New research shows that a vaccine against shingles can do more than just save you from a painful rash.
Shingles is caused by the same virus as chickenpox — the varicella-zoster virus. After a chickenpox infection, the virus remains dormant in the nerve roots in the body, often for several decades, and can reactivate later in life, with no warning at all. It can affect anyone, even someone who otherwise feels healthy. In some cases, the rash can appear on the face and, in the worst case, affect the eye, causing impaired vision or even blindness.
What’s new is this: In a large observational study with over 38,000 participants, clear associations were seen between vaccination and a lower risk of dementia, stroke, heart attack and death.
Results:
- 50% lower risk of vascular dementia
- 27% lower risk of blood clots
- 25% lower risk of heart attack and stroke
- 21% lower mortality
Conclusion:
Including shingles vaccination in your health strategy can be a good investment – a way to protect both the present and the future.
Important to note:
The results of the study are promising – but they show associations, not causation.
More studies are needed before we can say with certainty that the vaccine itself causes these positive effects.
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