This Vaccine is Quietly Doing Something to Your Heart

Brad Stanfield

May 24, 2026

Episode description

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Here are the links to the research papers referenced in the video:
Stanford Medicine — Shingles vaccine & dementia
https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2025/03/shingles-vaccination-dementia.html

TIME100 Health 2026 — Geldsetzer
https://time.com/collections/time100-health-2026/7362629/pascal-geldsetzer/

PLOS ONE — Shingles & stroke meta-analysis
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5298244/

European Heart Journal — Korean shingles CV study
https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/46/30/2991/8124786

ESC 2025 — Shingles vaccine CV meta-analysis
https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/46/Supplement_1/ehaf784.3633/8312335

ACC 2026 — Shingles vaccine & cardiac events
https://www.acc.org/About-ACC/Press-Releases/2026/03/16/19/33/Shingles-Vaccine-Drastically-Cuts-Risk-of-Serious-Cardiac-Events

Nature — Wales natural experiment on dementia
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08800-x

CDC — Shingles vaccine recommendations
https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/hcp/vaccine-considerations/index.html

Nature Medicine — Shingrix & dementia (Taquet)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03201-5

CDC — Shingrix safety
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/shingles-herpes.html

BMJ — Shingles vaccines network meta-analysis
https://www.bmj.com/content/363/bmj.k4029

Thumbnail by James Kelly
Video edited by Troy Young
Script by John Milliken

The links above are affiliate links, so I receive a small commission every time you use them to purchase a product. The content contained in this video, and its accompanying description, is not intended to replace viewers’ relationships with their own medical practitioner. Always speak with your doctor regarding the content of this channel, and especially before using any products, services, or devices discussed on this channel.

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Get Shingrix after Zostavax for optimal protection

The CDC recommends getting the two-dose Shingrix course even if you have previously received the older Zostavax vaccine.

#vaccine

Schedule Shingrix shot on Friday afternoon to manage side effects

Get the Shingrix vaccine on a Friday afternoon, as side effects like fatigue and headaches are common and can interfere with next-day activities.

#side-effects

#vaccine

Choose Shingrix for enhanced dementia protection

The newer Shingrix vaccine was associated with about 17% more dementia-free time than the older Zostavax, suggesting it is at least as protective and possibly more so.

#dementia

#vaccine

Counter unhealthy user bias to understand vaccine effectiveness

The vaccine's protective effect was strongest in people with unhealthy baseline behaviors, which argues against the results being purely due to healthier people choosing to get vaccinated.

#research

#vaccine

Recommend vaccine for eligible individuals, avoid off-label use for younger populations

The current evidence is strong enough to recommend the vaccine for those eligible (50+), but not strong enough to justify off-label use for younger people.

#vaccine

Leverage vaccine eligibility to reduce dementia risk

A study in Wales used a strict birthday cutoff for vaccine eligibility as a natural experiment, finding that those eligible had a 20% lower relative risk of a dementia diagnosis.

#dementia

#vaccine

Get vaccinated against shingles to reduce heart attack and stroke risk

The shingles vaccine is associated with a substantially lower risk of heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure, according to studies tracking over a million people.