If you have diabetes, your first step in controlling your condition should be to get treatment advice from a doctor. If this disease isn't under control, you may experience adverse health effects such as frequent urination and increased risk of heart disease. However, with your doctor's permission, you may also be able to try alternative treatment methods, such as apple cider vinegar, which has been shown to help reduce diabetes problems in some cases.
Improved Blood Sugar Levels
In contrast with taking a placebo with the same meal, participants who drank some apple cider vinegar with a meal of orange juice and a buttered bagel had a lower insulin response and lower blood sugar spikes 60 minutes after eating, according to a 2004 "Diabetes Care" study. The lowered blood sugar response was most pronounced in patients with pre-diabetes, suggesting to researchers that it may help reduce worsening of their condition. A 2007 study in the same journal found that patients with Type 2 diabetes were more likely to have favorable blood sugar levels the morning after taking 2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar.
Improved Cholesterol Readings
Because high blood glucose can boost your cholesterol numbers, you are more likely to have cholesterol problems and more likely to develop heart disease if you have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. However, a 2008 study in the "Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences" found that you may be able to improve your cholesterol reading if you take apple cider vinegar. According to researchers, diabetic rats fed apple cider vinegar for four weeks had higher high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, cholesterol levels. This is beneficial because HDL cholesterol helps rid your body of the excess "bad" cholesterol that can contribute to heart disease. Diabetic rats in the same study also had a reduction in a harmful blood fat called triglycerides.
Warning
Not enough research exists to conclude that apple cider vinegar is a sufficient treatment option for diabetes or any other health problem. In fact, apple cider vinegar can also have some potential adverse effects, if taken frequently. For instance, its high acidity level can cause throat irritation and tooth enamel erosion. If may also negatively interact with some drugs and supplements, including insulin and diuretics, which may cause your potassium levels to dip too low. So check with your doctor before you take apple cider vinegar for this purpose.
Medical Advice
Because no treatment is known to cure diabetes, traditional management methods, such as diet, exercise and insulin therapy, are a must. Therefore, continue to take any medications prescribed by your doctor, don't take apple cider vinegar without getting your doctor's approval, and don't try apple cider vinegar in lieu of recommended healthy lifestyle changes. If you do start taking apple cider vinegar and start experiencing new symptoms, stop and call your doctor immediately.
References
- "Diabetes Care"; Vinegar Improves Insulin Sensitivity to a High-Carbohydrate Meal in Subjects With Insulin Resistance or Type 2 Diabetes; C. Johnston, Ph.D., et al; 2004
- MayoClinic.com: Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss: Effective?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D
- "Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences"; Apple Cider Vinegar Attenuates Lipid Profile in Normal and Diabetic Rats; F. Shishehbor, et al; 2008
- American Diabetes Association: All About Cholesterol
- MayoClinic.com: Diabetes
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