‘Tis the season for flu vaccine! Every year we get calls from people asking if there is a link between the flu vaccine and Alzheimer’s disease. This is an idea that came about more than a decade ago and has been debunked many times over.
Fact: Several mainstream studies link flu shots and other vaccinations to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease and overall better health! For example:
- – A report in the Nov. 3, 2004, Journal of the American Medical Association found that annual flu shots for older adults were associated with a reduced risk of death from all causes.
– A 2001 Canadian Medical Journal report suggests older adults who were vaccinated against diphtheria or tetanus, polio, and influenza seemed to have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than those not receiving these vaccinations.
The bottom line is that you should speak to your doctor about whether or not you should get a flu vaccine this year and don’t let fears of Alzheimer’s risk stop you!
About the author: Elizabeth Edgerly, Ph.D., is the chief program officer for the Alzheimer’s Association, Northern California and Northern Nevada Chapter. To read more blog posts by Dr. Edgerly, click here.
This post originally appeared on www.alzheimersblog.org.
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