Vaccine jabs work better if you’re happy

IT MIGHT sound unlikely to those who are scared of needles. But smiling and being happy when you go for an injection could make jabs more effective. A study by Nottingham University found that people who were happy when they went for their autumn flu jab were better protected from getting ill. That is because a good mood boosts the immune system, helping it to react properly to a vaccination. Researchers found being in the right frame of mind on the day of an injection could cause the body to produce up to 14 per cent more antibodies, increasing the level of protection. Professor Kavita Vedhara said: ‘Vaccinations are an incredibly effective way of reducing the likelihood of catching infectious diseases. But their Achilles heel is that their ability to protect against disease is affected by how well an individual’s immune system works. ‘We have known for many years that a number of psychological and behavioural factors such as stress, physical activity and diet influence how well the immune system works and these factors have also been shown to influence how well vaccines protect against disease.’ In the study, published in the journal Brain, Behaviour and Immunity, researchers looked at 138 British pensioners given their seasonal flu jab. They found that how someone felt on the day of the vaccination affected their antibody levels by between 8 and 14 per cent. The team also found physical activity, diet and sleep had no effect.