Do Flu Shots Really Work?

Do Flu Shots Really Work?

By James LaValle, R. Ph, ND, CCN

Every fall, hundreds of patients ask us if they should get vaccinated with a flu shot. As with any medical treatment, the risks and benefits always need to be fully considered. Every year I scour the literature for any reports of harm from flu vaccines and also to look at whether the data show that they were effective in preventing the flu.

Let's start with the risks. The manufacturers of flu vaccines combine three strains of inactivated (dead) flu viruses, along with preservatives. Most of the controversy surrounding vaccines has to do with whether the preservatives are safe. In some cases, they clearly are not. Mercury as part of the preservative thimerosol has received the most attention since it is a known neurotoxin, and it is still in some vaccines.1 At the very least, I recommend requesting thimerosol-free vaccines.

Some of the risks from vaccines however, may be due to the immune activation itself, or the long-term effects of live viruses that are sometimes used. For instance, Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is a neurological condition that can develop after having a bacterial or viral infection. It occurs when something goes wrong in the immune system and your protective nerve coatings known as myelin get attacked. There is a very low risk (something like one in a million) of getting GBS after receiving a flu vaccine.2

Some experts suspect that we will eventually find that vaccines greatly increase one's risks of neurological problems, but currently the risks are not known. Finally, there is a risk of serious allergic reactions; with flu vaccines, the rates of severe immediate reactions have been very rare.

As to the benefits, we have to first ask: Is the treatment effective? The answer is, not very. The three flu strains that go into the vaccine are chosen almost a year before flu season hits. Because the viruses mutate rapidly, the strains in the vaccines often don't match the actual viruses that come to your town each season.

For instance, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention admitted that last year's flu shot was a good match for only about 40% of that year's flu viruses.3 That's why last year's flu outbreak was one of the worst in a long time -- despite the widespread use of flu vaccines.

In 2006, the esteemed British Medical Journal looked at all the research behind flu shots and came up with some interesting conclusions:4

The evidence shows that flu vaccines have little or no effect.
There is little comparative evidence that the vaccines are safe.
The authors noted a "gap" between guidelines that call for mass vaccination and the evidence to support those guidelines.
Those considered to be at highest risk from flu are the elderly and young children. In those over age 70, flu vaccines did not reduce the number of deaths, but it is thought that it did reduce hospitalizations. A 2008 study of children aged 6 months to 5 years old found that the flu vaccine was not effective in any kids, regardless of age, where they live, or when they got vaccinated -- and the most likely reason was because the vaccines didn't match the strains that actually hit.5

While everyone has to make their own decision, I can tell you that personally I do not take flu vaccines because I have serious reservations about the long-term neurological effects. Medical literature states that just because you get a flu vaccine doesn't mean you won't get the flu.

So regardless of whether you decide to vaccinate or not, it's a good idea to know other ways to protect yourself. First, make sure that you are taking measures to build a strong immune system. Vitamin C, vitamin A, and zinc all play important roles in the immune system. Zinc for instance causes your T killer cells to come to full maturity. So make sure you are taking in adequate amounts of these nutrients, via good food sources and a multivitamin.

If you do come down with the flu, here are the top flu remedies we use at Lavalle Metabolic Institute:

Oscillococcinum. This homeopathic preparation is one of the world's most popular for flu, particularly in France, where it has been in production for over 65 years. Though the key to this remedy is having it handy at the earliest signs of getting the flu, our patients report high effectiveness. One published study showed it prevented the onset of flu in 19.2% of users and improved symptoms in 43.7%.6
Black Elderberry Extract. We carry an elderberry syrup for cold and flu called Sambucol. Elderberries are rich in immune supporting anthocyanins, and in two studies, the Sambucol product showed much more rapid recovery from the flu compared to a placebo.7-8
So good luck, and next time I will be talking about the best ways to protect yourself from colds this winter.

References

"Influenza Virus Vaccine Fluzone 2005-2006 Formula," package insert, Aventis Pasteur. (Company name has since changed to Sanofi Pasteur MSD.) Update Feb. 14 2006
Haber P, et al. JAMA 2004;292:2478-2481.
Associated Press, Feb. 15, 2008.
Brit Med J, Oct. 28, 2006;333:912-915.
Szilagyi PG, et al. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2008;162(10):943-51.
Br J Homeopathy 1998.
Zakay-Rones Z, et al. J Alt Comp Med 1995;1(4): 361-369.
Zakay-Rones Z, et al. J Internat Med Res 2004;32:132-140.