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The shingles vaccine does more than prevent the painful rash from a herpes zoster infection. It seems to actually slow biological aging. That’s the key finding from gerontology investigators at USC, the University of Southern California, published in the The Journals of Gerontology Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences. The study finds that vaccinated older adults show a slower rate of aging at the cellular level. This improvement is linked to reduced chronic inflammation.

The study analyzed data from more than 3,800 U.S. adults age 70 and older in a national cohort study. After adjusting for health and demographic differences, vaccinated individuals show significantly lower levels of inflammation and slower epigenetic and gene-expression aging, along with better overall biological aging scores. Notably, these benefits persist even in participants vaccinated four or more years earlier, suggesting long-lasting effects.

This study adds to growing evidence that vaccines may have broader health benefits beyond preventing infection. By reducing chronic low-grade inflammation linked to heart disease, frailty, and cognitive decline, the shingles vaccine could support healthier aging. Note, though, that this study only shows an association, not proof of cause and effect, and was conducted in older adults so these results may not apply to younger persons. But… if you haven’t yet had a shingles vaccine, here is yet another reason to do so.

https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/article/81/3/glag008/8430804

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260226160000.htm

#vaccine #shingles #aging