The Shingles Vaccine: An Overlooked Asset for Aging Well

It seems the key to keeping both our brains and bodies youthful might already be on pharmacy shelves across the U.S. — if we only decided to use it.

Yes, I’m referring to the shingles vaccine.

This vaccine was developed for a good reason: shingles is a truly unpleasant disease. If you’ve had chickenpox (I know I have), that same virus lies dormant in your body. Shingles is essentially a reawakening of the varicella zoster virus later in life, leading to painful rashes that can linger for weeks. For some, it results in enduring nerve pain that can last a lifetime.

The introduction of the first shingles vaccine in 2006 marked a significant achievement in public health. But intriguing new insights suggest its advantages might extend even further than we initially thought.

Recently, there’s been a consistent flow of research indicating that the shingles vaccine doesn’t just prevent those painful rashes — it may also help ward off dementia and slow biological aging.

A new study tracking specific biomarkers in human samples has bolstered the idea that there is a real cause-and-effect relationship here. The science surrounding this vaccine provides a fresh perspective on aging and the potential to mitigate its effects. These findings could eventually lead us to effective treatments for both aging and dementia.

However, advancing this line of research requires increased funding. Surprisingly, researchers mentioned it’s been quite difficult to secure financial backing. Additionally, we need more older adults to receive the vaccine; as it stands, fewer than a third of Americans over 50 have gotten their shingles shot.

The Efficacy of the Shingles Vaccine

The original shingles vaccine, released in 2006, reduced the risk of contracting shingles by 60% and decreased long-term nerve pain risk by two-thirds. Experts at that time hailed it as a major advance in public health.

However, it’s only in the past year that the vaccine’s potential in combating dementia has started to gain attention.

Pascal Geldsetzer, a population health researcher at Stanford University, identified a unique situation: In Wales, new standards established in 2013 allowed those born on or after September 2, 1933, to receive the shingles vaccine, while those born before that date were ineligible. This created two similar groups differentiated only by a few weeks in age — one had received the vaccine, and the other had not. A few years later, Geldsetzer and his co-authors examined the comprehensive health records to track outcomes for these individuals.

The results, published in April 2025, were notable: those vaccinated for shingles had a 20% lower chance of being diagnosed with dementia. These findings held up under various checks and were verified in similar studies conducted in Australia and Canada. A December 2025 study found that individuals with existing dementia who got the shingles vaccine experienced slower disease progression and fewer deaths, hinting that the vaccine could also have therapeutic benefits for dementia.

Clearly, the case for the shingles vaccine is becoming increasingly compelling, and we’re beginning to receive findings from laboratory studies that explain why it may work.

A recent study analyzed biomarker data from blood samples collected by U.S. health agencies through routine health monitoring. While prior studies focused on observational data, this one aimed to examine molecular changes in the body. Researchers found that the vaccine was linked to slower biological aging, reduced inflammation, and less cellular damage. This aligns with our understanding of how chronic inflammation can cause long-term health problems.

Still, one puzzle remains: the biomarkers specifically associated with dementia didn’t show any reduction. The authors suggest that understanding the connection between these biomarkers and disease is still an evolving field. It’s feasible that systemic inflammation reduction could lead to less dementia, even if the tracked biomarkers don’t change.

Funding Challenges for Vaccine Research

Most existing research has focused on the initial vaccine. However, an enhanced version emerged in 2018.

Shingrix, which combines virus proteins with an immunity booster, has shown to prevent shingles in over 90% of cases in clinical trials and is now the recommended vaccine in the U.S.

Yet, we still don’t know if Shingrix offers the same anti-aging benefits. More research is urgently needed, but unfortunately, this promising direction is hitting a wall.

Ideally, thorough randomized clinical trials would be run. However, despite these breakthroughs, Geldsetzer has found it challenging to obtain funding for Shingrix studies.

“I think we really need a solid clinical trial to persuade public health officials about the shingles vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing dementia and aiding cognition,” Geldsetzer remarked. “There’s hardly any commercial interest. It’s definitely not easy.”

Several factors complicate matters. The initial research in Wales was funded by an NIH grant, but support for pro-vaccine studies doesn’t seem to align with current governmental priorities. Additionally, many pharmaceutical companies have been pulling back from vaccine research, a trend that has worsened in recent years.

It’s rather ironic how things have turned out.

The development of the shingles vaccine was made possible by investments in new vaccine technology during the search for a malaria vaccine. This is a clear example of how science can yield unexpected benefits when funded properly. Now, however, funds are dwindling.

Seizing This Healthcare Opportunity

To truly capitalize on the shingles vaccine’s benefits, we need more research and a higher vaccination rate. The statistics are surprisingly low; only about 30% of eligible patients as of 2022 have opted for the vaccine.

Disparities exist in vaccination rates, particularly among men, underrepresented groups, and lower-income individuals, suggesting access to healthcare is an issue. Interestingly, those without chronic conditions are also less likely to get vaccinated, likely due to reduced interaction with healthcare systems.

Moreover, vaccine hesitancy is becoming a concern, even among seniors, with declining vaccination rates for pneumonia and flu.

This poses a significant public health challenge: we might have an affordable intervention available for aging and cognitive decline.

In a more supportive vaccine climate, we could be exploring questions like whether younger individuals should receive it as well. Shingles is becoming increasingly common among those in their 30s and 40s, and given the lasting anti-aging effects reported so far, the potential benefits could be enormous.

These represent larger policy issues, but on a personal level, each of us can engage with older relatives and friends. Many are still not getting vaccinated. Shingles is no joke — and the vaccine might not only protect against it but also help deter dementia and slow the aging process. That sounds like a win all around.