Deirdre (Atlanta, GA) on 06/20/2010

I recently had to stop taking my favorite remedy on Earth Clinic due to multiple and at times severe side effects: heart palpitations, dizziness, vertigo, light headedness, anxiety, and panic attacks in the car (due to feeling dizzy). Hard to believe these side effects were caused by a benign home remedy such as vinegar, but it's true. I know other people on the site have reported similar symptoms over the years and I am wondering if they were also drinking apple cider vinegar!

It took me many months to figure out that apple cider vinegar (acv) was the cause of these symptoms because I only took it intermittantly. As soon as I'd start having symptoms, I'd stop drinking acv, caffeine and any food or drink that I thought might be causing the issues. What threw me for a loop however, was that a few of my symptoms (light headedness, dizziness) would continue for another 7-10 days. That's how long it took to leave my system! I knew it had to be something I was eating, drinking or taking (supplements, home remedies, etc), but the exact trigger eluded me.

My doctor finally had me wear a heart monitor for 2 days to figure out what was going on. I was told to try and trigger the palpitations. That was very easy... all I did was drink 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in water and the palpitations (pre-atrial contractions to be exact) began 20 minutes later. Once the palpitations started after drinking the acv, I exacerbated my symptoms with cardio exercise, caffeine, and an acupuncture session where needles were placed in the heart meridian. All confirmed with my heart monitor test. Alone, neither caffeine nor acupuncture nor exercise caused any symptoms. However, in conjunction with acv, big problem.

I haven't touched acv other than topically in 6 weeks and guess what, absolutely no symptoms! What a relief to finally know the cause.

I love this remedy. In fact as you many of you know, it was the very first one on Earth Clinic. I am saddened to have to stop taking what I believe is one of the best home remedies on this site. However, I wanted people to be aware of potential side effects. Thankfully, I had a 20 year run of drinking apple cider vinegar regularly without any side effects!

Replied By Pee (Florida, Usa) on 06/20/2010

Try Aloe juice now! Still contains most of minerals and nutrients ACV has! Also try the B---g's Amino acids!

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Replied By Pat (Athens, Al, Usa) on 06/20/2010

I use aloe capsules, wouldn't that be the same thing? I use B----'s Amino's when i make stir fries and stuff. How would I take it on a regular basis? Sounds yucky straight, but I'm open to ideas and how long would it take to see some benefit? Also if the aloe capsules aren't good enough, where would I find regular aloe juice in Alabama? Thanks.

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Replied By Dorothy (Emerald City, Oz) on 06/20/2010

I've read, not sure where, perhaps on Earth Clinic, too much vinegar depletes iodine. So glad that you are okay!

Wishing you and Earth Clinic well every day!

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EC: Thank you so much for your kind thoughts, Dorothy!

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Replied By Annie (Harrisburg, Pa) on 09/27/2010

This response is to Deirdre from Earth Clinic. I'm curious if the ACV is depleting your iodine? The symptoms you describe sound exactly like what I was experiencing until I figured out I was iodine deficient. Somewhere along the way, I've read that ACV depletes some of the body's iodine stores. Probably here on EC...

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EC: Hi Annie,

Thanks for your response. Interesting! I had been taking Lugol's iodine (or potassium iodide) intermittently, so that never crossed my mind. So glad to hear you figured out what was causing your symptoms.

Best,
Deirdre

P.S. Haven't touched acv in months and I haven't had any more symptoms, thank goodness!

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Replied By Ella (Calgary, Alberta) on 05/22/2011

It looks like you experience palpitation, as a result of gerd (it could be a silent gerd) too much vinegar for too long probably did that. I get palpitation and asthma as a complication associated with gerd.

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Replied By Michael (London) on 01/03/2018

Finally I have found an explanation. Had been having Acv in salad dressings but r centky started Keto way if eating and bought supplements and Acv. Took supplements and then drank half a pint of water with half a tablespoon of Acv. Suddenly had this weird feeling and panic attack - felt like low blood sugar or low blood pressure. Thought it was maybe interaction with the supplements so cut the supplements and next day had a few drops with avocado and boom - heart racing - heart rate up - panic attack - no more Acv for me.

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Replied By Julie (Wisconsin) on 04/04/2018

I'm so glad to have seen this. I downloaded a recipe from Pinterest that called for 2TBSP of ACV per glass of water and advised to drink every day.

After one week I started feeling dizzy, heart palpitations, and shortness of breath. I got so nervous I even went to the ER. When they couldn't find anything wrong I did my research and saw this post along with others regarding ACC side effects. I've stopped drinking it and understand it will take about 7-10 days to get this stuff out of my system.

So much for this amazing home remedy!

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Replied By Gabrielle (North Carolina) on 05/31/2021

Hi Deirdre,

I had the same reaction with vinegar as you. I wanted you to know that in my case, it is the histamine in the vinegar that Made me have the nervousness, dizziness, panic attacks and heart palpitations. I couldn't figure out why I was "allergic" to shrimp and dairy And nightshades...its histamine!

I hope this helps.

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Replied By Deirdre (Connecticut) on 06/09/2021

hi Gabrielle,

Thank you so much for your reply to my 11-year-old post!

Yes, a number of years ago someone wrote in about high histamine reaction from vinegar and it was a eureka moment! I studied up on it and then made an ACV side effects video for Earth Clinic. Taking potassium and magnesium supplements daily definitely helps when I do drink ACV.

Thanks again!

Replied By Jan (St Joseph, Mi) on 06/02/2021

What are you doing for your histamine intolerance? I started having panic attacks and I'm wondering if it is caused by the histamine.

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Replied By Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 06/03/2021

After suffering near fatal dehydration, I suspect heart palpitations are the FIRST sign of fluid in the heart sack which becomes more and more recognizable as such, as time passes, without water.

Personally, I suspect palpitations and fluid in the heart sack is the body's way of increasing the blood pressure and speeding up the heart beat in its efforts to pump a low blood volume up to the brain to keep you conscious and give you time to find water without falling over and getting eaten by a tiger.

I also suspect most illness is due the body's sacrifice of less important systems and organs to maintain blood flow to the brain in a sick society where more than half of the population is dehydrated.

It can take years to get properly hydrated, as the body adjusts itself to the availability of water, rebooting organs and systems it had been shutting down, repairing damage and clearing toxins that have built up due to what water it had been forced to use being just plain dirty but one will begin to feel a whole lot better right away.

The old representation of a person CRAWLING through the desert to get to water isn't only due to weakness but also to the fact that lowering the head allows the heart to get blood to the brain to keep one conscious. In the same way it renders one unconscious to put them flat out on the floor so blood can get to the brain to keep them alive.

Histamine, headaches, dizziness, indigestion/GERD/hiatal hernia, kidney stones, all aspects of dryness and all illness caused by acidity are all symptoms of dehydration and most people are chronically dehydrated.

And this is why indigestion can be remedied with the super simple remedy of two glasses of water. Yes, it "dilutes the acid" but that's water's most important job - carrying things, keeping blood volume optimal and pH CONTROL - to protect the body from the acidity of its own waste - I.e. "buffering" aka alkalizing aka raising pH.

If you don't want to drink water every two hours, then add a little pinch of sea salt and call it a dose of trace minerals or medicine or oxygen or food or whatever it takes to get your mind onboard but DO it.

Replied By Charity (faithville, Us) on 06/03/2021

According to DR Batmanghelidj, Histamine is a dehydration/ mineral imbalance warning signal. So if one mineral is out of balance or you are low on liquid, then you produce histamine and all hell breaks loose. Blessings, Charity

I know for me this proved to be the truth.

Replied By KT (Usa) on 06/03/2021

Have you thought about looking into pomegranate juice? Just a thought ❣️

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