We are often blinded by the media hype of individual nutrients, foods, workouts, and supplements that make us feel like they are the answers to all of our health and wellness concerns. 

Consuming apple cider vinegar (ACV) has become a popular home health, natural remedy and wellness ritual to cure anything from sore throats, digestive discomfort, and even dandruff!

A good internet search will also reveal that ACV could also be beneficial for more serious conditions and disease. For example, there are claims that ACV is beneficial in improving blood sugar regulation and insulin sensitivity in people with Type 2 Diabetes, reducing blood pressure in hypertension, acting as a probiotic and fortifying the gut microbiome, and even effective in fighting against the proliferation of cancer cells. 

This all sounds so great! So what’s the problem?

The problem is that these claims are made largely without the basis of scientific evidence. And although we should not discredit anecdotal evidence (individual reports) and nuance, it’s also important to understand that we simply cannot claim that ACV cures cancer because someone said it did. We simply cannot conclude that ACV increases insulin sensitivity in diabetic patients based on a small population study. This isn’t how it works.
 
So why do people still recommend it? 

1. ACV is made from apples! Apples are a great source of antioxidants called polyphenols which help protect our body from inflammation and oxidative stress.

2. In the fermentation process of apple cider to vinegar, this can create bacterial and yeast cultures (hence the importance of “the mother”) that could be beneficial as a probiotic.

3. ACV contains acetic acid, which is a short chain fatty acid (SCFA) that can be found in the GI tract and is a metabolic product from our resident microbiota. In general, SCFAs found in feces could be a marker for robust, beneficial bacterial growth in the GI (assuming there is balance and is not presented in addition to markers for dysbiosis). 

ACV has even been studied in its efficacy in fat loss. 

Great. So what’s my point?

My point is, without the basis of science, we lack the ability to directly attribute ACV to all of these positive health outcomes. And although we do have SOME information that is helpful, we can also kind of assume that there are definitely other confounding variables that will be far more influential on our overall health. 

For example, ACV contains potassium, which is an independent factor in hypertension. Someone with hypertension cannot continue to eat a hypercaloric diet high in sodium, fat, and carbs and simply consume ACV everyday and expect their blood pressure to regulate. No, there’s specific diets that prove to be far more effective in the reduction of blood pressure – they are called the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) and also the Mediterranean diet.
 
Oh! So perhaps ACV might be a good supplement to use in addition to personalized nutritional & lifestyle intervention?

Bingo. 

But can we maybe think about what else we could use to reduce blood pressure? Maybe other low-sodium, potassium-containing foods that even TASTE better? 

Seriously, have you taken ACV straight?

How about fat loss? How does ACV influence fat loss?

What’s the ONE thing people do when they start dieting? They make better food choices – “eat clean” if you will – and choose higher-quality, nutrient dense foods over calorie-dense, nutrient-deficient foods. I would argue that ACV could have beneficial effects on our digestion, increasing the absorption of these nutrients, and perhaps it can help us improve our nutritional status that can help our metabolism function more efficiently. Again, no evidence. 

In this video, I discuss how ACV might help support gastric acidity, but again, it’s important to understand that we have very little evidence supporting its true efficacy.

We can identify that ACV has beneficial properties, but biologically in action we have little understanding of its influence on the human body. 

As a supplement, perhaps ACV could be of benefit, but I would argue that maybe there are other interventions, habits, behaviors, and even supplements, that could directly influence our nutrition and health. Some that probably also taste better!

I would be remiss if I did not mention that ACV is an acid with a pH of 2-3. Esophageal irritation could occur with chronic use, and it is possible that if you have hypersecretion of gastric acid that ACV is likely not your go-to remedy for the aforementioned.
 
It is important to consult your physician to find out if using ACV is appropriate for you and your health! 

Thanks for joining my STEPH Talk today 🙂