Here at Hopium Health, we love a good story that connects the dots between modern science and timeless wisdom. This week, we’re raising a teacup to… the shingles vaccine?
Yes. That one. The shot you maybe thought was only about preventing a nasty red rash and nerve pain in your later years.
But according to a massive new study from South Korea—tracking over 1.2 million people aged 50 and up—getting the shingles vaccine may reduce your risk of heart disease by 23%. That’s not a typo. That’s twenty-three percent.
Wait, What’s the Connection?
The shingles virus—also called varicella-zoster or VZV—is the same virus that causes chickenpox. It can live quietly in your body for years before reactivating as shingles.
But when it does, it doesn’t just cause pain. It can also inflame blood vessels, raise your risk of blood clots, and trigger heart rhythm disturbances—all things you don’t want happening quietly inside your chest.
The idea is simple:
Prevent the virus, and you may also prevent the cascade of inflammation it brings with it.
That’s what makes this vaccine special. It doesn’t just defend against one illness. It may protect your entire vascular system.
Bonus Round: Dementia Protection?
Oh, and while we’re on the topic of “surprise benefits,” a separate study out of Wales found that people who received the shingles vaccine had a 20% reduced risk of developing dementia.
Researchers believe it may be due to how shingles affects the nervous system—causing chronic inflammation that could, over time, harm brain tissue.
Imagine that: one shot that may lower your risk of stroke, heart disease, and dementia. Not bad for something you get at a pharmacy with a lollipop afterward.
Which Vaccine Are We Talking About?
Important note: The South Korean study used an older, live-virus vaccine (Zostavax), which has now been phased out in many countries, including the U.S.
The newer version is called Shingrix—a two-dose, non-live recombinant vaccine considered more effective and safer, especially for older adults and those with weakened immune systems.
So yes—Shingrix is still the one to ask your doctor about.
A Bigger Lesson
This study does more than just boost a vaccine’s résumé. It also supports a bigger idea we talk about often at Hopium:
Your immune system and your cardiovascular system are not separate.
What affects one often affects the other. Inflammation, infection, sleep, stress, nutrition—they all play a role in both what you feel and what you might not feel yet.
So if you’re over 50 and wondering what you can do today for your long-term health, maybe this story gives you one more gentle nudge.
Bottom Line?
- A simple vaccine may reduce your risk of shingles, heart disease, and possibly even dementia.
- The study tracked over 1.2 million people—so this isn’t fringe science.
- If you’re due or curious, talk to your provider.
- And as always, keep seeking small ways to reduce inflammation and build resilience.
Because sometimes, the smallest interventions can have the biggest ripple effects.
And also—because we like you healthy.
– the Hopium Health Team
