Shingles Vaccine May Also Slow Down Biological Ageing In Older Adults, Study Finds

A new study shows that a shingles vaccine may also slow down biological ageing among older adults, along with protecting against a herpes infection.

Shingles, also called herpes zoster, is a painful, blistering skin rash caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus, with risk said to be higher for those aged 50 and above.

In addition to tackling acute infection, studies show the shingles vaccine to have protective effects against neurodegenerative disorders, including dementia, in which memory and thought processes steadily decline with age and impair one's cognition.

"This study adds to emerging evidence that vaccines could play a role in promoting healthy ageing by modulating biological systems beyond infection prevention," Jung Ki Kim, research associate professor of gerontology at the University of Southern California, US, and the first author of the study published in The Journals of Gerontology Series A, said.

Researchers looked at how shingles vaccination affected varied aspects of biological ageing, such as inflammation, immunity and neurodegeneration, in more than 3,800 participants who were aged 70 and older in 2016.

On average, vaccinated individuals were found to have significantly lower inflammation and a lower overall biological ageing score. They also showed a slower ageing at a genetic level.

"Shingles vaccination was significantly associated with lower inflammation scores, slower epigenetic and transcriptomic ageing, and a lower composite biological ageing score, suggesting potential benefits for systemic inflammation, molecular and overall biological ageing," the authors wrote.

The results provide insights into possible mechanisms behind how one's immune system health interacts with ageing processes, the researchers said.

Kim said chronic, low-level inflammation is a well-known contributor to many age-related conditions, including heart disease, frailty, and cognitive decline -- a phenomenon known as 'inflammaging'.

"By helping to reduce this background inflammation -- possibly by preventing (a) reactivation of the virus that causes shingles -- the vaccine may play a role in supporting healthier ageing," she said.

"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," Kim added. 

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