A shingles vaccine called Shingrix is available on the NHS and has been shown to reduce the risk of dementia by up to 27% compared to other vaccines.
Researchers from the University of Oxford found that Shingrix was linked with a significantly lower risk of dementia compared to Zostavax and other vaccines.
The study involved more than 200,000 people in the USA and showed that Shingrix was associated with a 17% lower risk of dementia compared to Zostavax.
People who received Shingrix had a 23-27% lower risk of developing dementia compared to those who received other vaccines for flu and tetanus.
The vaccine is recommended for people aged 65 and over in the UK, with evidence showing it can provide at least a decade of protection against shingles after the first dose.
A recent study has found that getting the shingles vaccine available on the NHS could potentially reduce the risk of developing dementia by up to 27 per cent compared to other vaccinations. The vaccine, called Shingrix, has been shown to be more effective in lowering the risk of dementia than its predecessor, Zostavax, and other vaccines for different illnesses. The study, which involved analyzing data on over 200,000 people in the USA, suggests that getting the Shingrix jab could result in around five to nine more months of life without dementia.
Researchers believe that the vaccine may work to delay the onset of dementia rather than prevent it altogether. While further research is needed to fully understand how the vaccine reduces dementia risk, experts agree that anything that could potentially lower the risk of such a prevalent and devastating condition is promising. However, it’s important to note that other lifestyle factors, such as smoking, high blood pressure, and excessive alcohol consumption, have also been linked to an increased risk of dementia. Further studies are needed to determine the exact mechanism by which the Shingrix vaccine may influence dementia risk, but the initial findings are encouraging and may have significant implications for public health in the future.
