Flu vaccine linked to lower Alzheimer’s risk
In news that will absolutely enrage the “I did my own research” crowd, a massive study just found that getting a flu shot is associated with a significantly lower risk of Alzheimer’s up to 55% in older adults.
In the retrospective cohort study, titled ‘Risk of Alzheimer Dementia After High-Dose vs Standard-Dose Influenza Vaccination‘, researchers analysed health data from roughly 165,000 older adults who received either a high-dose or standard-dose influenza vaccine. They found that the high-dose vaccine reduced the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in those 65 and older by nearly 55% over a roughly two-year period.
Previous findings by the same team showed that the standard-dose vaccine was associated with a 40% reduced risk over a four-year period. The high-dose influenza vaccine contains four times the antigen, which is the component that generates an immune response, of the standard-dose versions.
The study’s authors suggest that the “enhanced [flu vaccines] confer greater protection against influenza infection”. They add: “Thereby decreasing risk of severe illness and the associated systemic inflammation that can promote neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration”.
Turns out the humble flu jab might be doing more for your brain than the supplements being hawked on podcasts.
plus (at least i think it's a "furthermore...") (antivax is not only stupid it might *cause* stupid)
>The shingles vaccine may significantly lower the odds of developing dementia - a protective effect that's even greater in women, according to a study published May 8, 2025, in Nature.
[1] https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/shingles-vaccine-may-protect-against-dementia
As a professional researcher for over 40 years (patents, biomedical, chemical and engineering literature) I find the “I did my own research” crowd a bit enraging.