Apple Cider Vinegar: Panacea or Myth?
- FibonacciMD
- Oct 21, 2024
- 4 min read
Uncover the truth about apple cider vinegar's touted health benefits.
From weight loss to diabetes management, explore the scientific evidence behind its claims and learn why caution is advised before embracing it as a cure-all solution.
by Zachary A. Knecht, PhD and
The potential health benefits of consuming apple cider vinegar have received a lot of attention. Depending on whom you ask, this apparently innocuous kitchen staple either is a tasty addition to salad dressing or has powers ranging from helping with weight loss to preventing heart disease and managing diabetes. So, does apple cider vinegar really represent “one simple trick” to promote better health? The truth is more complicated than reported in most health blogs.
Like wine, vinegar (from the French vin aigre, meaning “sour wine”) is made by fermenting a source of carbohydrate, such as grain, honey, or fruit, in this case apples. It contains acetic acid, a byproduct of this fermentation that provides vinegar’s sharp flavor, smell, acidity, and small amounts of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals.
The acidity of apple cider vinegar makes it useful in tenderizing meat, pickling vegetables, and as a natural sanitizer and household cleaning agent. It has shown to be effective at killing many microbes that cause food borne illness.[1] These antimicrobial properties have also made apple cider vinegar a popular home remedy for treating wounds and skin infections. While this topical treatment can be effective in some cases, the concentrations needed to inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi can also harm skin cells, cause pain, and possibly result in chemical burns.[2] Although apple cider vinegar is said to be helpful for treating lice infestation, it actually is less effective than are other home remedies (e.g., mayonnaise, petroleum jelly).
Can apple cider vinegar help weight loss, diabetes management and heart disease risk? Most of the health benefits associated with apple cider vinegar were based on studies in rodents. Although laboratory results from the study of mice and rats can reflect how a substance might affect humans, differences in metabolic and nutritional requirements raise many questions about whether the benefits in rodents would also apply to humans. However, recent studies in humans have verified some benefits.[3] In a randomized clinical trial published in 2018, Khezri and others discussed how use of an apple cider vinegar dietary supplement affected weight loss in overweight and obese humans.[4] The researchers found that consuming apple cider vinegar decreased body weight, body mass index (BMI), and even appetite. However, participants in this study were fed a highly controlled, restricted-calorie diet along with doses of apple cider vinegar, so the benefits seen may have been affected by careful dietary control as well as the supplemental doses of apple cider vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar may also reduce blood glucose levels in people with diabetes by improving insulin sensitivity. A small study by White and Johnston found that swallowing two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bedtime daily for 3 days reduced morning fasting blood sugar levels by 4%.[5] A more comprehensive study that supplemented apple cider vinegar daily for 8 weeks found a reduction in fasting blood glucose as well as hemoglobin A1C, a measure which estimates average daily blood sugar. This study also found an improvement in heart disease risk factors; levels of unhealthy LDL cholesterol were reduced with apple cider vinegar while health promoting HDL cholesterol levels increased.[6]
Although the health benefits of apple cider vinegar are not a myth, neither does this substance represent a cure-all. Researchers continue to delve into its possible benefits and the biological mechanisms that underlie these positive health effects. Currently, even the most promising medical reports present apple cider vinegar not as a miracle cure but as a helpful supplement to other tools for managing weight, diabetes and cholesterol levels including good eating habits and exercise. Anyone who decides to try apple cider vinegar to improve their health should be very cautious. Apple cider vinegar is an acidic compound and its use has been associated with damage to the esophagus, erosion of tooth enamel, and even acute pancreatitis.[7] It would be wise to consult with a physician before moving that bottle of apple cider vinegar from your pantry to your medicine cabinet.
Culinary Medicine Recipes that use Apple Cider Vinegar:
References
[1] Ousaaid D, Laaroussi H, Bakour M, Ennaji H, Lyoussi B, El Arabi I. Antifungal and Antibacterial Activities of Apple Vinegar of Different Cultivars. International Journal of Microbiology. 2021;2021:e6087671. doi:https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6087671
[2] Elhage KG, St. Claire K, Daveluy S. Acetic acid and the skin: a review of vinegar in dermatology. International Journal of Dermatology. Published online August 5, 2021. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/ijd.15804
[3] Hadi A, Pourmasoumi M, Najafgholizadeh A, Clark CCT, Esmaillzadeh A. The effect of apple cider vinegar on lipid profiles and glycemic parameters: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. 2021;21(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-021-03351-w
[4] Khezri SS, Saidpour A, Hosseinzadeh N, Amiri Z. Beneficial effects of apple cider vinegar on weight management, visceral adiposity index and lipid profile in overweight or obese subjects receiving restricted calorie diet: a randomized clinical trial. J Funct Foods. 2018;43: 95–102.
[5] White AM, Johnston CS. Vinegar ingestion at bedtime moderates waking glucose concentrations in adults with well controlled type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2007;30:2814-2815
[6] Jafarirad S, Elahi M, Mansoori A, Khanzadeh A, Haghighizadeh M. The improvement effect of apple cider vinegar as a functional food on anthropometric indices, blood glucose and lipid profile in diabetic patients: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Frontiers in clinical diabetes and healthcare. 2023;4. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fcdhc.2023.1288786
[7] Alvarez L, Colaco LB, Ali S, et al. Unveiling a Sour Truth: Acute Pancreatitis Linked to Apple Cider Vinegar Supplement. ACG Case Reports Journal. 2024;11(9):e01482-e01482. doi:https://doi.org/10.14309/crj.0000000000001482
Updated from November 2019 post.
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