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The shingles vaccine has been linked to a lower biologic age, according to a study in The Journals of Gerontology
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The vaccine is a two-dose shot given after age 50 that can prevent the painful illness
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“Shingles vaccination influences key domains linked to the aging process,” researchers said
The shingles vaccine may not only protect against catching the painful virus, but it may also slower biologic aging.
Researchers examined data from more than 3,800 participants, aged 70 and older, from 2016, and found that the vaccine may offer “potential benefits for systemic inflammation, molecular and overall biological aging,” according to a study in The Journals of Gerontology.
The shingles vaccine is a two-dose shot given after age 50 that is up to 90% effective at preventing shingles, per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Shingles causes a painful, itchy rash, blisters, and can cause long-term nerve damage — and impacts 1 in 3 people.
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And while the shingles vaccine can lower inflammation, researchers posit that it also reduces the risk of conditions that accelerate aging. “By helping to reduce this background inflammation — possibly by preventing reactivation of the virus that causes shingles, the vaccine may play a role in supporting healthier aging,” the study’s first author, Research Associate Professor of Gerontology Jung Ki Kim said in a press release from USC Leonard Davis. “While the exact biological mechanisms remain to be understood, the potential for vaccination to reduce inflammation makes it a promising addition to broader strategies aimed at promoting resilience and slowing age-related decline.”
Previous research has shown that it may slow the progression of dementia.
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And the benefits of the vaccine may be long-lasting: Researchers said that participants who received their vaccine four or more years ago still had lower biologic ages than their unvaccinated counterparts.
“These findings indicate that shingles vaccination influences key domains linked to the aging process,” coauthor Eileen Crimmins, USC University Professor and AARP Professor of Gerontology, said in the release. “While further research is needed to replicate and extend these findings, especially using longitudinal and experimental designs, our study adds to a growing body of work suggesting that vaccines may play a role in healthy aging strategies beyond solely preventing acute illness.”
Read the original article on People