Rolling up your sleeves to get a flu shot can also significantly reduce your risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, according to recent research.
According to a study by UTHealth Houston and published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
The study included a large sample of American adults ages 65 and older — nearly 2 million — split evenly between those who had been vaccinated and those who had not.
According to the scholars, about 5.1% of flu-vaccinated patients had extensive Alzheimer’s disease during four-year follow-up appointments. This compares to 8.5% of unvaccinated patients.
The study builds on previous research that has found a possible link between flu vaccination and reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
In a press release, Dr. Avram S. Bukhbinder, who was the study’s first author, says:
“We have found that flu vaccination in older people reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease for several years. The strength of this protective effect increased with the number of years a person received an annual flu shot – in other words, the rate of development of Alzheimer’s disease was lowest in those who normally received the flu shot every year.
Dr. Paul E. Schulz, lead author of the study, notes that although scientists have looked specifically at the impact of the flu vaccine on Alzheimer’s risk, “there is evidence that multiple vaccines can protect against Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease “.
Vaccinations in adulthood that have been linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease include those for:
Schulz talks that current thinking is that certain diseases, such as pneumonia, can negatively impact the immune system in a way that makes Alzheimer’s disease worse, and that other things – like the flu shot – could trigger the immune system in a way that has a protective effect against Alzheimer’s disease.
If you plan to get your flu shot this fall, make sure you get the right vaccine. To learn more, see “3 recommended flu shots for older people”.