With literally millions of people taking flu shots every year, there seems to be a large variety of results:
There are also a number of theories out there about what the flu shot can and can’t do and what are the ingredients. We figured it’s about time we get down to the truth.
According to the World Health Organization, they take a look at 141 labs around the world to determine which variants are most likely to circulate each year. Since it can take more than six months to manufacture the shot, the WHO picks four strains about nine months before flu season: two A viruses (which can infect humans and animals, like swine flu) and two B viruses (which primarily affect humans).
So when you actually go get a flu vaccine, you have two options:
Egg Protein
Manufacturers grow the flu viruses in fertilized chicken eggs—hundreds of millions every year. According to Wired.com, scientists inject the viruses into the allantoic fluid between the embryo and the shell, where the viruses replicate.
Then the fluid goes for a spin in a centrifuge, along with layers of sucrose solutions of different concentrations to separate the denser virus from the rest of the egg proteins. Trace amounts of egg can remain in the final shot.
Animal Protein
For people who are allergic to eggs, there is now another flu vaccine called Flucelvax that is grown in animal cells instead of eggs.
Flucelvax is made from kidney cells from a dog that is grown in a laboratory — specifically, the Madin-Darby canine kidney epithelial cells (MDCK) that came from a female Cocker Spaniel in 1958.
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is a chemical compound made of hydrogen, oxygen and carbon. All life forms – bacteria, plants, fish, animals and humans – naturally produce formaldehyde as part of cell metabolism.
Without formaldehyde, this vaccine would just be infectious flu in a bottle. This water-soluble molecule crosslinks proteins in the virus so it can’t cause illness.
Your shot can include up to 100 micrograms of formaldehyde, but your blood naturally contains 13,000 mcg—that extra 0.8 percent barely registers.
Polysorbate 80
This emulsifier prevents sauces and salad dressings from separating. In vaccines, polysorbate 80 keeps all the ingredients evenly distributed.
Polysorbate 80 has been known to have some adverse side effects and has been linked to infertility.
Octylphenol ethoxylate
As the flu virus replicates, it steals some fatty membrane from the egg to hold its proteins and
genetic material together. This detergent pulls the fat out like a grease stain, leaving free virus bits behind—they’re less likely to cause side effects than the whole virus.
Gelatin
All gelatin is made from animal collagen; this version, which keeps vaccine components stable during storage and shipping, comes from pig parts.
People who are allergic to Jell-O, marshmallows, or gummy bears (made with pig- or cow-derived gelatin) could have an anaphylactic reaction to the shot, but those are rare overall: just one per million doses.
Thimerosal
Some people (wrongly) think this preservative makes vaccines dangerous. Actually, it makes multidose vials safer, keeping them free of bacteria and fungi even after repeated needle insertions.
Your body breaks it down into thiosalicylate and ethylmercury—that’s different from the methylmercury in seafood, which can build up in your body. This form is usually gone within weeks.
Traces of Octoxinol-10 has been found in flu shots as well. It is commonly used as a vaginal spermicide.
People who have gotten the flu shot have reported symptoms ranging from:
Contact your doctor or go to an emergency room right away if you have any of these more serious side effects, which may indicate an allergic reaction:
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