Outlive The Rest Of Us: Have A Really Old Grandpa

If your father and grandfather waited until they were older before having kids, you might experience life-extending benefits.

Research at Northwestern University suggests that having older males in the family could encourage your body to make changes that prepare you to live longer.

“If your father and grandfather were able to live and reproduce at a later age, this might predict that you yourself live in an environment that is somewhat similar — an environment with less accidental deaths or in which men are only able to find a partner at later ages,” says Dan T.A. Eisenberg, lead author of the study. “In such an environment, investing more in a body capable of reaching these late ages could be an adaptive strategy from an evolutionary perspective.”

The researchers found that children of older fathers inherit longer telomeres, sections of DNA found at the ends of chromosomes that are linked to living longer. They also discovered that the extra length increases when several generations have children at a later age. In contrast, shorter telomeres seem to cause ill health as you get older.

The researchers said their study should not be taken necessarily as a recommendation that men have children at later ages. Previous research shows that older fathers are more likely to pass along harmful mutations.

However, Christopher W. Kuzawa, co-author of the study, notes, “These new findings suggest that there might also be underappreciated benefits to having an older father or grandfather.”