A Google search for "apple cider vinegar" returns over a million hits, mostly from websites touting the virtues of this "miracle cure." From mitigating allergies and arthritis to reducing high cholesterol and chronic fatigue, the research to back up such claims is largely missing. However, recent studies have found that apple cider vinegar, in full-strength liquid or tablet form, can help some medical conditions.
Diabetes
According to a 2004 study published in "Diabetes Care," the journal for the American Diabetes Association, apple cider vinegar has been shown to "significantly improve postprandial insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant subjects." The study states that apple cider vinegar may be able to suppress disaccharide activity as effectively as diabetes drugs, acarbose or metformin.
A 2005 study published in the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition" found that adding vinegar to a potato dish lowered its glycemic response. A high glycemic response triggers the body to produce more insulin, raising blood sugar levels. It is unclear as to whether apple cider vinegar tablets can accomplish the same response.
Weight Loss
Herbologist Dr. Earl Mindell says in his book, "The Amazing Apple Cider Vinegar Diet," that apple cider vinegar can reduce hunger and aid in weight loss. A study by Japanese researchers published in 2009 in the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" found that mice that were given acetic acid, the principal component in vinegar, gained less weight than mice that were given a placebo. It appeared that the acetic acid may turn on genes that reduce the amount of fat stored in the body. Further research is required to confirm the results in human subjects.
Diuretic
Nutritional information website Naturalstandard.com states that while apple cider vinegar has gained a reputation as a natural diuretic, too little scientific evidence exists to conclude that apple cider vinegar is safe or effective for any medical conditions.
Cholesterol Reduction
A 2006 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that rats fed dietary acetic acid had lower levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides. Further studies are necessary to determine if it has the same effect on humans.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Vinegar Improves Insulin Sensitivity to a High-Carbohydrate Meal in Subjects With Insulin Resistance or Type 2 Diabetes
- "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition": Vinegar Dressing and Cold Storage of Potatoes Lowers Postprandial Glycaemic and Insulinaemic Responses in Healthy Subjects
- Naturalstandard.com: Apple Cider Vinegar
- "British Journal of Nutrition": Dietary Acetic Acid Reduces Serum Cholesterol and Triacylglycerols in Rats Fed a Cholesterol-Rich Diet
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry": Acetic Acid Upregulates the Expression of Genes for Fatty Acid Oxidation Enzymes in Liver to Suppress Body Fat Accumulation
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