Apple Cider Vinegar

In recent years, apple cider vinegar has been singled out as an especially helpful health 

tonic. So it's now sold in both the condiment and the health supplement aisles of your 

grocery store. While many of the folk medicine uses of vinegar are unproven (or were 

disproved), a few do have medical research backing them up. Some small studies have 

hinted that apple cider vinegar could help with several conditions, 

including diabetes and obesity.

What Is Apple Cider Vinegar?

Vinegar is a product of fermentation. This is a process in which sugars in a food are broken 

down by bacteria and yeast. In the first stage of fermentation, the sugars are turned into 

alcohol. Then, if the alcohol ferments further, you get vinegar. The word comes from the 

French, meaning "sour wine." While vinegar can be made from all sorts of things -- like 

many fruits, vegetables, and grains -- apple cider vinegar comes from pulverized apples.

The main ingredient of apple cider vinegar, or any vinegar, is acetic acid. However, vinegars 

also have other acids, vitamins, mineral salts, and amino acids.

But there are some medical uses of vinegar that do have promise, at 

least according to a few studies.

• Diabetes. The effect of vinegar on blood sugar levels is perhaps the best researched and 
• the most promising of apple cider vinegar's possible health benefits. Several studies have 
• found that vinegar may help lower glucose levels. For instance, a 2007 study of 11 people 
• with type 2 diabetes found that taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bed 
• lowered glucose levels in the morning by 4%-6%.
• High cholesterol . A 2006 study showed evidence that vinegar could lower cholesterol. 
• However, the study was done in rats, so it's too early to know how it might work in people.
• Blood pressure and heart health. Another study in rats found that vinegar could lower 
• high blood pressure. A large observational study also found that people who ate oil and 
• vinegar dressing on salads five to six times a week had lower rates of heart disease than 
• people who didn't. However, it's far from clear that the vinegar was the reason.
• Cancer . A few laboratory studies have found that vinegar may be able to kill cancer cells 
• or slow their growth. Observational studies of people have been confusing. One found that 
• eating vinegar was associated with a decreased risk of oesophageal cancer. Another 
• associated it with an increased risk of bladder cancer.
• Weight Loss . For thousands of years, vinegar has been used for weight loss. White 
• vinegar (and perhaps other types) might help people feel full. A 2005 study of 12 people 
• found that those who ate a piece of bread along with small amounts of white vinegar felt 
• fuller and more satisfied than those who just ate the bread.  

While the results of these studies are promising, they are all preliminary. Many were done 

on animals or on cells in a lab. The human studies have been small. Before we will truly 

know whether vinegar has any health benefits, much larger studies are needed.

How Should Apple Cider Vinegar Be Used?

Since apple cider vinegar is an unproven treatment, there are no official recommendations 

on how to use it. Some people take two teaspoons a day (mixed in a cup of water or juice.) A 

tablet of 285 milligrams is another common dosage.

Apple cider vinegar is also sometimes applied to the skin or used in enemas. The safety of 

these treatments is unknown.

What Are the Risks of Apple Cider Vinegar?

On the whole, the risks of taking occasional, small amounts of apple cider vinegar seem low. 

But using apple cider vinegar over the long term, or in larger amounts, could have 

risks. Here are some things to keep in mind. 

• Apple cider vinegar is highly acidic. The main ingredient of apple cider vinegar is acetic 
• acid. As the name suggests, it's quite harsh. Apple cider vinegar should always be diluted 
• with water or juice before swallowed. Pure apple cider vinegar could damage the tooth 
• enamel and the tissues in your throat and mouth. One study found a woman who got an 
• apple cider vinegar supplement stuck in her throat suffered lasting damage to her 
• oesophagus. In addition, vinegar has been known to cause contact burns to the skin.
• Long-term use of apple cider vinegar could cause low potassium levels and lower 
• bone density. If you already have low potassium or osteoporosis, talk to your health care 
• provider before using apple cider vinegar.
• Apple cider vinegar could theoretically interact with diuretics, laxatives, and 
• medicines for diabetes and heart disease. 
• If you have diabetes, check with your health care provider before using apple cider 
• vinegar. Vinegar contains chromium, which can alter your insulin levels.

Using apple cider vinegar supplements -- instead of the liquid itself -- adds another layer of 

risk. You just can't be sure what you're really getting. Unlike medicines, supplements are not 

regulated by the FDA. They aren't routinely tested for effectiveness or even basic safety. A 

2005 study looked at the ingredients of eight different brands of apple cider vinegar 

supplements. The researchers found that:

• The ingredients listed on the box did not reflect the actual ingredients.
• The ingredients varied a great deal between different brands.
• The recommended dosages varied a great deal between brands.

Most disturbing, the chemical analysis of these samples led the researchers to doubt 

whether any of these brands actually contained any apple cider vinegar at all.

Should I Use Apple Cider Vinegar?

The answer depends on how you want to use apple cider vinegar. If you use it as a salad 

dressing, you should be fine. But taken as a daily medical treatment, it could be a little more 

risky. Yes, some studies of apple cider vinegar are intriguing. But a lot more research needs 

to be done. Right now, there is not enough evidence that apple cider vinegar -- or any 

vinegar -- has any health benefit for any condition. Since the benefits are unknown, so are 

the risks.

If you're thinking about trying apple cider vinegar, talk to your health care provider 

first. Your health care provider can assess whether the apple cider vinegar will affect other 

health conditions you have or the effectiveness of the medicines you take. Trying to control 

a serious medical condition on your own with an unproven treatment is both unwise and 

dangerous.

ps- this is only for information, always consult you physician before having any particular food/ medication/exercise/other remedies.

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