Research Shows ‘SuperBubbes’ Might Hold Secret to Immortality
by Shiryn Ghermezian
Aging Ashkenazi Jewish women who live long, healthy lives could hold the key to immortality, according to research highlighted by the New York Post on Sunday.
Albert Einstein College endocrinologist Dr. Nir Barzilai made the discovery while researching longevity. He is studying what he calls “SuperBubbes,” a group of women who generally live into their 90s without exhibiting aging symptoms such as heart disease and diabetes.
American Ashkenazi Jews are of interest to Barzilai as they tend to marry within their own communities, maintain lifestyles similar to their ancestors, and share large amounts of genetic information.
Barzilai believes that “SuperBubbes” age slower because of a unique genetic variation. As reported in the Post, these women seem to have all the genetic markers for diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer, but continue to maintain healthy blood.
What every single SuperBubbe does possess is a gene called the CETP-inhibiting mutation. Barzilai’s hope is that this SuperBubbe gene could some day protect humans from the undesirable effects of aging.