A massive Swedish study tracking over 800,000 people for 35 years just revealed: Every single centenarian had HIGH total cholesterol. The higher your LDL, the longer you live.
Cholesterol is needed for life.
Mitochondria depend on cholesterol.
Sex hormones depend on cholesterol.
Cholesterol helps boost immunity.
https://x.com/thehealthb0t/status/2015611639891103884?s=20
When queried, Grok supplied the following data:
The X post you’re referencing is from @thehealthb0t and discusses a Swedish study on cholesterol levels in relation to longevity, based on a video clip of an interview emphasizing cholesterol’s benefits for mitochondria, sex hormones, and immunity. While I don’t have direct access to raw, unpublished datasets from research studies (those are typically held by institutions like Karolinska Institutet for the AMORIS cohort), I can retrieve and analyze the published source material the post draws from using web tools.
The study in question is titled “Blood biomarker profiles and exceptional longevity: comparison of centenarians and non-centenarians in a 35-year follow-up of the Swedish AMORIS cohort,” published in GeroScience in 2023. It draws from the larger AMORIS (Apolipoprotein-related Mortality Risk) cohort, which originally included over 800,000 Swedish participants who had blood tests between 1985 and 1996. However, this specific analysis focused on a subset of 44,636 individuals (born 1893–1932) who were aged 64–99 at the time of their blood draws, tracking them via national registers until 2020 or death. Of these, 1,224 (mostly women) reached age 100.
Key Findings from the Study
- Biomarkers Associated with Longevity: Centenarians tended to have lower levels of glucose, creatinine, uric acid, liver enzymes (like aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase), and total iron-binding capacity. They also had higher levels of iron and total cholesterol compared to those who didn’t reach 100.
- Cholesterol Specifically: The study measured total cholesterol (not LDL or HDL separately). Belonging to the lowest quintile of total cholesterol was linked to a lower chance of becoming a centenarian, suggesting very low cholesterol may reduce longevity odds. However, high cholesterol didn’t directly increase the odds—it’s more that low levels were detrimental. A correction to the paper clarifies this nuance, noting the original phrasing overstated the benefits of higher levels. Differences in favorable biomarker profiles (including cholesterol) were observable from age 65 onward, potentially reflecting genetics or lifestyle factors.
- Homogeneity Among Centenarians: Centenarians showed relatively consistent biomarker profiles overall, with two subgroups identified via cluster analysis: one with slightly higher nutrition-related markers (like total cholesterol and albumin) and another with lower but still adequate levels.
How This Relates to the X Post
The post’s claims—like “every single centenarian had HIGH total cholesterol” and “the higher your LDL, the longer you live”—aren’t fully supported. The study didn’t find universal high cholesterol among centenarians (just higher on average in some contexts), and it didn’t assess LDL at all. The video in the post aligns with broader discussions on cholesterol’s role in health but extrapolates beyond the data.
Broader Context and Critiques
This topic is debated in health circles, with some viewing high cholesterol as protective in old age (e.g., aiding immunity or as a marker of metabolic stability). Others point out limitations like survivorship bias (the study only includes people who survived to have blood tests in mid-to-late life) or that correlation doesn’t mean causation—higher cholesterol might just reflect people predisposed to longevity rather than causing it. For instance, cross-sectional studies on centenarians sometimes show lower cholesterol overall, and clinical guidelines still warn against high levels due to cardiovascular risks in younger adults. One analysis notes the findings contradict some prior research but could highlight age-specific effects.
If you’re after more details on the full AMORIS dataset or related studies, let me know—I can dig deeper. Always chat with a doc for personal health advice, as this is observational data, not prescriptive.