Although rare, many people have crossed the age of 100, leaving a mark as some of the world’s oldest people. So, what is the maximum potential lifespan for humans?
Recent research from the Netherlands reveals that women may have a maximum lifespan of 115.7 years, while for men, it’s slightly lower at 114.1 years — still impressively long.
According to Indy100, this conclusion was drawn by statisticians at Tilburg and Rotterdam’s Erasmus University, who studied data from 75,000 people who have died in the Netherlands in the last 30 years.
One of the three scientists who conducted the research, Professor John Einmahl, is quoted by Medical Express as saying: “On average, people live longer, but the very oldest among us have not gotten older over the last thirty years. There is certainly some kind of a wall here. Of course, the average life expectancy has increased. Nevertheless, the maximum ceiling hasn’t changed.”
Researchers involved in the study emphasised that their research was about lifespan rather than life expectancy, highlighting that lifespan refers to the maximum age an individual can reach with proper self-care.
These findings correlate with a study carried out in America, where a similar lifespan bracket was discovered by researchers. They determined that a person’s maximum lifespan plateaus in their nineties and was unlikely to exceed 115.
This data challenges the exceptional case of a French woman, Jeanne Louise Calment, who holds the world’s record for longevity as she lived for a staggering 122 years.
Born in 1875, the world record holder became the oldest person to have ever lived and passed away in 1997.
While it is unclear if Calment’s record will ever be topped by anyone, Einmahl aims to have his study published soon, which may reveal the key to a longer life.