Shingles vaccination may offer benefits beyond preventing the disease, potentially slowing biological ageing in older adults, according to a new study by the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology.
The research analysed data from the nationally representative U.S. Health and Retirement Study, examining more than 3,800 participants aged 70 and above in 2016. After accounting for sociodemographic and health-related factors, researchers found that individuals who had received the shingles vaccine showed slower overall biological ageing on average compared to those who were unvaccinated.
The study, titled “Association between shingles vaccination and slower biological aging: Evidence from a U.S. population-based cohort study,” has been published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences.
Shingles, medically known as herpes zoster, is a painful, blistering skin condition caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox. While shingles can occur at any age, the risk increases significantly among people aged 50 and above, particularly those with weakened immune systems.
Currently recommended primarily for older adults, shingles vaccination is known to reduce the risk of the disease and lower the likelihood of postherpetic neuralgia, a condition marked by prolonged nerve pain following a shingles infection. This latest research suggests the vaccine may also play a role in promoting healthier ageing.
