Apple Cider Vinegar Capsules For Weight Loss

If you want to try using apple cider vinegar for weight loss but can't stand the taste, you can buy supplements that contain the substance. Pill manufacturers claim these supplements will help you burn fat and curb your appetite. Always consult a health care provider before you try a new supplement to avoid interactions with medications and unwanted side effects.

History

The modern-day theory that using apple cider vinegar will help you shed pounds is not new. In fact, it's been around for decades. This "diet" concept resurfaced in 1998 with the advent of Earl Mindell's book, "The Amazing Apple Cider Vinegar Diet." Cider vinegar itself has been used for medicinal purposes since about 400 BC.

Significance

Pill manufacturers make it sound easy to lose weight with this supplement -- simply pop an apple cider vinegar supplement before lunch and dinner daily. Proponents of these supplements claim they have various health benefits including skin and hair health, treating acne, eliminating yeast infections, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, balancing blood glucose and helping with symptoms of arthritis. Research to back such claims is scanty, says Dr. Ray Sahelian of Los Angeles. Some research does show that apple cider vinegar may slow your gastric emptying rate, Sahelian notes, but more studies are needed.

Effects

You are supposed to use the supplements prior to lunch and dinner to curb your appetite and burn fat. Utilizing apple cider vinegar in pill or its original form, however, is unlikely to help you lose weight, says MayoClinic.com.

Considerations

Using apple cider vinegar pills in an attempt to shed pounds can lead to undesired side effects, including lowered blood-potassium levels, according to "The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide," by George T. Grossberg and Barry Fox. This risk increases if you take apple cider vinegar supplements along with certain medicines including insulin, azosemide, furosemide or urea. Apple cider vinegar increases your risk for cardiotoxicity due to potassium depletion if taken with herbs such as lily-of-the-valley, digitalis and squill.

Expert Insight

The alternative to the pills is to use regular apple cider vinegar. In general, pills and the actual apple cider vinegar likely have similar effects, notes Sahelian. An array of companies, however, manufacture such pills and their quality and content may vary.