Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss: Does it Work?
Key Takeaways:
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is a type of vinegar made by fermenting the sugar in apples.
Two small-scale human studies have found ACV effective in promoting weight loss in individuals with BMI values ≥ 25.0. However, whether these findings can be applied to the general population remains a big question mark.
There’s little evidence ACV could help maintain healthy blood sugar levels or blood pressure.
On the other hand, ACV consumption has been linked with many concerning side effects, including tooth enamel erosion and throat burn.
“I lost over 13.6 kg (30 lbs.) just from drinking apple cider vinegar.”
Search “apple cider vinegar” (or “ACV” for short) on social media — YouTube, Google, TikTok, etc. — and that is the sort of eyebrow-raising claims you’d see.
Still, despite your initial skepticism, you’re intrigued.
If weight loss could be as easy as downing a shot (or two) of apple cider vinegar daily instead of the agonizing, uphill battle you're all too familiar with; you'd be a fool not to try … right? Hmm. Let’s see.
What is apple cider vinegar?
Like all types of vinegar, ACV is made by:
Crushing the apples and extracting the juice, then
Adding yeast to the apple juice to ferment the carbohydrates (or sugars) within into alcohols, then
Adding bacteria that ferments the alcohols to acetic acid, a clear, colorless liquid that gives vinegar its characteristic odor (note: cider and wine vinegar are typically 5% to 6% acetic acid, while white distilled vinegar is 4% to 7% acetic acid)
Does apple cider vinegar help you lose weight?
But, of course, before you head out to the nearest FairPrice or Cold Storage (or order it online — ah, modern-day conveniences!), it makes sense to ask: “Does apple cider vinegar even work for weight loss?”
For answers, we’ll look at the following:
2009 study published in Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry: The researchers randomly assigned 175 individuals with obesity into three groups. One drank a placebo beverage (i.e., ACV-free), another 15 ml of ACV, and the last 30 ml of ACV daily. After 12 weeks, participants who consumed ACV ended the study with lower body weight — to the tune of 0.91 to 1.81 kg (2 to 4 lbs.) — than those in the placebo group. And here's the shocking thing. All participants ate the same calories, split the same way across carbs, protein, and fat.
2018 study published in the Journal of Functional Foods: The researchers randomly assigned 39 individuals with body mass index (BMI) of ≥25.0 to two groups: 1) ACV plus a 250-calorie deficit daily, and 2) 250-calorie deficit only. After 12 weeks, those in the ACV + calorie deficit group experienced a significant reduction in body weight, BMI, hip circumference, and appetite.
Let’s take a closer look at the studies
Wow. Conclusion: apple cider vinegar works for weight loss? Uh-uh, not so fast. There are several issues worth keeping in mind:
Small sample size: Both studies involve tiny sample sizes (175 and 39 participants) that, statistically speaking, undermine the power of the studies and limit the generalizability of the findings to the population at large. Their short study period (12 weeks) also raises questions about ACV's ability to sustain continued weight loss in the long term.
Participants had BMI ≥ 25.0: In other words, whether apple cider vinegar could help with weight loss in individuals with BMI values in the “healthy range” remains a question mark.
Self-reporting: Researchers in both studies used the dietary recall method to measure the participants’ calorie intake. The problem with this is reliability — think about it; do you remember what and how much you ate for lunch three days back? Probably not. This could have meant the participants in the ACV groups overinflated their calorie intake. In fact, according to a 2014 study in the International Journal of Obesity, the only reason ACV suppresses appetite is because it's poorly tolerated and invokes feelings of nausea. So, it's entirely possible the participants in the ACV groups either ate less or threw up but didn't report it.
What about the other health benefits of apple cider vinegar?
There’s limited research showing that ACV may modestly lower blood glucose levels in adults at risk for type 2 diabetes (sample size: 14) or with type 2 diabetes (sample size: 70). But, once again, it's far from being solid evidence that ACV is beneficial in the maintenance of healthy blood sugar levels.
Well, what about blood pressure? The only published study linking ACV and lowered blood pressure is this 2016 study … involving hypertensive rats.
Enough said.
Beyond the absence of credible studies supporting apple cider vinegar's positive effects on weight loss and health, also consider this: ACV consumption has been associated with:
Tooth enamel erosion, increasing your risk for cavities
Interactions with medications, such as certain diuretics and diabetes drugs (e.g., insulin), potentially causing hypoglycemia in individuals with type 1 diabetes and abnormally low potassium levels
Is using apple cider vinegar for weight loss worth it?
No matter how you look at it, the cost of using apple cider vinegar for weight loss far, far outweighs the benefits (are there even any?)
There are still a lot of ways to lose weight. With expert, personalized lifestyle guidance, including nutrition and exercise, you can still shed off those excess kilos.
Alternatively, you can get personalized coaching for sustainable weight loss with NOVI Optimum.
NOVI Optimum was created to bring together nutrition and health into one program. Our health coaches also support and guide you in acquiring healthy habits for a weight loss that lasts.