Apple cider vinegar cures many illnesses
Apple cider vinegar has some limited, modest evidence for minor effects on blood sugar and appetite, but claims that it cures cancer, controls blood pressure, or works as a general health tonic are not supported by science. A widely cited 2024 weight-loss study on the topic was later retracted.
What we know
Apple cider vinegar is produced by fermenting crushed apples first into alcohol and then into acetic acid, the same compound that gives vinegar its sour taste and characteristic smell. Acetic acid is the active ingredient most often cited in scientific discussions of any physiological effect, and it is present at a concentration of roughly 5 to 6 percent in typical commercial products. This modest but real chemical activity is the seed from which a much larger set of exaggerated health claims has grown.
The best-supported effect relates to blood sugar. Several small clinical trials have found that consuming vinegar with a carbohydrate-containing meal can modestly blunt the post-meal rise in blood glucose, likely because acetic acid interferes with certain digestive enzymes, including alpha-amylase, that break down starches into absorbable sugars, and may also slow stomach emptying. A commonly cited study found reductions in post-meal blood glucose of around 20 percent in people with insulin resistance when vinegar was consumed alongside a high-carbohydrate meal. These effects are real but modest, apply mainly around meal timing rather than as a general blood-sugar-lowering agent, and are not a substitute for prescribed diabetes management.
Weight loss is the claim that has generated the most public attention and the most scientific controversy. A widely shared 2024 clinical study reported meaningful weight loss in adolescents who consumed apple cider vinegar daily over a 12-week period. This study was formally retracted by its publishing journal after concerns were raised about data reporting problems and the reliability of the reported outcomes. Its retraction is significant because so much subsequent media coverage and product marketing had relied on it as a central piece of evidence. Independent of that one retracted study, a small number of other trials on vinegar and weight suggest, at most, a very small effect on appetite and short-term fullness, nowhere near enough to justify the "one tablespoon a day burns fat" framing common in social media wellness content.
The claim that apple cider vinegar can meaningfully lower blood pressure has essentially no supporting clinical trial evidence in humans; the handful of studies suggesting an effect were conducted in animals, and their results have not translated into confirmed human outcomes. Similarly, no credible clinical evidence supports claims that apple cider vinegar can "cure" or treat cancer, detoxify the liver, dissolve kidney stones, or eliminate pathogens systemically in the body. These claims typically circulate in alternative health and wellness spaces that draw on the vinegar's genuine but narrow effects on digestion and blood sugar to imply far broader, unsubstantiated curative powers.
Apple cider vinegar also carries documented risks when used incorrectly, which are frequently omitted from promotional material. Its acidity, similar to that of stomach acid, can erode tooth enamel with regular undiluted consumption and has been documented to cause chemical burns to the esophagus and skin when used at full strength or held against the skin for extended periods, a practice sometimes recommended in home remedy circles for warts or skin tags. It can also interact with certain medications, including diuretics and insulin, and may worsen symptoms in people with existing gastroparesis or acid reflux. Registered dietitians and gastroenterologists generally advise that if a person chooses to use apple cider vinegar, it should be diluted in water and viewed as a minor dietary addition rather than a treatment for any medical condition, and that established clinical measures should not be replaced or delayed in favor of it.
Common claims
- Apple cider vinegar cures cancer.Not supported
- Apple cider vinegar modestly reduces post-meal blood sugar spikes.Partly supported
- Apple cider vinegar causes significant weight loss.Not supported, key study retracted
- Undiluted apple cider vinegar is safe to drink daily.Not supported
Evidence hierarchy
All sources
- Apple cider vinegar: health benefits and mythsMayo Clinic · 2023
- Vinegar ingestion and glycemic responsePubMed / National Library of Medicine · 2021
- Retraction of apple cider vinegar weight-loss studyBMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health · 2024
- Apple cider vinegar: is it a cure-all?Cleveland Clinic · 2023