In Acciaroli, in southern Italy, many inhabitants are over 100 years old
Acciaroli, located in southwestern Italy, is no ordinary place. It is home to a surprisingly high number of centenarians.
Around 100 people – in a town with 700 inhabitants – are over 100 years old, and the village has therefore been the focus of a study to discover the factors that contribute to the longevity of its residents.
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After spending six months in the area, researchers from Sapienza University of Rome and the Sandiego School of Medicine determined that the elderly in the region have unusually good blood circulation for their age.
The research team analyzed blood samples from more than 80 residents, and discovered extraordinarily low levels of de adrenomedullin, a hormone that widens blood vessels.
The levels of adrenomedullin were similar to those normally found in people in their 20s and 30s, according to the researchers.
High levels of this hormone can cause blood vessels to contract, causing circulatory problems that can lead to other serious health conditions.
Scientists discovered the hormone “in a very low quantity in the individuals studied, and it appears to act as a powerful protective factor, helping the optimal development of microcirculation”, or capillary circulation.
The research team is yet to discover the cause of the phenomenon, but they believe it is closely related to diet and exercise.
The inhabitants of Acciaroli tend to eat local fish, home-grown rabbits and chickens, as well as olive oil and home-grown vegetables and fruits.
The study also found that residents all eat rosemary, which studies show helps improve brain function. Local varieties of the herb will be studied in broader research into longevity in the region.
“When we researched this, we found a dozen different compounds in there. Scientific studies have shown that acids help brain function,” said Dr. Alan Maisel, a cardiologist at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine.
Furthermore, people living in the region suffer fewer illnesses than those living in other Western countries. “We found that they don't have the kind of chronic diseases that we see in the U.S., for example, like heart disease, obesity and Alzheimer's disease,” Maisel said.
“We realized that they do not suffer from cataracts. Most people in the US, if they are over 80, have cataracts. We didn’t find anyone there,” he said.
But perhaps there is another important factor regarding the longevity of the locals. “The frequency of sexual activity among older adults appears to be striking,” Maisel said. “Maybe longevity has something to do with it. It's probably the good atmosphere and the joy of living. ”
The village, 136 km south of Naples, on the Cilento coast, is in the area where American nutritionist Ancel Keys documented the largest concentration of centenarians in the world in 1950, when he sought to establish evidence that a “Mediterranean diet” contributes for longevity. He moved to the region with his wife, and lived to be 100 years old.
