Women Are More Likely to Have Flu Shot Side Effects Than Men — Here's Why
Women are more likely to experience a worse reaction to their annual flu vaccine than men are, according to a recent study.
The news, published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, analyzed data of more than 34,000 people who were split into two categories: younger adults, those aged 18 to 64, and older adults aged 65 and over.
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What researchers found was that women of all ages were more likely to suffer pain at the injection site, fever, headache, and muscle aches, compared to their male counterparts.
A higher risk was also found for systemic reactions, like inflammation or an allergic reaction, in women. They found that for every 1,000 people who received a flu vaccine, an additional 115 injection-site reactions and an additional 74 systemic reactions were reported in women than men.
The authors, led by researchers at the University of Montreal in Canada, said that the body’s response to vaccines and side effects can differ between women and men, “but most studies do not report results by sex,” which made this study and its findings unique. Study authors also noted that women may also be more likely than men to report side effects.
The study didn’t look into why women were more likely to experience these side effects, it just found an association. However, it did find that women over the age of 65 had the highest risk of severe side effects, but the younger a female participant was, the more that risk declined. Researchers were unsure of a direct link between age and worsening side effects, but one theory is that as estrogen production declines in women, inflammation can increase which typically occurs as women enter perimenopause.
Other recent research has found that women experience more severe side effects to other kinds of vaccines as well.
A study published last year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that of the 6,994 participants who reported side effects to the COVID-19 vaccine, 79.1 percent of them were women. A 2021 analysis of 41 research articles and trials on COVID-19 vaccines also found that women had a higher risk of side effects than men. And in 2009, a study found that women were four times more likely to experience a reaction to the H1N1 vaccine.
The authors of this most recent study noted that the flu vaccine is safe and effective, and concluded, “Transparent communication of this risk could increase the trust in vaccines and limit vaccine hesitancy.”
How to prepare for flu season
The CDC currently recommends that everyone over the age of 6 months receive their annual flu vaccine, with the only exceptions being for anyone who is allergic to the flu vaccine or any of its ingredients. They highly recommend it for people over the age of 65 to reduce flu-related illness or hospitalizations. A 2018 study showed that from 2012 to 2015, flu vaccination among adults reduced the risk of being admitted to an ICU with flu by 82 percent.
To best prepare for the flu season, the CDC recommends in addition to getting your annual flu jab:
Avoid close contact with anyone who is or might be sick.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
Consistently wash your hands.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Practice other good health habits, like cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.
If you’re worried about severe side effects from the flu vaccine, consult with your doctor beforehand, and schedule your flu vaccine for a day where you can relax or take it easy afterwards.
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