A recent study suggests that being in a good mood could enhance the effectiveness of vaccines, including the Covid-19 jab. Researchers believe that elevating mood prior to vaccination may strengthen the immune response, offering new opportunities for optimising vaccine efficacy. While it has been previously established that psychological factors like stress can affect the efficacy of traditional vaccines, this new research investigates how mood impacts the performance of mRNA vaccines, such as the Covid-19 vaccine.
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The study, conducted by Cardiff University, involved 184 participants who were asked to complete questionnaires measuring stress, anxiety, depression, and mood before receiving their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. Blood samples were then collected both before the first dose and four weeks after the second dose. The results revealed that individuals with more positive moods had antibody levels 16 per cent higher than those who reported the lowest levels of positivity.
Professor Kavita Vedhara, from Cardiff University’s School of Psychology, highlighted that previous research on traditional vaccines, like the flu jab, showed that psychological factors, particularly stress, could reduce the effectiveness of vaccines. The new study, however, is the first to explore how mood impacts the effectiveness of mRNA vaccines, which have shown greater protection during the pandemic compared to traditional vaccines.
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The study also found that people with moderate depression had antibody levels 18 per cent lower than those without symptoms of depression. Interestingly, anxiety or stress did not appear to have any significant impact on the antibody response. The findings, published in the journal Brain, Behaviour and Immunity, offer important insights into how psychological factors may influence the immune response to vaccines. Researchers are now focused on developing strategies to help optimise people’s mood during vaccination to ensure vaccines work as effectively as possible, especially for vulnerable groups.
