Do You Know What's Inside a Flu Shot?
Posted By Dr. Ben Kim on Oct 21, 2009
Each year, just as multiple reminders on the need for and efficacy of getting a flu shot hit the news wires, I start receiving a steady stream of e-mails from readers, all asking the same basic question:
"Should I get a flu shot?"
My answer is an unequivocal no. I never recommend getting a flu shot. Based on everything that I know about flu shots, I think it's pretty clear that their main effect is to tax and possibly weaken one's immune system.
Before I highlight my main reasons for saying no to flu shots, please have a look at the following skit by the Royal Canadian Air Farce - it's quite the humorous look at the main ingredients that go into flu shots, and how little the general public knows about what's being injected into their bloodstreams:
There are a number of reasons why I feel that flu shots should be avoided, and almost all of them are related to the ingredients mentioned in this video.
But here's the most glaring reason: One in a million people who get the flu shot develops a neurological disease called Guillain-Barré Syndrome.
Guillain-Barré syndrome tends to develop without notice, and is marked by extreme muscle weakness and other symptoms related to nerve dysfunction. I once provided ongoing chiropractic treatments to a professional athlete who had to retire early because he developed Guillain-Barré Syndrome, so I know firsthand how debilitating this condition can be.
And let's not miss an obvious point: if one in a million people who get the flu shot can develop a devastating neurological condition, how many others who get the flu shot suffer from a number of uncomfortable symptoms that are never properly or accurately diagnosed? It's just not realistic to think that the ingredients in a flu shot can cause severe neurological damage in a small percentage of the population while leaving everyone else completely uninjured.
The truth is, even if the odds were one in 300 million, I would still say no to getting a flu shot - why take any risk of creating serious damage to my body?
The best defense against the flu and the common cold is to live healthfully every day. And if we do develop the flu or a cold, if we give our bodies time to rest and heal, we can cleanse ourselves of our weakest cells. For more information on this topic, please feel free to view the following articles:
What Most Doctors Won't Tell You About Colds and Flus
Why I Never Get Flu Shots or Snorts, by Chet Day
If you have any family members or friends who continue to believe in and get flu shots, please share this article with them.
Addendum - October 2009
My approach to avoiding the H1N1 flu is no different than my approach to avoiding illness in general.
I wash my hands with regular soap and water whenever I use a public restroom and every time I return home.
I try to get enough sleep so that I'm not tired during the day.
I try to avoid highly processed foods, especially those that are rich in sugar and deep-fried components.
I eat mainly nutrient-dense vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains.
I eat cultured foods like kim chi for natural probiotics. I take probiotics, sometimes a stand-alone, and every day in our green food powder.
I take a handful of other whole food supplements that ensure optimal ongoing nourishment of all of my organ systems.
I play tennis or some other sport that makes me sweat and have fun a few times a week.
I have never received a flu shot and don't plan on getting one. Ever.
Here are two other video clips of interest:
Related Post:
H1N1: Questions Worth Considering
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Dr. Ben Kim's Newsletter
Dr. Ben Kim Says:
jenny b. said... funny
jenny b. said...
funny and sad at the same time. :)
Wednesday, December 07, 2005 10:15:10 PM
Ben Kim, D.C. said...
Well put, Jenny. The clip is so funny that it made me temporarily forget some of the real tragedies associated with flu shots.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005 10:32:47 PM
oneprez said...
I CANT STOP LAUGHTING! UHH! SHOULDNT WE BE AMMUNED TO THE FLU BY NOW? WE SHOULD BE AFTER YEAR'S OF FIGHTING OVER WHO GET'S A VIRUS INJECTION FIRST! LOL!
Thursday, December 08, 2005 12:15:17 AM
David Rutherford said...
haha, that was very funny dr. kim!
Thursday, December 08, 2005 3:33:35 AM
heather said...
sorry !dr Kim , but I didn't get a laugh out of that flu article. Not at all!!! But thanks for trying>
Thursday, December 08, 2005 3:46:29 AM
Mariana B said...
Thank you a lot...it was funny !...I did forward the email to everybody on my book :)
" Visuals " are always powerful!...and so funny...
Thanks again!
Thursday, December 08, 2005 8:21:11 AM
Anonymous said...
So, yes funny. But is the list of ingredients true??? If so, oh my, I had no idea.
Thursday, December 08, 2005 8:36:37 AM
Sarah said...
After extensive research into vaccinations after the birth of my first daughter, I am somewhat saddened by this clip, though I can see the humour as well.
Sometimes it is difficult to laugh about the things we take most seriously.
Thank you for sharing this with us. I have forwarded it to family and friends.
Thursday, December 08, 2005 9:43:05 AM
Anonymous said...
Well done Dr. Kim. The drug companies have been forcing garbage into our bodies for years and it's all about $$$ and not about health. Scare the public with misinformation has been their motto for decades. Keep up the good work.
Dr. Jerry
Thursday, December 08, 2005 1:32:35 PM
Anonymous said...
Really makes you stop and think about what the drug companies and government say is good for you and "safe". It is all about money. Healthy people do not make money for the drug companies. Look at the side effects of some of the medicines, they are worse than what you take them for. Bet the same drug company has the cure for what they have caused.
Thursday, December 08, 2005 3:07:19 PM
Anonymous said...
It was funny!
Whoever didn't think it was funny has lost their funny bone.
I teach at an elementary school. Every year they try to poison us with the flu shot. Some teachers get so sick. But some NEVER learn. :-(
Thanks!
Thursday, December 08, 2005 4:34:06 PM
Colleen C. said...
Hilarious!! Good actor.Too bad most people still think the drug companies and government have our best interest at heart. They just see dollar signs $$$$ instead of trusting, loving people.
Friday, December 09, 2005 5:09:18 PM
Unknown said...
DR> KIM, funny. scarey. but not surprising. Never had a flu shot. I was always more afraid of the shot then getting the flu. Now I can see why! Its worst than I thought! Geri S Ny
Saturday, December 10, 2005 7:00:15 AM
Ben Kim, D.C. said...
I'm really glad that so many people viewed this important clip. As of this moment, close to 4,000 people have viewed Eye On: Flu Shot.
What an amazingly effective way to educate people on the realities of flu shots! I encourage you to recommend this clip to friends and family. Let's hope that the cbc.ca website keeps it up for a long time.
Ben Kim
Saturday, December 10, 2005 2:02:13 PM
irene said...
very funny Dr Kim,please keep on spreading the word about these nasty harmful vaccines and other prescribed drugs.keep well.irene monday,december 12,2005 11:07am
Monday, December 12, 2005 6:25:35 AM
Anonymous said...
Soon to be frog-marched by the British National Health Service into the flu shot clinic, with the 'we'll tell on you if you don't have it and you'll have consequences from the doctor' threat, I'll be brave and ask them for the list of ingredients - then leave after I've shown them the video. I always knew these shots were dodgy... Thanks for the ammunition!
Monday, October 09, 2006 10:40:42 AM
Anonymous said...
Again as many others have already stated...it is all about money,...so, so , sad, especially for parents who have to make a decision concerning their children. As a parent you want to do what is right and best, well aht is that anymore when it comes to ALL the different vaccines a child is suppose to take? I think it would be awesome if you could help us all with that major issue. Thank you for helping us open our eyes to the truth.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006 1:06:50 PM
Anonymous said...
they missed one- MSG. I had life threatening reactions to vaccines every forced innoculation in school and it wasnt until i found out what was in the vaccines that i knew why!
Tuesday, October 10, 2006 2:22:42 PM
Zac Roe said...
Does anyone know if flu shots are still being made with thimerosal? I thought vaccinations were no longer being made wit that particular preservative (since 2002, that is).
Monday, October 23, 2006 12:42:31 AM
Ben Kim said...
The flu shot administered in Canada does contain thimerosal. The
URL is:
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/im/q_a_thimerosal_e.html
It states:
"Since 1994, all routine childhood vaccines, with the exception of the flu vaccine, administered in Canada
have not contained thimerosal. Thimerosal is not added to single dose vaccines."
"In Canada, vaccines to prevent the following diseases are used for routine immunization of children and do not contain thimerosal:
* Diptheria
* Tetanus (lockjaw)
* Pertussis (whooping cough)
* Polio
* Rubella (German measles)
* Measles (red measles)
* Mumps
* Hepatitis B (available free to children only in some provinces and territories)
* Haemophilus influenzae type b disease
* Meningococcal C
* Pneumococcal
* Varicella"
Ingredients of flu vaccine
The report I read recently listed 3 different types of blood in the H1N1 flu vaccine...pig and horse
blood, and 'washed sheep red blood cells', human diploid cells (originatiing from human aborted fetal
tissue), and MSG among many more ingredients...could any of this be true...? Thank you, CSM
LOVE IT!
This is hilarious and i love how it brings out the truth in how disgusting vaccines are. i'm vegan and so they are out of the question for me morally, but who in their right mind would think putting those things in their body would be a good thing?? then again i guess people don't see a problem with eating animal flesh either. isn't it funny how vaccines require eggs and embryos to make your body think it is sick?!
Flu shots
I didn't watch the video but wish to comment on Dr. Kim's advice. Some years ago when I had just licked the flu, my doctor at the time said, "There's a way to avoid getting the flu now and you'll never have it again." He then gave me a flu shot. In a very short time I began a dry cough. My daughter heard me coughing repeatedly and suggested I have a checkup at a clinic devoted to respiratory illnesses. She said it sounded like asthma and it was. Perhaps because of an allergic reaction to one of those ingredients in the flu shot? At any rate, I had suddenly developed a temporary asthma which, I was told, would leave eventually after treatment. Well, I'm still asthmatic but of course, I never took another flu shot.
flu shots
I always had flu shots as a child as I grew up in a farming area, exposed to chemicals and suffered asthma and allergies as a result. I missed a flu shot one year and immediately saw the link to no flu shot = no flu. Although I stopped having flu shots, a few years ago I started a vaccination course for hep a & b as I was working as a cleaner. Every shot brought on a full blown flu which turned my skin green while sick. Since then I have experienced lowered resistence in my immune system and 2 years of chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. Coincidence?
Thanks Mr. Kim
I love this website, and articles like this make me trust it and love it even more.
I've long believed that some of the ingredients in a flu shot would be very harmful to voluntarily put in my body for a chance to not get the flu for that particular season. If you voice your concerns to most doctors they just assume you're some kind of health nut or conspiracy theorist or something. Its sad how ignorant we are about our own health but its good to know there are people like you out there that run websites like this to keep people informed about their health.
Thanks again for your efforts.
flu shot & vaccines
Dear Dr Kim,
Well, I just happen to be one out of a million. I think that one in a million is not even close to being accurate. After coming down with gullain-barre syndrome I did some research on the flu shot and vaccines. The research said that only 10% of doctors report the effects of the flu shot. I saw 3 doctors ( neurologist, internist & family practicioner) and not one of them ever asked me if I had a flu shot.Isn't that odd. I had a bad reaction the day after and was told it was probably just a coincidence. I tell everyone I know about my situation and warn them about flu shots and vaccines. My 2 youngest grandchildren have not been vaccinated. The drug companies and the FDA are slowly killing us and we are too busy to notice. I am only 57 and have suffered with this for almost 6 yrs, I lost my job, my career, and my health. I think it would be safer to play Russian Roulette, a bad outcome would be less painful.
WOW!
Hi Angela,
I'm so sorry to hear about your condition. I'm a competitive speaker and this year I'm giving a speech on the flu vaccine and why we shouldn't take it. I wanted to make sure that I could use your story to allert people of the side effects of taking the flu vaccine. Also I would like to know where you got the piece of information on the whole 10% of doctors don't submit thing. That is really good evidence and I want to use it but I am having trouble finding it. Thanks!
~Tess~
Reply
AMEN TO THAT!!!!
Intentionally misleading
It is true that Guillain-Barre syndrome develops in a small number of patients who receive the influenza vaccine. However, this article is unfortunately trying to persuade those who are unfamiliar with vaccination that it is therefore unsafe to receive a vaccine for any reason. Consider the following:
The influenza vaccine is not recommended for everyone. It is only recommended for those who are at high risk for becoming infected with the influenza virus or those who, if infected, would likely suffer significant morbidity and mortality from the virus.
Dr. Kim wrote, "let's not miss an obvious point: if one in a million people who get the flu shot can develop a devastating neurological condition, how many others who get the flu shot suffer from a number of uncomfortable symptoms that are never properly or accurately diagnosed? It's just not realistic to think that the ingredients in a flu shot can cause severe neurological damage in a small percentage of the population while leaving everyone else completely uninjured." Such an argument is nothing other than a logical fallacy. It assumes that Guillain-Barre syndrome is on a spectrum of physiological reactions, and that there must be many more in between. This represents a poor understanding of immunology and neurology at best. Moreover, if such minor reactions were to exist, they obviously do not cause any significant morbidity or mortality. Why, then, would one choose not to be vaccinated and risk contracting a potentially highly infectious and lethal virus?
Dr. Kim concludes with, "The truth is, even if the odds were one in 300 million, I would still say no to getting a flu shot - why take any risk of creating serious damage to my body?" Why take the risk? Because the flu is much more serious than people are led to believe by this article. Currently, 5 to 20% of the population contracts the influenza virus every year. 200,000 individuals are hospitalized, and 36,000 people die from the flu. It is a dangerous disease. Because there has not been a flu pandemic since 1968, most of us do not realize how dangerous influenza is. A future pandemic is, however, likely. It is important for your safety and health to get vaccinated if you are at risk. For more information, visit the CDC's website. There are excellent resources there.
Not a simple problem
I'm glad to see your mediating comment, James J. I do not think that the flu vaccine is such a cut-and-dry case as Dr. Kim would like to think, though I am suspicious of it and the motives of its sellers. I get the flu vaccine at work, and feel slightly pressured to have it. The one argument that always gets me to give in and do it is this:
It's true that I am not in a high-risk group for serious flu complications, and I would prefer an episode of flu to several unpleasant things about the vaccine. However, by taking it and not getting the flu, I may be preventing the very disturbing possibility that someone who IS in a high-risk group would get a much more serious case of the flu FROM ME. I'm willing to endure the vaccine in exchange for that responsibility!
There was something that I
There was something that I learned a while ago, which has served me well these last 9 years or so. In high school, we always had anti-bacterial soaps, strong cleaning chemicals for the bathrooms and kitchen, cleaners for our carpet, and hand sanitizers/anti-bacterial soaps at school.
I had my flu shots in high school as well. I didn't realize exactly what all of that supposedly healthy preventative living was doing to my immune system.
I had severe allergies and asthma throughout my childhood and teenage years. I would often get colds about once every two months or so, and had sinus infections quite often. I've had pneumonia 3 different times throughout my life; the worst was when I was a sophomore in high school.
I got the flu about once or twice a year. If someone coughed on me, I got sick a couple days after. I didn't understand why I was getting so sick all the time. My brother also was sick more often than normal as well.
When I graduated and started college, I had learned many different things about our body's immune system and the more resistant strains of bacteria our bodies leave behind. I continued to, of course, clean my toilet with bleach, but instead of using more disinfectant around the house, I would use more natural cleaners. I threw away the hand sanitizers and stopped getting my yearly flu shot. I have no "anti-bacterial" soaps in this house.
I started eating healthier and exercising. I still washed my hands regularly, covered my face when I sneezed.
Granted I don't owe my health to greatly reducing the use of antibacterial soaps and cleaners, nor do I owe it to anti-viral medication such as vaccines. I owe it to my strong immune system that I try to naturally strengthen not with supplements, but with good foods and exercise.
However, there are people who have weakened immune systems either due to viral infections (like HIV), immunosuppressants/steroids for those who either had an organ transplant or have an autoimmune disease, and those going through certain treatments for cancers. These are the people who are most at risk of having a serious infection, and would benefit from as many types of prevention as possible.
However, you must realize that your body in most cases does not need help to fight off a bacterial or viral infection. If the immune system is healthy, it's ultimately up to the body to fight off the infection and it usually succeeds.
As we continue to put out more antibiotics and antibacterial cleaners and soaps, obviously something needs to be done to adapt. Single-celled organisms were here long before we existed, and they will continue to exist long after we are gone. They can rapidly adapt to changes in their environment that would take multi-celled organisms thousands of years. The more chemicals we use to kill them, the stronger they will become.
Obviously other factors play in bacterial evolution, but one of the main concerns is resistant bacteria.
One example that hits close to home would be my father in the fall of 2007. He was fine that morning, but by the afternoon he was shaking and throwing up while running a 103 degree temperature. Typical flu onset symptoms. I did what I could to keep him hydrated and comfortable.
However, little did I know that what he had was a lot more serious and nearly cost him his life. He had a very severe blood infection with a very aggressive and extremely resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus. He had an undiagnosed mitral valve regurgitation which allowed the bacteria to sit and multiply in his heart valve which is known as endocarditis.
Almost everything they seemed to throw at it didn't help. They put him on many different types of incredibly powerful antibiotics to slow it down and eventually give the immune system a chance to fight it. Really though, it was up to my dad's body, not the drugs and the doctors let me know this.
There is really only so much medicine can do for us, and really for most of the population (not all, but a good portion of us) it all comes down to what you put into your bodies that contributes to how healthy you will be. If you eat nothing but junk, get very little sleep, drink and eat excessively, use drugs, smoke, and needlessly take too much over-the-counter medication, then you are setting yourself up for disaster. There are no guarantees, but there the risk probability is there.
Doctors working with pharmaceutical companies to over-prescribe medication that we may not need, or antibiotics when we get a little sniffle is causing more problems than they are helping. Use common sense when it comes to germs. There's no way you can completely avoid bacteria and common types of viruses. They are all around you and will eventually get into your body one way or another. What determines the seriousness of the infection is how well you've been treating your body.
In my dad’s case here’s where there are no guarantees. He didn’t have regular check-ups, never went to the dentist, and hadn’t had a physical in years. His infection could have never happened had he had preventative care.
There are always exceptions, and people who have certain diseases obviously need to worry more about germs than the rest of us. Those of us that are not sick, the better we treat our bodies, the better the chances of beating a serious infection.
For the majority of the population that is relatively healthy, there is no reason to have a yearly vaccination for the flu. Period. I've even asked doctors about the flu shot posters on their doors, some of them disagree with yearly vaccinations claiming they can actually make you sick and there's no guarantee you will not get the flu. Others say everyone should have one to be on the safe side.
I say, the more we try to control and fear the unseen world of germs, the more dangerous they become to us. I don't know how we can prevent resistant strains of bacteria from causing a pandemic. We can't stop giving antibiotics to extremely sick people, and those who are healthy are so paranoid they feel they need antibiotics whenever they have a cold of flu. We can't stop the sale of billions of dollars of disinfectants that clog store aisles each year.
We also can't force millions of people to take control of their own health while it's still early. All anyone can do is suggest it and offer a reason why. It's up to you to decide what is ultimately right for your body.
If you want to increase your chances of preventing a serious viral or bacterial infection, I’d suggest you:
1) Watch what goes into your body (eat healthy, don't do drugs, don't smoke, avoid excessive alcohol, etc...)
2) Avoid being sedentary, become more physically active
3) Avoid hand sanitizers and antibacterial soaps. They are a waste of your money.
4) Get physicals if you haven’t had one in a while. Once every 5 years if you are in your twenties, and more frequently as you age. (this is hard for people without insurance)
5) Avoid taking too much over-the-counter medication if you do come down with a cold or flu
6) Let your body naturally fight off a cold or flu, and if it doesn’t start to get better after a few days of bed rest, see your doctor and ask if antibiotics are really necessary for what you have.
or you could just take the
or you could just take the flu shot and accept the risk that you may actually live. And not end up like the 5000 canadians that die every year.
Jennifer, highly commend you
Jennifer, highly commend you for your good intentions, however, if we follow CDC recommendations wouldn't those high risk people that you are trying to protect, already be vaccinated and already be protected? So who is the irresponsible person - the vaccinated or unvaccinated?
Re 'Intentionally misleading'
Apparently you can still get the flu if you have had a flu shot.
I would love to see some statistics on how many people get the flu shot and still get the flu. Or how many get the shot and don't get the flu. The same with those who do not get the flu shot.
Any stats out there? I have yet to ever hear any!
Most people in nursing homes receive the shot. We have all heard about the deaths in many homes from the flu. Hmmm!
Response to Intentially Misleading
I read somewhere that of the 36,000 people who die, most die from pneumonia and not the flu itself. Is this correct and if so, would it not be prudent to receive a pneumonia vaccine as opposed to the flu shot?
H1N1 vaccine
I find vaccines and the controversy surrounding them very confusing. I have never received a flu shot and do not plan on getting the H1N1 vaccine. However I have received a vaccine for Hep A & B and while growing up received MMR & tetanus shots. Do you not believe in all vaccines or just certain ones. Do some parents choose not to give their children standard vaccines? I don't have kids but just thinking about having to make that decision for them stresses me out!
Flu Shot
Dr. Kim,
You are a brilliant man, helping thousands of people so, anyone that says different should be ashamed of themselves. Keep up the good work, and thank you for all the wisdom you have shared with us, and will continue to share with us in the future!
More than sad
What's more than sad now is the mind frame of the general public that all of us and people like Dr. Kim are just selling a vitamin or herb and that we will kill all of them because we aren't vaccinated. That makes upsets me to hear that. The idicracy of the little minds. But then I have to take into account, most of these people have welcomed these vaccines for so many years that their brains are....well you know.
Thank you Dr. Kim. Along with my other health gurus I trust,I know I will have the truth because of caring people like you.
I just wanted to say that I
I just wanted to say that I agree with your article. I am already a person that does not take the flu shot but I have a history. When I was around 12 or 13 (I think!) I received a flu shot and within a day or two all of my lymph nodes has swollen..in my neck..under my arms..I felt so sick and my body was sore. We went to my doctor and they actually tested me for CANCER!! Cancer!?...Seriously. They found that I was allergic to the flu vaccine though. Thankfully...I will never get one again for obvious reasons. I still have a small knot on the back of my neck from when the lymph nodes basically went haywire.
Colds and flu
Dear Dr. Kim
I agree with you completely about not having any medication to prevent colds and flu and also about getting enough rest to allow the body to recover. However, my diet is distinctly different from yours: I eat as much meat as I can afford and plenty of animal fats and butter ... always, not only when I have a slight setback from colds or flu. I was diagnosed with angina pectoris about six years ago, but the pills gave me a splitting headache, so I threw them away and went completely counter to the doctor's dietary advice. At that time I was having a heart 'bang' about once a week. Within a month the 'bangs' had become a mild cramp in the chest and not the 'grabbing' sensation and lameness of the left arm that I had felt whilst taking pills. I no longer have any chest discomfort. I eat very little sugar (less than a 1/2-cup a month), I eat very little vegetable matter, have cut down considerably on carbohydrates and I take a dessertspoonful of cod liver oil once every two days. I would prefer a tablespoon a day because that is all I can afford at the moment. I actually LIKE the stuff and would drink a cupful a day, but this might be going a little overboard!
Thank you for your newsletter and posts, even though I do not follow most of what you suggest: I believe that we are all different and have noticed that my wife and I cannot eat the same foods. Veronica is A-, while I am O+. She MUST have fruit, veg and milk, whereas my body goes haywire if I adhere to her regimen. She cannot eat much fat, but I can eat in a day more than she can handle in a fortnight and my body THRIVES on it.
I have no symptoms of diabetes and personally believe that diabetes is a symptom of the body's intolerance to insulin. My reasoning goes like this: when carbohydrates are poured into the body, the system over-reacts (much as it does when it releases histamines into the system in people who suffer with allergies) to this toxin by fighting fire with fire: it releases its own toxin to combat the carbohydrates in the form of insulin. I have seen diabetics cut down on their carbohydrate intake and throw the medically prescribed insulin in the dirtbin, to become much healthier than they had been in years! Most of them are ignorant of their blood groups, so I have not been in a position to discover whether this applies only to the O-group or not.
We know so little about the human condition: what is the incidence of cancer, diabetes and other ailments among people who were born as 'blue' babies, for instance? Are firstborns more vulnerable than later siblings? Does the mixing of blood types make any difference to the overall health status of the offspring? I would love to conduct such experiments, but I dropped out of school two years before matriculating.
Best wishes,
Keith Taylor.