Is the Flu Shot Also a Vaccine Against Alzheimer’s Disease?

If you haven’t gotten your yearly flu shot, here’s one more reason to roll up your sleeve. A study of nearly two million older adults found that getting the flu vaccine may lower your chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 40 percent. That’s not a small number.

Flu shots are already known to reduce the risk of severe illness, but they may also help your heart and brain stay strong as you age. Other research shows that these shots — and the pneumonia vaccine — may also lower your chances of heart attacks and strokes. Let’s look at why that matters and who should get these vaccine against Alzheimer’s disease.

Flu Shots and Alzheimer’s: What the Research Shows

A study published in 2022 looked at medical records from nearly one million people who got the flu shot and another million who didn’t. All were over 65 and didn’t have dementia when the study began.

Four years later, the results were clear. About 5 percent of the people who got the shot developed Alzheimer’s. In the unvaccinated group, 8.5 percent developed the disease. That’s a 40 percent difference. And the only big difference between the two groups was the flu shot.

This wasn’t the first study to find this pattern. In 2020, another team reported that people who got the flu shot every year had a 30 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s than those who didn’t. And those who started getting the vaccine earlier in life had the best results.

Why Might a Vaccine Help the Brain?

It’s not yet fully clear, but researchers have some ideas. One theory is that flu and other infections cause inflammation. That’s when your immune system goes into overdrive. Inflammation plays a big role in Alzheimer’s and other memory problems.

Vaccines prevent infection. So when you avoid getting sick, your brain may be spared some of the stress that comes with fighting off illness.

Some experts also believe vaccines help improve your immune system overall. That stronger response may help the brain fight off damage and keep working better for longer.

What About Pneumonia Vaccine Against Alzheimer’s Disease?

There’s more good news. Another study showed that older adults who got the pneumonia vaccine also had lower rates of Alzheimer’s. The benefit was even higher in people with a certain gene that affects how the body handles infections.

One key point: the more often people got flu and pneumonia vaccines between ages 65 and 75, the lower their risk of Alzheimer’s later on.

The pneumonia shot also protects against lung infections that can be deadly, especially in older adults or people with heart issues. It guards against 23 types of bacteria and has been widely used for years. Since the vaccine was approved, these infections have dropped sharply in the U.S.

Flu Shots and Heart Health

Flu isn’t just a lung issue. It also strains the heart. In fact, getting the flu raises your risk for heart attacks and strokes — even in people who seem healthy.

A recent Harvard study found that getting a flu shot cuts your risk of heart attack or stroke by almost half in the year after vaccination. That’s a major win for heart health, especially for people with a history of heart disease.

The same study showed that getting the flu shot early in the season — around September or October — provides even more protection. Waiting too long can leave your body exposed at the peak of flu season.

Who Should Get the Shots?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends flu shots for everyone over six months of age. It’s especially important for adults 65 and older, and for people with health risks such as diabetes, heart disease, or lung conditions.

The pneumonia vaccine is also recommended for everyone over 65 and younger adults with health concerns. If you’ve had heart failure, diabetes, or a history of smoking, talk to your doctor about getting vaccinated. Many people also benefit from getting both shots.

The BaleDoneen Method also supports these vaccines as part of a full plan to prevent heart attacks and strokes. If you have cardiovascular disease, your care team may suggest getting the pneumonia shot starting at age 50.

Protecting Memory Through Inflammation Control

One thing many diseases have in common is inflammation. Long-term inflammation can damage blood vessels and brain cells. This damage builds over time and can lead to memory loss, stroke, and other serious problems.

Experts now believe that reducing inflammation may help protect brain function. Vaccines may help by lowering the number of infections that cause the immune system to flare up. This gives the body a break and may slow down the damage that leads to Alzheimer’s.

Other healthy habits — like eating well, exercising, and getting enough sleep — can also help reduce inflammation and support brain health.

Why These Findings Matter

While more research is needed, these studies highlight an easy and low-cost way to possibly protect your brain and heart. Vaccines are safe, widely available, and take only a few minutes to get.

The flu and pneumonia vaccines may not cure Alzheimer’s, but they could help lower your risk. And they also protect against two common infections that can be dangerous or deadly, especially as we age.

Talk to your doctor to see if these vaccines are right for you. Many people can get both during a regular checkup. And it’s one of the simplest ways to protect your long-term health.

FAQs

Does a flu shot prevent Alzheimer’s?

Not directly, but studies show it may lower the risk by reducing brain inflammation and infections.

What is the number one thing to prevent Alzheimer’s?

There’s no single answer, but healthy habits like exercise, good sleep, and managing heart health help.

Which vaccine helps prevent Alzheimer’s?

Flu and pneumonia vaccines have both been linked to lower Alzheimer’s risk in several studies.

What new kind of vaccine could eradicate Alzheimer’s?

Researchers are working on experimental Alzheimer’s vaccines, but none are approved yet.