Apple cider vinegar is not a magic potion that helps with weight loss

Over the years, people have touted apple cider vinegar as a "magic potion" that helps manage weight loss, control blood sugar levels, helps with digestion, among several other health benefits. 

Recently, an Indian television actor promoted apple cider vinegar and said it helped her lose her pregnancy weight. While she didn't directly link weight loss with apple cider vinegar, she mentioned that it helped her control cravings and appetite, adding that the "benefits are clinically proven with absolutely no side effects."

We also found older posts from 2023 and 2022 promoting apple cider vinegar, talking about these potential health benefits. Even on Google search, one can see a consistent conversation around it. But are these claims about apple cider vinegar true? 

Weight loss and apple cider vinegar — Is there a link? 

The science behind apple cider vinegar is complex. A 2020 systematic review published in the reputable journal Springer Nature found "insufficient evidence" for its health benefits and suggested more long-term clinical studies to conclude.   

A study published in the Journal of Functional Food, a peer-reviewed scientific journal, in 2018 showed that apple cider vinegar, combined with a restricted-calorie diet, can decrease appetite and weight. However, another study highlighted that while short-term studies point out vinegar suppressed appetite, none of the long-term studies could produce these results. 

Given the lack of concrete evidence, Dr. Govind Nanadkumar, a surgical gastroenterologist at Manipal Hospitals, Bangalore, and adjunct faculty at Weil Cornell Medical Center, New York, told Logically Facts, "There are few articles and studies that highlight marginal benefits, but there are no considerable benefits that may link apple cider vinegar to weight loss."

He added, "Drinking apple cider vinegar may be corrosive to teeth, and the idea of weight loss is far-fetched as there is no strong evidence."

According to the Mayo Clinic, studies of apple cider vinegar for weight loss have not shown significant and sustainable weight loss across diverse groups of people. In fact, it highlights that "there's no magic bullet for weight loss. Be skeptical of any approach that claims you can lose weight without decreasing calories or increasing physical activity."

What’s the effect on digestion, gut health, and diabetes? 

There is no high quality research which shows apple cider vinegar’s impact on gut health. According to a review article published in SpringerLink, "A substantial gap persists between anecdotal and empirical understandings of the majority of non-pharmacologic remedies for esophageal symptoms.”

Dr. Nandkumar explains that “a high-fiber diet is good for health because there are large-population-size studies conducted to prove this, but there are no large studies to prove the impact of vinegar on the gut.” He added that “stomach is full of hydrochloric acid [that helps absorb nutrients], so will acetic acid make any difference? However, it’s a food-grade product, and if you are taking in diluted forms in small quantities as a food, it should be okay.”

Furthermore, there is some evidence that apple cider vinegar improves insulin sensitivity. According to a UChicago article by Dr. Edwin McDonald, “ACV won’t cure diabetes, but it may moderately lower blood glucose levels”. Also, it may interact with medications, so it’s important to check with a doctor if you are taking medication for blood sugar. 

According to Harvard Health, “The studies exploring its health benefits have focused on reductions in blood sugar levels and weight loss, but these have been small, short-term trials or animal studies.”

Bottomline

While apple cider vinegar is safe to consume and is commonly used as a food additive to enhance taste, consuming it in large quantities daily has many limitations. These include lowering potassium levels in the body, erosion of teeth enamel, and possible impacts on kidney health in people suffering from kidney diseases.