A simple method to combat aging has been revealed

Scientists discover: shingles vaccine could become a weapon against aging

As reported by TUT.AZ with reference to Gazeta.Ru, a revolutionary discovery links shingles vaccination with slowing biological aging in elderly people. Professor Peter Lidsky, an evolutionary biologist and virologist from the City University of Hong Kong, explained that this phenomenon has scientific justification: the vaccine reduces the level of chronic inflammation, which is considered one of the key factors in accelerated aging.

According to the scientist, data on the impact of vaccination on aging processes fully corresponds with modern scientific understanding. In the scientific world, there is a growing understanding of the close relationship between the immune system and aging. Back in 2000, Italian researcher Claudio Franceschi proposed the concept of "inflammaging" (immune aging) – according to this theory, chronic inflammation increases with age even without infections and becomes a catalyst for age-related diseases.

However, Professor Lidsky cautions against premature conclusions. At the moment, it is impossible to accurately determine how significantly vaccination can slow down aging processes. It also cannot be claimed that any vaccine, including annual flu vaccination, has a substantial effect on biological aging.

"Aging is a complex process that is difficult to define precisely, so the magnitude of the effect depends on the measurement method. The authors of the study did not make bold assessments like 'the vaccine slowed aging by three years,' probably for methodological reasons. At the same time, the study also examined the effect of flu vaccination - the effect was noticeable, but very small and affected only some indicators of aging. Flu is an acute disease and is unlikely to significantly accelerate aging, but it's still important for elderly people to avoid infection, as the disease is much more severe for them. The mechanisms by which viruses can influence aging have not yet been fully studied: it is known that inflammation accelerates aging in many experiments, but it has not yet been possible to identify one specific mechanism," concluded the specialist.