Scientists have discovered that a dose of the shingles vaccine might not just protect against the viral infection, but also slow down biological ageing in older people.
Researchers from the University of Southern California say the vaccine, which is regularly given to elderly people, could be used for more than preventing shingles.
It follows a study of more than 3,800 people, which found that those who had been vaccinated showed fewer signs of biological ageing and inflammation compared to those who had not received the jab.
Jung Ki Kim, the study’s lead author, said: “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 ageing.
“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.”
The findings support recent research, which has identified an association between adult vaccines, like shingles or influenza, and decreased risks of dementia and other neurodegenerative disorders, according to Ms Kim.
“This study adds to emerging evidence that vaccines could play a role in promoting healthy ageing by modulating biological systems beyond infection prevention,” she said.
The shingles vaccination is available on the NHS for all adults turning 65 and those aged between 70 and 79 years old.
Using the data of nearly 4,000 elderly people from the US health and retirement study, scientists examined how the shingles jab influenced several signs of ageing for the latest study.
They measured seven aspects of biological ageing, including inflammation, defence against infection, adaptive immunity, blood flow, neurodegeneration, epigenetic ageing, and transcriptomic ageing.
Those who had been vaccinated had significantly lower inflammation measurements, slower epigenetic and transcriptomic ageing, and a better biological ageing score.
The research noted that inflammation is a well-known contributor to conditions like heart disease, frailty, and cognitive decline – a phenomenon known as “inflammaging”, Ms Kim said.
She said: “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 ageing.
“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.”
The study’s co-author, Eileen Crimmins, said: “These findings indicate that shingles vaccination influences key domains linked to the ageing process.
“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 ageing strategies beyond solely preventing acute illness.”
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