The US has already been unwittingly offered an elixir that could possibly ward off age-related ailments, including dementia - a vaccine designed to combat shingles, a painful condition triggered by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus that was present in people who had chickenpox as children.
The current vaccine, Shingrix, has proven highly effective at reducing the risk of shingles and its complications like nerve pain. But recent research indicates it could also be having an anti-aging effect. Studies have shown a link between receiving the shot and lower rates of dementia diagnosis.
One such study found that those who had received the vaccine were 20% less likely to be diagnosed with dementia, with similar findings observed in natural experiments conducted in Wales and Australia. Another recent study revealed slower progression of the disease and fewer deaths among people already suffering from dementia following vaccination.
However, despite this promising evidence, financial support for further research has been limited. It appears that the anti-aging benefits of Shingrix remain unknown due to lack of funding for clinical trials - with experts struggling to secure investment in a new study designed to explore this potential benefit.
It is ironic that the development of shingles vaccine came about because pharmaceutical companies, philanthropic groups and national governments invested their time and resources into creating one. Now though money is drying up for further research which would allow these potential benefits to be explored fully.
The main barrier to getting more Americans to take this vaccine seems to be low vaccination rates among men, people from underrepresented or marginalized groups, as well as lower-income individuals. As the US enters an era of vaccine hesitancy even among older people - with a recent decline in flu and pneumonia vaccinations among seniors.
The current vaccine, Shingrix, has proven highly effective at reducing the risk of shingles and its complications like nerve pain. But recent research indicates it could also be having an anti-aging effect. Studies have shown a link between receiving the shot and lower rates of dementia diagnosis.
One such study found that those who had received the vaccine were 20% less likely to be diagnosed with dementia, with similar findings observed in natural experiments conducted in Wales and Australia. Another recent study revealed slower progression of the disease and fewer deaths among people already suffering from dementia following vaccination.
However, despite this promising evidence, financial support for further research has been limited. It appears that the anti-aging benefits of Shingrix remain unknown due to lack of funding for clinical trials - with experts struggling to secure investment in a new study designed to explore this potential benefit.
It is ironic that the development of shingles vaccine came about because pharmaceutical companies, philanthropic groups and national governments invested their time and resources into creating one. Now though money is drying up for further research which would allow these potential benefits to be explored fully.
The main barrier to getting more Americans to take this vaccine seems to be low vaccination rates among men, people from underrepresented or marginalized groups, as well as lower-income individuals. As the US enters an era of vaccine hesitancy even among older people - with a recent decline in flu and pneumonia vaccinations among seniors.
I mean, who wouldn't want to live longer, healthier life? 
The fact that it might be having anti-aging effects is just mind-blowing - can you imagine waking up feeling refreshed and energized at 80?! 
. And don't even get me started on vaccine hesitancy - I mean, come on people! Vaccines are literally a matter of life and death 
. We can't just leave it up to our grandparents to take care of themselves, that's not fair 
.
that Shingrix might have some hidden benefits for our age-related stuff 
. I mean, we've all heard about Alzheimer's and dementia being major issues, so if this vaccine can help reduce those rates even by 20%... that's a pretty big deal 
. But what's not cool is that the funding for more research has dried up 
.
. Shingrix might just be the anti-aging answer we've been searching for, but without more funding, it'll never see the light of day 
! Like, can you believe that there's actually a vaccine out there that might be helping to combat dementia? 20% less likely to get diagnosed is huge 
. I'm also low-key excited about the potential for slowing down disease progression... it's like, we're one step closer to finding cures and stuff 
. We need to get the word out and make sure everyone knows about the benefits! 
. Anyway, I'm gonna spread the word about Shingrix to my friends and family, 'cause knowledge is power 
It's like we're all too skeptical of anything that sounds too good to be true... and I get it, we should be cautious. But come on, this is shingles we're talking about, not some experimental gene edit! 
And what's going on with vaccine hesitancy among older folks? Are they worried about side effects or something? 
! I'm all for exploring this further, but it's crazy that we're running out of funds to study it more. 
. The US is entering this weird era where even older people are saying no to flu shots and pneumonia shots 
. Like, who wouldn't want to live longer, healthier? 
. I mean, I've seen my grandparents be like "I don't wanna take the shot" and it's just... 
.
. It's crazy to think about 
.
. and its not just the US either, theres studies showing similar results in wales & australia too 
I'm all for exploring further research but it's crazy how funding gets dried up when there's potential goldmine 
. It's like they're being left behind on purpose... anyway, if this vaccine does have anti-aging properties, we'll probably be the last ones to find out because nobody will be around to benefit from it 
ward off dementia and whatnot. The vaccine has worked wonders for shingles, but now it's all about the anti-aging magic 
. Studies say those who got the shot had lower rates of dementia diagnosis 
... 20% less, yaaas! 
. The US is struggling with vaccine hesitancy, even among seniors 
... low vaccination rates are a major issue 
. Vaccines save lives, people! 
. And what's with the lack of funding for further research? Shouldn't governments be prioritizing investing in medical breakthroughs like this?