A stroke is a serious health condition that happens when blood can’t flow properly to your brain. This can damage brain cells and affect your ability to move, speak, or even think clearly. Most strokes are caused by a blockage in a blood vessel, stopping oxygen from getting to parts of the brain. These are called ischemic strokes, and they make up the majority of stroke cases.
While doctors already know that catching the flu can raise your risk of stroke, a group of scientists in Spain wanted to explore the opposite idea: Could getting a flu shot actually lower your chances of having a stroke?
The study was led by Dr. Francisco J. de Abajo and his team, who looked at health records in Spain collected over 14 years. They studied two large groups of people—14,322 who had suffered a stroke and 71,610 who had not. These two groups were carefully matched by age and gender to make the results as fair as possible.
The researchers then checked whether each person had received a flu shot at least two weeks before their stroke—or the same date for those who didn’t have a stroke. They found that a slightly higher percentage of people who had strokes (41.4%) had received a flu shot compared to those who hadn’t had strokes (40.5%).
At first glance, it seemed like the flu shot didn’t make a difference. But the people who had strokes were generally older and more likely to have health problems like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are known to increase the risk of stroke.
After adjusting for these health differences, the researchers found something interesting: people who got a flu shot were 12% less likely to have a stroke.
The team also looked at whether getting the pneumonia vaccine had any effect on stroke risk. In this case, they found no link.
These findings were published in the journal Neurology. Dr. de Abajo explained that while the study doesn’t prove the flu shot prevents strokes, it does suggest a possible connection.
Since the flu itself can raise stroke risk, it makes sense that protecting yourself from the flu could help lower that risk, especially for people who are already at high risk due to age or other health conditions.
It’s important to understand that this kind of study is called observational. That means it looks at what happens in real life without changing anything. Because of that, it can’t prove cause and effect. There could be other reasons people who get flu shots have fewer strokes—maybe they also eat healthier, exercise more, or go to the doctor regularly.
Still, this study gives people one more good reason to get their yearly flu shot. It’s a simple, low-risk step that could offer extra protection beyond just avoiding the flu.
Other studies have found that your diet and daily habits can also affect your stroke risk. For example, eating foods rich in flavonoids (found in berries, apples, and tea) and following the MIND diet—designed to protect brain health—may help lower your chances of having a stroke or reduce memory problems afterward.
Drinking tea and coffee in moderation has also been linked to a lower risk of stroke and dementia.
In the end, small changes like getting vaccinated, eating well, and staying active can all add up to better health and a lower risk of stroke.
If you care about stroke, please read studies about how to eat to prevent stroke, and diets high in flavonoids could help reduce stroke risk.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about how Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and wild blueberries can benefit your heart and brain.
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