The One Thing You Can Get at the Drugstore That Could Reduce Your Risk of Alzheimer’s Isn’t What You Think

While we all know that getting a flu shot is good for you, in reality the matter of scheduling one and taking time out of your day can sometimes seem inconvenient, especially when it seems like flu season ends sometimes as soon as it starts. But now, new research suggests that getting a flu vaccine could provide lasting benefits beyond seasonal protection: It could reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

The observational study, published in the journal Neurologyfound a link between high-dose flu vaccines and a lower relative risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. It’s an exaggeration to say that getting a high-dose flu shot prevent dementia, but the results are consistent with others research suggesting that staying on top of your vaccinations, including flu shots, could help protect your brain in the long term. Here’s what’s behind this surprising link.

Meet the experts: Jacinta Anyaoku, MD, family physician and founder of Hibiscus Aesthetics & Wellness in Katy, Texas, and Clifford Segil, DO, neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center

What did the study reveal?

For the study, researchers analyzed data from nearly 165,000 older adults who received either a high-dose flu vaccine or a standard-dose flu vaccine. The high-dose flu vaccine contains four times more antigen (the element that creates an immune response) than the standard-dose flu vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The high-dose flu vaccine is available to adults aged 65 and older.

Researchers found that people aged 65 and older who received the high-dose vaccine had a nearly 55% lower relative risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease during the two years they were followed in the study.

Why might the flu vaccine be associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease?

It’s important to point out that the study did not prove that the flu vaccine reduced the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease; she simply found a connection. The study also focused on older people, making it difficult to know whether the potential benefits extend to younger people. Doctors nevertheless believe that the results are interesting.

Previous studies linked the flu vaccine to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, but it was the first time to compare two groups that received different types of flu vaccine, points out Jacinta Anyaoku, MD, a family physician and founder of Hibiscus Aesthetics & Wellness in Katy, Texas. “This is important because it helps reduce ‘healthy vaccine’ bias, the idea that vaccinated people are more health conscious and engaged in their care, which could influence outcomes,” she says. “In this case, both groups were vaccinated and the group that received the high-dose vaccine showed a benefit.”

As for what’s driving this link, Dr. Anyaoku says it might be related to inflammation. “The flu causes inflammation, including neuroinflammation, which could predispose the brain to changes that make Alzheimer’s disease more likely,” she says. “Getting vaccinated reduces the risk of influenza infection and therefore the associated inflammation.”

The flu vaccine can also change the immune system, which will impact a person’s predisposition to developing Alzheimer’s disease, Dr. Anyaoku says.

But there is still much work to be done to explore this topic, according to Clifford Segil, DO, neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Centre. “Prior influenza infection is not a currently accepted risk factor for pre-Alzheimer’s dementia,” he says. “Most neurologists will not advise a flu vaccine to protect the brain, but rather to protect the lungs and overall health.”

When should you get the flu vaccine?

Health care providers generally recommend getting your flu vaccine before Halloween. But flu season started early this year in many parts of the country, making it a great time to get vaccinated.

There are several types of flu vaccines to consider – Dr. Anyaoku suggests looking CDC Guidelines to choose the one that best suits your needs. “The additional potential benefit of reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease is a nice benefit, but even without that, we already have good reason to recommend the flu vaccine to older adults,” she says.

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