COLUMBUS, Ohio — A recent study shows more women are reporting COVID-19 vaccine side effects than men.
The study published last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at the first about 14 million vaccine doses administered in the United States. Researchers found while women got 61.2% of the vaccines, they made up 79.1% of the reported side effects.
Dr. Joseph Gastaldo, an infectious disease physician at OhioHealth, said while experts can't say for sure why women are experiencing more symptoms than men, they have some ideas.
"First of all, it could be just the fact women are more likely to report medication and vaccine side effects. That's well-known when you look at vaccine side effects reported from the flu shot. Women have more side effects from that," Gastaldo said.
"It could be related to hormones. Estrogen kind of revs up the immune system and testosterone kind of suppresses it. It could be due to antibody production. Women do produce more antibodies compared to men," he said.
Despite the side effects, Gastaldo said it is not a reason to not get the vaccine.
"Keep in mind the vaccine side effects, they really are not side effects. They are an immune response," he said. "It really shows you that your body is responding to the vaccine."
Gale Cornute is now fully vaccinated. She got the Moderna vaccine and said while the second dose gave her trouble, she would do it again.
"I had full-fledged chills, body aches, hot flashes, my arm was red and swollen. I thought I had the flu - that's what it felt like," she said. "I would go through whatever I went through again to have protection and protect others as well."
Gastaldo said it is a good idea to make sure you have eaten and are hydrated before getting your vaccine. He said it's also important to continue to drink water after getting each dose.
To read more about the CDC's findings, click here.