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January 15, 2026
Nils Behrens
Speaking multiple languages keeps one's biological age measurably lower, according to top health expert Nils Behrens. A large European study shows that multilingualism acts as a training stimulus for the brain and could be an underestimated lever for longevity.
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Longevity is often confused with blood values, supplements, and high tech. All nice. But sometimes the key to a longer, healthier life is surprisingly mundane, sitting on the shelf next to the travel guide. Vocabulary book. Grammar app. Language course on Tuesday evening.
A recent European analysis with over 86,000 people suggests: Those who speak more than one language age more slowly. Not just in feeling. Not metaphorically. But measurably.
And no, it's not about speaking perfect Portuguese at 70. It's about regularly challenging the brain with something that demands, stimulates, and structurally changes it.
The study did not settle for the simple question of whether multilingualism is "somehow good for the brain." It used a complex measure: the so-called biobehavioral age delta. Simply put, it compares how old someone is according to their birth certificate – and how old their body and mind actually behave.
This calculation included cognitive performance, physical functions, and age-associated diseases. The result is a biological age. And that is more crucial for longevity than any candle on the birthday cake.
Positive values mean accelerated aging. Negative values mean: The body lags behind the calendar. In the best sense.
Nils Behrens is the host of the health podcast HEALTHWISE and Strategic Brand Partner of Sunday Natural. Previously, he was the face of the Lanserhof Group as Chief Marketing Officer for over 12 years.
The result is as simple as it is unromantic: Monolingual people had a significantly higher risk of accelerated aging. Those who spoke at least one additional language did better. And with every additional language, the effect increased.
Bilingual, trilingual, polyglot – the biological age reacted in a dose-dependent manner. Particularly interesting: While the protection from just one foreign language decreased in older age, the effect remained stable with two or more languages. So the brain doesn't seem to be working for minimum wage, but rather for a performance bonus.
Multilingualism is not a nice hobby. It's a neurobiological fitness program. Each language demands constant switching, inhibiting, retrieving, contextualizing. The brain trains executive functions, attention, and cognitive flexibility – exactly the abilities that erode first in old age.
One could say: Languages are strength training for the prefrontal cortex. Just without the protein shake.
The study also showed that multilingualism is not a panacea. In certain contexts, the effect fizzled out. For example, in people who learned languages out of compulsion – in the context of migration under stress. Or in societies with low gender equality.
This is important. Longevity is never just an individual decision. It is also always a product of the environment. A brain learns differently when learning is freedom – and not a survival strategy.
Of course: The study does not prove causation. It shows correlations. But it does this with a database and methodology that surpasses many previous works. No mini-sample. No focus only on those already ill. Rather, a realistic view of healthy, aging people.
For longevity practice, this means: We don't have to wait for the perfect intervention study to draw smart conclusions. If a behavior is repeatedly associated with better aging, has low risks, and is fun on the side – why should we ignore it?
You don't have to become a polyglot. But you could start. Learn a new language. Or reactivate an old one. Not with the claim to perfection, but for the stimulus.
Ten minutes a day. One conversation a week. Mistakes explicitly allowed. Your brain will thank you – quietly but sustainably.
Longevity is not a sprint. It's a walk. And sometimes it doesn't lead to the gym, but to a Spanish café. At least linguistically.
When we talk about healthy aging, we think of muscles, heart, metabolism. Rightly so. But the brain does not age in the shadows. It responds to use. To challenge. To diversity.
Multilingualism is not a luxury. It is cognitive care. And perhaps one of the most elegant ways to outsmart aging a little—without an ice bath.
