The Apple Vinegar Diet

Apple vinegar has been used for centuries to treat wounds and relieve symptoms of common ailments since the time of Hippocrates -- 460 to 377 B.C. Oxymel, a medicine made from honey and vinegar, was used by Hippocrates for colds and coughs and is still prescribed by physicians in modern times. Since the turn of the century, researchers have been studying apple vinegar to see if any of the folksy remedies and weight-loss claims have any real medicinal value.

Diet Progenitors

Doctors Jarvis and Mindell are two of the "fathers" of the apple vinegar diet, commonly referred to as the "Apple Cider Vinegar Diet." Jarvis wrote the book "Folk Medicine" in 1958, suggesting that consuming 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar with meals could help people lose weight over time. The 2002 book "Dr. Earl Mindell's Amazing Apple Cider Vinegar" notes that apple cider vinegar can help relieve arthritis pain, stabilize blood pressure and protect against osteoporosis.

Opposition

MayoClinic.com Registered Dietitian Katherine Zeratsky states that, "Although occasional use of apple cider vinegar is safe for most people, it won't likely lead to weight loss --- and it may pose problems of its own." She continues by suggesting that eating healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables along with adding physical activity to your daily routine helps your body burn more calories. She also notes that vinegar may interact with medications such as insulin and also cause low potassium levels.

Diabetic Benefits

Scientists around the world have been taking a closer look at the possible weight-loss benefits of the apple vinegar diet including Dr. Elin --stman at Lund University in Sweden. His 2005 study showed that ingesting 30 ml of apple cider vinegar before meals would inhibit the insulin reaction in type 2 diabetic sufferers. Dr. Carol Johnston, head of the Department of Nutrition at Arizona State University, states in her 2004 study that vinegar "may also delay or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes in high-risk populations." In both studies, participants subjectively reported that they felt "fuller" or more sated after meals that included vinegar as part of the diet, suggesting that apple cider vinegar may have appetite suppression qualities.

Cardiovascular Health

A 2001 study at the Central Research Institute of Japan showed that vinegar may be able to prevent and reduce a person's blood pressure. Dr. Tomoo Kondo notes that vinegar inhibited the renin-angiotensin hormones that control the constriction of blood vessels in Sprague-Dawley rats after being fed a .88 mmol acetic acid solution, daily, for six weeks. Vinegar is also attributed to preventing ischemic heart disease according to a 1999 Nurses' Health study.

Side Effects

Misuse, overuse and overdose of apple vinegar may result in damage to the esophagus, stomach and kidneys. Hyperreninemia, associated with apple vinegar overdose, is an adrenal gland disorder that may damage the kidneys and increase blood pressure to an unsafe level. Osteoporosis is linked to overuse of apple vinegar because acetic acid is known to deplete minerals such as potassium. Tooth decay may result from drinking too much undiluted apple vinegar. Consult with a physician before beginning an apple vinegar diet regimen.