The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Bacterial Vaginosis
Posted by Sake (New York, NY) on 03/02/2009
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar. I am a believer:
I had recurrent B.V for almost 1 year now. Went to the doctor twice, got 2 courses of metrodinazole. THat worked for a while but B.V kept coming back until just this past Saturday, I was lurking right here on Earthclinic and decided to buy some at the healthfood store. I swear the B.V cleared up that SAME DAY. It's been 2 days now, and nary an itch!
Warts
Posted by Tone (Los Angeles, CA) on 10/10/2008
★★★★★
I have had warts on my right hand for years. I tried treating them with commercial products, and they would work for a while, but the warts would always come back (and invite a few more to join them!). I stumbled upon ACV as a natural way to treat warts and decided to try it. The first attempt on my thumb was a learning experience...I put too much on and it lifted all of the skin off and made it raw and sore. After that, I kept the cotton and ACV only on the wart area with a bandaid, and it has worked incredibly well. After a couple of days the wart will turn black, then die away. It's a miracle considering how many years and the amount of money that I spent trying to rid myself of them.
Warts
Posted by Dan (Myrtle Beach, Sc, Usa) on 01/03/2011
★★★★★
YES!! My wife had some SERIOUS warts on her one leg that she refused to freeze off because it hurt and would blister so bad. She had it for years and they grossed me out. I wouldn't touch that leg. I read here about ACV working great on warts and she soaked small pieces of paper towel and held them in place with bandaids for 2 days and the big suckers turned black and then disappeared with only SOME burning! She was thrilled! Her leg still looks great 4 months later. She did the same thing on her daughter's hand, which had a few moderate warts, and the same thing happened. FANTASTIC!! I wish I could get my wife to drink it for her allergies, colds/sinuses, menstrual cycles, eczema and asthma, but she just cant get past the smell and taste. I am looking into pills for her so we'll see...
Sinus Infections and Sinusitis
Posted by Rob (Justice, IL) on 06/24/2008
★★★★★
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR AND SINUS RINSE....I SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE---I'VE HAD 4 SINUS SURGERIES DUE TO A DEVIATED SEPTUM, FOLLOWED BY SURGERIES TO REMOVE POLYPS... I WOULD HAVE ALLERGIES IT SEEMED YEAR ROUND.. I HAVE BEEN USING THE ACV FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, ALONG WITH DOING A DAILY SINUS RINSE (YOU CAN BUY AT ANY POPULAR DRUG STORE). I HAVE NOT HAD ONE SINUS PROBLEM SINCE-----THE ACV KEEPS THE ALLERGIES AT BAY, WHILE THE RINSE FLUSHES OUT ANY POLLENS OR DUST, ETC... IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS 8 YRS AGO, I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD 3 SINUS SURGERIES...
Iodine Depletion
Posted by Lana (Ormond, USA) on 11/13/2007
★★★★★
Ingesting ACV has long been used for medical treatment and is sometimes very effective.. HOWEVER, one should also take an iodine supplement, such as kelp tablets or kelp extracts while using this therapy. Extended ACV consumption can remove iodine from the body, and can result in thyroid problems. (Salt also causes the same problems which is why commercial salt has added iodine.) I learned all this back in the early 1970's, and have not found this important information on iodine/ACV interaction in any articles or books recently. However I have not covered your entire site. So in case no one has mentioned this yet, it really needs to be addressed.
Diarrhea
Posted by Louise (Ocala, FL) on 02/11/2006
★★★★★
I had diarrhea (including blood) almost constantly for 8 1/2 weeks after a " holiday " party at work. I received the advice of 6 MD's, 1 nurse practitioner,& several public health nurses. I had lab tests done. Besides all that , I am a registered nurse. No one knew what was wrong with me ( and yet they wanted to do even more expensive and invasive tests). I could eat only certain things. When I would take prescription medication - I had to keep taking it. Over the counter medication stopped the diarrhea but left me in constant pain and drowsiness. This week I was blessed to remember something I heard a long time ago about apple cider vinegar. So I tried a few mouthfuls. I had already had about 6 bowel movements that day. I didn't have any more problems that day (to my surprise) even though I had eaten alot. My only problem now is to figure out what should I eat first...a pizza ?, chocolate malt ?, grilled cheese with tomato ? I am very grateful to the Almighty for creating such a thing as apple cider vinegar.
EC: Read many more testimonials and cures here.
Allergies
Posted by Lasa (Littlerock, AK)
★★★★★
I am a singer with severe allergies. I was on the road for several months playing music. My allergies got so bad I thought I had nodules that would need removing. I became unable to perform and every state I traveled to contributed to my condition making it worse. I returned to Little Rock to see my doctor but they did not remedy my condition. I was gigging in Biloxi a couple of days later and a friend of mine, who is also a musician, had contacted an ear nose & throat specialist about my condition. The doctor advised me to try apple cider vinegar. The relief was immediate. I was able to sing my low range repertoire that night. Within a couple of days, I was no longer hoarse and back to normal. I keep a bottle on hand at all times and use it as soon as symptoms occur. What a difference!
Headache and Migraine
Posted by Reviewer (Amazon.com)
★★★★★
In Dec. '97 and Jan. '98 My wife and I spent the holidays in Costa Rica. I had already read "
Folk Medicine" by D.C. Jarvis and while we were visiting one of my wife's friends I noticed our hostess (the wife) seemed in pain. Upon querying her she said she only had one of her daily migraines which she has suffered most of her life. The migraines began when she was around 12 years and she rarely went even one day since without them. No doctors had done anything for her. She "lived" on Ibuprofen, 1000mgs 2/3 times a day. She was 52 Y.O. I mentioned the
Folk Medicine book and 2 tsp vinegar with 2 tsp honey in a full glass of water. I told her it was worth a try, but (fearing it may take a while to take effect) I told her to try it faithfully for at least a week before abandoning it. I returned next day (1/2 block away) to find her bright and smiling giving me a big hug! NO MIGRAINE!! This was surprising enough, but I was skeptical ... placebo?...
To be brief, she ran out of vinegar at 25 days, and thought she was cured...no migraines, no pain killers. After 4 days with no mixture she had her first migraine again, and we quickly got her some more vinegar. Immediately, on re-starting the vinegar/honey drink, no migraines. When we left to return to USA she was on her 45th day without migraines except for the day mentioned. She now drinks 2 glasses a day and so far, NO MIGRAINES!! I of course felt delighted to have been able to help her this way. She had the real thing with flashing lights, sounds, grinding pain. She really looks like a different, bright, person. Any one wishing to verify this I can give her name and address in C.R. Her daughter is married and lives here in the USA near us.
EC: Click here to read many more remedies to cure headaches and migraines.
Shingles
Posted by Kev (Toowoomba, Australia) on 11/19/2011
★★★★★
35 yr old male, I too got a bout of shingles on my back. Doctors said it was too late for cream treatment. It blistered and pain became unbearable so I tried ACV swabs 5 times a day. It stopped the pain and in a couple of days it had cleared up. Amazing!!
Varicose Veins
Posted by Yellogurl121 (Baton Rouge, La) on 11/10/2014
★★★★★
OMG, please give more details on ACV and spider/varicose veins. I've been searching for a home treatment for yrs. I'm a ACV fan and do use it for other health issues.
Food Poisoning
Posted by Deirdre (USA)
★★★★★
I took a shot's worth of straight apple cider vinegar the moment I got home from a restaurant suffering from a queasy stomach. I usually dilute apple cider vinegar in water, but knew this time it had to go down straight if it was to work fast. Remarkably, it stopped my queasy stomach within 5 minutes. I am certain I did not get food poisoning because the apple cider vinegar quickly destroyed the bacteria in my colon and stomach. Amazing!
Dental Enamel Issues
Posted by Coco (Jupiter, Fl) on 07/05/2013
I have found a way to prevent enamel erosion when drinking a cider vinegar tonic. Get a handful of dark lettuce or other greens. Put the greens in your mouth and chew them to a mush, but do not swallow them. Push the greens to both side of your mouth so they coat your teeth. Then use a straw to drink the tonic. After you drink the tonic, you can chew the greens a little more and swallow them. With a little practice, you will find that you can keep the acid from ever touching your teeth.
Warnings
Posted by C. Jones (Cleveland, Oh) on 08/28/2012
Warning! I took apple cider vinegar (ACV) with lunch and dinner daily for about four years and developed ever-worsening fatigue. I never put the two together until I came across a book about copper toxicity and zinc deficiency. ACV is stored in copper vessels. Taking it daily can increase your copper levels and subsequently decrease your zinc levels. If your copper levels get high enough, you will develop thyroid and adrenal issues and be plagued with fatigue. Since cutting out the apple cider vinegar and taking a zinc capsule I cannot believe how much better I feel. I can exercise again and not be exhausted for days. I had tried EVERYTHING (dietary changes, medication, supplements) and nothing helped until I added zinc AND eliminated ACV (adding zinc only did not help).
Brands of Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Kathy (Las Vegas, Nv) on 06/17/2010
One day I dropped my husband off at his physical therapist and all of a sudden I got really sick (like i was going to vomit) I ran to Trader Joes because that was the closest store and bought applecider vinegar (not with the mother) and poured some in a water bottle and drank it as fast as I could and I felt better in a short while. So in my opinion it works and if I don't have the other ACV I will use a generic brand..
Hair Conditioner
Posted by Francisca (Michelbach-le-bas, Alsace, France) on 05/30/2010
★☆☆☆☆
My husband and I have tried.... it didn't help us! His dandruff is not going well and I didn't notice a difference with the hair problems I have.
Energy
Posted by Melanie (Ankeny, Iowa) on 03/21/2010
★★★★★
I've used ACV for about 2 months, and feel good. No weight loss, like I hoped, but aches and pains have gone away, and high energy throughout the day. I usually mix about a week's worth in water bottles and store in my fridge.
ACV Chasers
Posted by Terry (Clarksville, Arkansas, United States) on 01/09/2010
Can anyone tell if there is any disadvantage to just taking two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar orally and just quickly getting it over with? I am one of those people who just likes to get it over with quickly when it comes to unsavory tasting drinks or food.
Apple Cider Vinegar Soak
Posted by Deirdre (Earth Clinic) on 09/24/2009
★★★★★
I started soaking both feet and toes in about 1 inch of straight apple cider vinegar in a pyrex casserole dish (the same one I use for the magnesium oil soak) a few days ago to treat nail fungus and severe cracks in my heels, which I suspect to also be fungus related. Well, it seems soaking is a great way to get the benefits of acv without drinking it! You know the rosy, healthy glow you get after drinking apple cider vinegar in water? Well, it's happening after soaking. Also a great increase in energy. Too soon to say if I am losing weight with the soak.
I was finding that drinking apple cider vinegar lowered my blood sugar levels drastically at times, making me feel faint, but have not had any side effects from soaking thus far. The blood sugar reaction from ACV is a new thing. I had been drinking it regularly for many years before that without any problems.
I am using the organic brand of acv right now, even though you can buy a gallon of regular grocery store acv for the same price. I am thinking about ordering organic acv in bulk, since it takes up almost half a bottle of organic acv to fill the small dish with enough liquid to cover my toes. I must admit, right now I am re-using the acv a few times, otherwise it just isn't cost effective. But yes, I wash my feet before soaking them!
Sorry to say that I have had cracked heels for 11 years now (coincides with when I started training at the dojo). Only recently did it move into toenail fungus. Getting rid of it once and for all is long-overdue. Bad idea to have a fungal infection lingering on for years and years. I am determined to keep this up for months if necessary.
Apple Cider Vinegar Soak
Posted by Deirdre (Earth Clinic) on 10/07/2009

Not all apple cider vinegars are made alike.
Okay, yeah, I win this week's "ultimate dork" award. I have been faithfully following Tricia's remedy for cracked heels for days now. Yesterday, a dark and gloomy day in Atlanta, I proceeded with Tricia's remedy as usual and used a fine nail file on the cracked area of my feet and heels. Then it came to soaking them, and this is where I changed my protocol and decided to use cheap apple cider vinegar from Heinz that I bought at the store ages ago. Usually I use the organic, raw, decidedly more expensive ACV to soak my feet, but not this time. Heh heh. I filled up my casserole dish with 1 inch of apple cider vinegar (room temperature & undiluted) and then started soaking my feet as I worked at the computer. I lost track of time. Some time passed, maybe a lot of time. I came out of my Earth Clinic computer fog enough to register that my feet were FREEZING and that an hour and a half had passed. A trace longer than the half hour that I usually soaked. My feet did look pickled and prune-faced, but that didn't worry me. I went and rinsed off the apple cider vinegar. Heh heh. Then I sat down to apply the moisturizer, just as Tricia recommended, and that's when I saw my new feet. By new, I mean discolored, burned, orange-tinged feet with a dark line running across the bottom half of my ankle, showing where the apple cider vinegar stopped and the air began. They looked so ridiculous, the feet of a clown: half orange, half pasty white.
Confidentally, I was certain the new color scheme would fade within the hour. But they didn't. Or they haven't I should say. Time has passed, almost 24 hours, and my clown feet have not returned to their original color. Wish me luck.
Apple Cider Vinegar Tips
Posted by Bonnie (Stroud, Glos Uk) on 09/13/2009
I have discovered a great way to take apple cider vinegar with no taste. I bought some empty caplets 00 size off the internet.If you google empty caplets a whole list of companies come up. Then i use an empty dropper and fill them up and take them like that with plain water to swallow them. The kind of dropper i use is the sort you get for putting drops in your ears for ear wax etc as i have not seen any to buy . Taking them this way also protects the tooth enamel as it doesn't touch your teeth. I know you can get apple cider pills but there is a big question as to how much apple cider vinegar is actually in each pill and what do they do to it to get into the pill state. The empty caplet way is a sure way of getting pure apple cider vinegar in a tasteless way.You have to make them up fresh or they dissolve but it takes no time at all. I take 5 at a time as this is about a teaspoon full on the 00 size caplets
Website Articles
Posted by R (South Florida, FL, USA) on 06/03/2009
I have been using Apple Cider Vinegar for a few months for GERD and weight reduction. After reading Dr. Mercola's report on ACV, I checked my blood glucose level from my recent lab report. I went from 97 to 62! My husband's has remained in the 80s. I read on the internet that levels below 70 are hypoglycemic. I have lost 21 lbs while on ACV and eliminated sugars from my diet. Has anyone else experienced this? I eat plenty of fruit. Thank you.