Apple cider vinegar is a home remedy that health food manufacturer Bragg claims has been in use since 400 B.C. Whether this history of apple cider vinegar is accurate or not, people have used the substance to cure indigestion and bacterial problems for many years due to its acidic content. More recently, apple cider vinegar advocates have claimed that it can help you lose weight, prevent heart disease and stave off diabetes.
Acetic Acid Toxicity
Acetic acid is the primary acid type present in all vinegars, including apple cider vinegar. According to a 2008 material safety data sheet for acetic acid published on Brigham Young University's website, the median lethal dose, or LD50, for oral acetic acid is 3,310 mg per kilogram of body weight. This means that a 150-lb. person is in danger of death after consuming enough apple cider vinegar to account for more than 223 g of acetic acid. According the Oregon Department of Agriculture, table vinegar solutions only have around 5 percent acetic acid by volume, meaning it is unlikely you would ever drink the LD50 of acetic acid in your apple cider vinegar.
Recommended Dosage
Registered dietitian Matthew Kadey notes that you can experience the benefits of apple cider vinegar at low doses, ranging between 2 tsp. and 2 tbsp. Even if you consume this amount daily, it is well below the LD50 for acetic acid. You should note, however, that the high acid content of apple cider vinegar can damage your esophagus and stomach over time. You should dilute the apple cider vinegar sufficiently --- about 1 cup of water for every 2 tbsp. --- before drinking the substance.
Hypokalemia
In an extensive review of vinegar for medicinal purposes, registered dietitian Carol Johnston stated in 2006 that vinegar's safety has been proven after thousands of years of use in food. There are some cases where subjects consuming high doses of apple cider vinegar experienced negative side effects, but not death. One woman drank 250 mL, or nearly 8.5 oz., every day for six years. While the woman did experience potassium deficiency, medically known as hypokalemia, the physicians on the case study did not report other toxic effects.
Supplement Tablet Dangers
Perhaps the greatest toxic danger to consumers is apple cider vinegar in the form of dietary supplement tablets. A 2006 investigation by University of Arkansas researchers revealed that apple cider vinegar tablets sold as dietary supplements over the Internet vary greatly in supplement quality and the accuracy of the package labeling. Some pills contained acetic acid concentrations 10 times higher than household vinegar, and dosing recommendations ranged from 300 mg daily to 1,500 mg daily. Consult with your physician before taking any apple cider vinegar dietary supplement.
References
- "Apple Cider Vinegar Miracle Health System"; Paul C. Bragg, et al.; 2003
- "Medscape General Medicine"; Vinegar: Medicinal Uses and Antiglycemic Effect; Carol S. Johnston, et al.; May 2006
- University of Arkansas; Apple Cider Vinegar? Or Just Acid?; April 2006
- Vegetarian Times; Healing Foods -- Apple Cider Vinegar; Matthew G. Kadey, R.D.; October 2010
- Brigham Young University: Material Safety Data Sheet -- Acetic Acid, >96%
- Oregon Department of Agriculture; Fact Sheet for Vinegar/Acetic Acid Recommendations; Catherine H. Daniels, et al.; 2002
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