special diets, expensive healthcare, or privileged lifestyles.

Story Highlights

• Brazilian researchers have assembled over 160 centenarians including 20 validated supercentenarians, with three Brazilian men ranking among the world’s 10 longest-lived males
• These individuals possess over 8 million genetic variants missing from global databases, offering unprecedented insights into extreme longevity mechanisms
• Multiple Brazilian supercentenarians survived COVID-19 before vaccines were available, demonstrating remarkable immune resilience at ages 110+
• Family clusters show extreme longevity runs in bloodlines, including a 110-year-old woman with nieces aged 100, 104, and 106

The Genetic Treasure Trove That Science Overlooked

The University of São Paulo’s Human Genome and Stem Cell Research Center has uncovered what researchers call an “unmatched genetic laboratory” hiding in plain sight. Brazil’s population represents one of the most genetically diverse groups on Earth, combining Indigenous American, African, European, and East Asian ancestries through centuries of migration and mixing. This genetic cocktail has produced over 8 million unique variants completely absent from standard global genetic databases.

Lead researcher Mayana Zatz and her team discovered that this overlooked diversity isn’t just academically interesting—it’s producing some of the world’s most resilient humans. Their cohort includes the world’s oldest living man at 113 years old and recently included Sister Inah, who lived to 116 before passing away in April 2025.

People in Brazil are living past 110 and scientists want to know why https://t.co/DaNaDFbOSY

— Zicutake USA Comment (@Zicutake) January 8, 2026

Surviving the Ultimate Stress Test at 110 Plus

The COVID-19 pandemic provided an unplanned experiment that revealed the true extent of these supercentenarians’ resilience. At least three Brazilian individuals over 110 contracted the virus before vaccines became available and not only survived but mounted robust immune responses. Their blood showed strong antibody production and metabolic signatures typical of much younger people fighting infections.

This discovery challenges conventional wisdom about aging and immunity. While most research focuses on decline and frailty, these Brazilians demonstrate that some humans can maintain warrior-level immune systems well past their hundredth birthday. The implications extend far beyond individual cases—they suggest entirely different pathways to healthy aging than previously understood.

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The Blue Zone Myth Gets a Reality Check

Traditional longevity research has fixated on Mediterranean diets, Japanese lifestyles, and other “Blue Zone” factors. Brazilian supercentenarians demolish these assumptions by reaching extreme ages without following any special longevity protocols. Many lived most of their lives in underserved areas with limited healthcare access, yet consistently outlived peers with better medical care and resources.

The research reveals that biological resilience, not lifestyle optimization, may be the real driver of extreme longevity. One documented family includes a 106-year-old woman who was still a swimming champion at age 100, alongside her 110-year-old aunt and two other centenarian relatives. These family clusters suggest genetic factors trump environmental advantages in determining who reaches the 110-year milestone.

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The Missing Pieces of Human Longevity

Previous longevity studies suffered from a critical flaw—they primarily examined people of European and East Asian descent, missing the vast genetic diversity that defines most of humanity. Brazilian supercentenarians carry protective variants invisible to conventional research, potentially holding keys to immune resilience, cellular repair, and genome stability that could benefit millions of aging people worldwide.

Researcher Mateus Vidigal de Castro emphasizes that Brazil’s documentation challenges likely mean many more supercentenarians exist unrecognized. The implications are staggering: if genetic diversity drives extreme longevity, then the world’s most mixed populations may harbor the greatest concentrations of protective variants. This research doesn’t just promise new drug targets—it demands a complete rethinking of who scientists study and why genetic representation matters for understanding human potential.

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Sources:

Science Daily – Brazilian supercentenarians offer clues to extreme longevity
EurekAlert – Brazil’s genetic treasure trove: supercentenarians reveal secrets of extreme longevity
Maeil Business – Brazilian supercentenarians living past 110 attract scientific attention
StudyFinds – People In Brazil Are Living Past 110 & Scientists Want To Know Why
El País – Science seeks keys to human longevity in the genetic mixing of Brazilian supercentenarians