Apple Cider Vinegar: Uses, Health Benefits and FAQ

Starting today using ACV on my back probably 20-25 spots all over….figured out an easy way to reach those unreachable spots!

I used a long handled “ baby bottle brush”…the wire kind with the stiff bristles at the end. I wrapped a cotton pad around the bristles and you can just dip the cotton pad into the bottle of ACV and apply! So easy!

Hoping it works!

I was in acute pain, unable to urinate. I drank some Apple Cider Vinegar and water, but needed to relieve the immediate issue. So I soaked a toilet tissue with what Ì was drinking and held it directly against that area. Literally the pain was gone within seconds and I was able urinate. Which I did with great gusto.... its 11 hours later, still no pain!

Re: ACV taken with baking soda not effective

ACV is an acid. The benefits of ACV come from the several types of acids (plus probiotics in the mother) that work their magic when ingested.

Baking soda is a base. It neutralizes acids and makes liquids more alkaline. We don't want to neutralize the acids in ACV with baking soda, it renders them ineffective.

To not decalcify your teeth with acid when drinking ACV, drink it with a straw and push that as far back as you can handle. Then make a solution of baking soda and water (about 1 tsp to a cup of water). Rinse your mouth and teeth with it. Spit out. That will neutralize the acid on your teeth and you're good to go.

Best,
Nicole

To the poster who said she used a TEAspoon of ACV and didn't see results:

A teaspoon is too small of a quantity to make a difference. You should take a TABLEspoon of apple cider vinegar 2 or more times a day depending on symptoms and how you tolerate it.

That will give you results.

Nicole

I also experienced a reduction in mucus. Every morning, I would have to spit and clean out my "goopy" ears. After taking 2T ACV and 1 t baking soda in a quart of water morning and night for a couple days, this cleared up completely! My ears have been BAD for a decade (multiple infections and goopiness). My singing voice is so clear, too. I was a bit constipated, so I backed off to 1T ACV, and no baking soda and it is still working like a charm. Wonderful stuff!!

Yes. I have had gut problems for over 15 years. I started taking apple cider vinegar and got worse, instant diarrhea, stomach pain - very terrible. I ordered the book: The Bloated Belly Whisperer by Tamara Duker Freuman, MS. RD, CDN (Crazy title name, for sure). She recommended NO vinegar, and soluble fibre (acacia -) and had lots to say about many gut problems. I have no association with her or her books. Her suggestions helped me a great deal.

Thanks. But you really hid part of your remedy. You said B.... ACV. Please what is that B?

The brand most of us use is organic and raw, unfiltered, with 'the mother'. It is a family last name that starts with letter b. It has a picture on the label of the father and daughter. Hope that helps! (since we aren't allowed to say brand names)

HI
How did u take ACV for weight loss? Can you explain.

Thanks

After skimming right past any mention of iodine for, what - 50 years? I've been playing with it the past couple of weeks. THEN I read Jarvis' "Folk Medicine" book and started ACV 2 days ago. I run a large cup of filtered water through my Keurig into a heavy glass "pyrex" measuring cup to cool it down a bit, add 1 tsp ACV and a 5 count of honey out of a squirt bottle and a couple pinches of pink salt.

After two weeks of applying povidone iodine externally (sore, lumpy, swollen breast) which responded right away (not lumpy, not sore and less swollen) within a day or two. I'd gotten the iodine down to about 4 hours before it was absorbed but with the ACV, it's back to being absorbed very quickly.

I'd been suspecting there was an underlying mass in that breast (still a little "swollen") and today, with my second ACV tea drink, I can definitely feel a response deep in the tissue on the side, toward my underarm and it's sucking up the iodine again, like it did the first time!

Haven't yet received my Lugol's iodine but when I do, I'm going to switch to taking it internally and add a drop or two of the 5% to my morning ACV tea.

I've also been taking 12.5mg iodoral, but not regularly as I suck at keeping track of pills...

ALSO, since Covid, I've had some sinus activity and ordered some honeycomb to chew and see if I can get rid of that nonsense - also per Jarvis' book.

AND I'm not craving coffee, which is amazing! I'm drinking a cup that I made out of sheer habit but it doesn't taste right.

Hi Anne,

I would check the reviews under Apple Cider Vinegar capsules or tablets on Amazon. Braggs finally started selling ACV capsules with added D3 and Zinc, so perhaps! However, on Earth Clinic, there are old posts that say capsules or tablets are not as effective as liquid.

Here are the customer reviews for Bragg's on Amazon.

Hi, I've heard for years how great ACV is. However, I truly cannot stand the taste. Do the ACV pills work? I've tried hiding the ACV in noncaloric drinks, but there is no hiding it for me. Help?

Hi, I used to swear by unfiltered, organic acv....

Today with all the geo-engineering if our skys, admitted to by our government, there is no longer organic food, unless it's a green house product, then the leached chemicals in the soul still spoil that.

Doing research, the best, and safest Apple Cider Vinegar today is filtered, the floaties are simply the apple skin, which is toxic today!

True mother is a clear ovalish disk you can find living near the bottom of the bottle. Mother will grow in distilled acv, as my grandmother's always had it there ..

The effects for everything I've used Apple Cider Vinegar for have not diminished as I first thought they would by changing from the organic with the skins floating in them, to the distilled ..

I'm nearly 70 yrs old, and my grandmother and mother used Apple Cider Vinegar for everything...

God's richest blessings on everyone persuing natural health in this toxic world.

Are you absolutely sure about this? I have researched and cannot confirm this.

ACV has tremendous benefits but I suspect I have a histamine issue with all my allergies and find things like ACV, high histamine foods and fermented things seem to bother me more than help me. A lot of people swear by it for GERD but it just makes my stomach hurt. Just be aware.

Greetings all!

My first post on here after many years of reading all the wonderful information available from all you fine folks. I just wanted to say that for folks with tooth enamel concerns like myself, after I take my ACV and water, I take a half teaspoon of baking soda in half a cup of water and rinse. The baking soda neutralizes the acids in the vinegar and protects the teeth. Have a great day!

How do you think she took the ACV for cellulite?

Hola, buenos días, Me estoy recuperando despacio con el vinagre, pero no acabo de encontrar una marca q me de energía, podría decirme la que le dio resultado? Muchas gracias.

Hello, good morning, I am recovering slowly with the vinegar, but I just can't find a brand that gives me energy, could you tell me the one that worked for you? Thank you.

ACV is the most popular remedy on this website. Yet, there are two condition when you shouldn't take it.

1. Stomach ulcer, 2. Low Potassium level.

ACV will additionally lower your potassium level.

Take 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of apple juice!

This was very helpful info as I am also on blood thinners because of a man-made aortic valve.

When I started using ACV, I did end up having trouble keeping my INR stable until I added more garlic as part of my effort to use minimal blood thinner and more natural blood thinners. It was very helpful to know what was causing the problem so thanks for your post (years ago by now).

Pls, what is the process to cure ulcer?

I started my husband on apple cider vinegar because he had what I perceived to be kidney stones. After only a few weeks, the pain is gone. No more kidney stones.

I am so happy I found this website. I have had off and on since 2017 with digestive issues. Last year I had a colonoscopy + down the throat test. I was told I had a shatzine ring that needed stretching. After that procesure I was good for a long time. My doctor told me to take pepcid-ax.c. before meals. It did help for over 1year but now it is giving me pain again. I do not want to treat this anymore with pepcid-a.c. I want a more natural product or products. I eat organically for 55 years.

Hi, it sounds like the vinegar you're using is working well. But if you can find raw apple cider vinegar I'd also try that. If not, go with what you can find! ;

I have been using ACV for years and go thru a quart per month. Last year I returned 4 bottles of ACV to the store that I bought it because it was sour. There is a distinct difference in taste between a sour apple and a fermented apple. After the second time, I called the company and they did not seem alarmed or really that interested.......just told me to carry it back where I purchased it. Well I got tired of having to carry it back after the fourth time and have been using other brands and have not ran across this problem again. My experience was with one of the oldest and most widely used brands out there.

Yes. I love it. I think sometimes my body craves it. It has helped my gout and digestive problems. I would give it 10 stars if possible.

You may wish to buy new shoes and socks, or treat the shoes and socks for fungus to prevent recurrence.

What IS special about expensive "organic" ACV is its lack of pesticides. Apples are one of the most heavily pesticides crops. If "regular" store vinegar were "organic" it would be declared boldly on the label because "organic" is a selling point that allows them to demand a higher price for it. "Regular" vinegar is neither "organic" nor equal to organic ACV.

For the rash maybe do more to help your liver? B vitamins, dandelion tea, activated charcoal, garlic, psyllium husk perhaps.

There really does not seem to be any "fiber" to speak of in ACV.

I never dilute it. I scrub my face with baking soda and then rinse with vinegar. My face is pink for a day. LOL! Out darn freckles!

Sophie-the LES may be weak but what really happens is that the eating of modern wheat products (not ancient grain products) allows fermentation in the duodenum to push open the sphincter muscle at the lower end of the stomach which them allows the gas from the fermentation into the stomach which then pushes open the LES causing what stomach acid there is in the stomach up into the esophagus. This fermentation happens for several different reasons in different people but mostly because the grain we are eating is really messed up. So much so that even birds won't eat it. It contains way more chromosomes than the ancient wheats (spelt, kamut, emmer, etc) and has caused a plethora of digestive conditions. Also, too many people don't have enough acid in their stomachs anymore. I don't know why that is yet. Still researching. So food is not being broken down well enough before it passes to the small intestine where it wreaks havoc.

I love this site sooo much! I found it accidentally or by way of heaven, I have had A C V in my cabinet for months without using it. However I want to live a healthier life. All the comments/testimonies have made me a believer. with all the medical lawsuits surrounding pharmaceutical recalls along with my last trip to the dr, I will not be using conventional meds.

I read on Medical Blogs that drinking it straight could hurt your esophagus.

I started two days ago with ACV a regular bottle by Red & Rose my results starting with a serious rash that hospital thought was a viral infection that was draining me dry. Since I started ACV, I realized I was drinking too much - 1oz in 8oz glass of water. I wanted to dance it made me feel alive again, my mood changed from miserable to extremely happy. My rash is clearing up, and I'm full of energy, I love it! It pumps me up so much my husband tells me to sit down already you've done enough. Lol it also increased sex drive. Now the headaches I've always suffered from I still get and my lymph nodes are still swollen any remedies for that?

White spots in throat with fever can also be mono. My son had those symptoms and was negative for strep and positive for mono.

And there are lots of reported cures for strep and mono with natural remedies on Earth Clinic.

White spots in throat, with fever is strep throat, and if untreated with antibiotics can turn to rheumatic fever, which is life threatening.

Kelvin. I think you should be adding the raw unfiltered honey with the ACV. I think it's the combination that does the trick. But read more about it. I use ACV and honey and my Acid reflux has gone away.

To Sophia;

About your GERD post asserting the esophageal sphincter is the cause of reflux and not the oft cited acid issue. The question is, even if you are basically correct, what causes the sphincter to malfunction? Harvard School of Medicine has a cite on GERD and lists 15 drugs that can cause reflux. See www.patientinformationcenter.org/articles/causes-gerd/ and you will find the article. Harvard Medical with its list of OTC and prescription drugs gives us a lot to dwell on; if those 15 listed items can cause GERD, what else may alleviate GERD?

I found dramatic reduction in my 10 year fight with GERD by greatly reducing intake of acidic foods; coffee, excess dense meats, ice cream and dairy products of most all kinds and at night taking a tablespoon of ACV with one quarter teaspoon of baking soda in a half glass of water.

Sophie, you do not understand gerd. The strength of the les is established by the strength of your stomach acid. See Doctor Johnathan Wright's articles and his research at his Tahoma Clinic. Before the 1950s, low stomach acid was taught as the main cause of gerd. Big Pharma changed all that in our medical schools to make the billions of dollars in H2 inhibitors and other reflux drugs. Less than 10% of gerd is for other reasons, most of which is h. pylori bacteria, which also lowers your stomach acid.

Acid reflux is usually caused by a weak lower esophageal sphincter (LES), not by a lack of acid. It is a widespread myth on the internet that not enough stomach acid causes GERD. With GERD, the LES either doesn't close properly, or falls open, usually while lying down, which allows stomach acid to come up into your esophagus and throat. That's why GERD symptoms are so much more common at night when you're asleep or lying in bed. That is also why sleeping with the head of your bed raised or sleeping on a wedge pillow helps. It can also help to sleep on your left side because that position makes it anatomically harder for stomach acid to exit the stomach.

When the LES is open when it shouldn't be, it allows stomach acid to come up into your esophagus/throat. The acid can also get into your lungs and cause a lot of pain and damage. Treatment for GERD is focused on lowering the amount of acid, thereby making it less likely that stomach acid will reach your esophagus/throat. Another treatment is to lose weight because decreasing weight on your abdomen will decrease the amount of pressure on your LES. There is a surgery that can tighten the LES, but it is pretty extensive and therefore only used when GERD is very severe and all other remedies have been tried.

I just wanted to explain what is happening with GERD so that people will not be misinformed and think they need more stomach acid, or that adding acidity will help the problem because it won't. People with GERD have the same amount of stomach acid as people who don't.

Having read your comment regarding microwave, I reread the post above, realized she microwaves the water... not the ACV... problem solved?

I have been using Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar for 20 months. My mixture is slightly different - 2 TBL ACV, 1 heaping TBL of Organic Honey & 1.5 C of filtered water heated to melt the honey.

The results are amazing! I no longer need allergy medicine, my knuckles are normal again & not swollen from arthritis, my hiatal hernia is under control, my eye pressure from border line glaucoma dropped from 19 to 15, and best of all, I was diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma last year and even though 1 mass was 2.2 cm & the other was 1.5 cm my sentinel lymph nodes were clear!

If I start to feel a cold or sinus problems starting I drink the mixture 3 times a day instead of once in the AM before eating.

I am a true believer in this remedy!

J: Just guessing, but I have a similar situation w/ my kitty minus the redox potion. Mine is a case of indoor/outdoor kitty that prowls around the bushes and gets those little green stick-balls on his long fur, lays around and pulls them off with his mouth and can't help but swallow them rather than spit them out. This may not be your case but the symptoms you listed are similar to my kitty and I think is those little green stick-balls terpenes that cause such intestinal irritation. On the good side, there's probably no greater natural parasite remedy for wild animals which are often plagued by parasites.

This was so wonderful. Thank you. I have a beloved cat that has remained healthy from a redox signaling molecule drink called asea, but it is not working with a lung issue. It sounds like he is trying to throw up a worm, then swallows. Then hacks. Parasite meds do nada. So found your site on apple cider vinegar. He immediately calmed down with 4 ml in mouth and on cottonball in shoulder blades and on feet. I feel hopeful so am researching more on acv. Wow. Thanks.

Be careful drinking it straight. It is too hard on the esophagus. Repeat acid can cause irritation and eventually increase risk of throat cancer. I love to dink mine with lemon juice, or some of acv, raw honey and some cinnamon in hot water.

If you turn the acidic ACV into a base tonic, it's much easier to take. I usually mix 1/8 cup of ACV with a full teaspoon of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), plus 1/2 to 1 full cup of water makes it so much easier to take. It waters down the bitterness, and the bicarb completely neutralizes the acidity. To me, when I drink this mix, I taste baking soda more than I do the ACV, and there is very little after taste. Always be sure to follow it up with at least 1/2 cup of water, or you are going to start burping because of the mixing of the baking soda with your stomach acids.

Dear Robert Henry,

Thank you for letting me know about the temperature at which enzymes would be destroyed! I love that I can learn something new at EC (and everywhere!) every day.

~Mama to Many~

MAMA,,,,,,,,,,, enzymes are killed in any thing at 120 degrees.

======ORH========

Usually for health issues, raw apple cider vinegar is recommended. Because of this, I tend to think that heating it, especially boiling it would reduce it's effectiveness. I believe the enzymes in apple cider vinegar are part of the cure. Boiling will kill the enzymes, I think.

Minerals would be retained in heating and boiling it though, so likely it would still work in many cases.

~Mama to Many~

I read that ACV should be boiled and then allowed to cool to make it more potent. Has anyone any thoughts on this please?

Yes, it cures indigestion in minutes.

I started the Apple Cider Vinegar in hopes that I might get a better A1C score in the next 3 mo's.I'm also think'g of try'g cinnamon tablets from the health food store. Really the only way to turn this around is I got to loose weight. My thyroid is normal but my good cholesterol is not high enough w/in range and my bad cholesterol is too high, like the consistentcy of ketchup.I cook w/canola and olive oil I try to eat heart smart foods like honey nut cheerios and I like salads when I can but I like dressing on my raw vegetables.I try to cut back on soda pop, Coke, Ginger Ale and drink more water. When I was n school I weighed 134-150 and b4 I got out of high school, I slowly went up to 170 and slowly climbing.I was @ 235 lbs, now I'm @ 270.Its like I slowly gain and maintain the weight. My nutritionist doesn't reccommend that I try any of those as advertised on TV stuff like Cambodia Garcinia and all that other stuff. It might work but once u stop takg it, probably blow up like a tick on Dracula.I do like sweats but I'm sure I'm a modest Eater when it comes to food and sweats.I nvr eat till I get full and I have a hard x eatg bf by the x I do eat its like high noon.my nutritionists says that's part of the problem and that I must train myself to eat @ the same x everyday. I'm like who does that?

Anyhow, the point of writing is I think a good idea would b to brush your teeth and then take a swig of milk and then drink the vinegar water thru a straw.That's what I'm doing now.I might opt to get the vinegar tablets.

Can men use ACV? And could it help their sperm count?

I just wanted to add that I also, "take it like a shot of tequila" except that I follow it with a small juice chaser! Orange or any flavor of juice (mixed berry is my fave! ) but it helps with the taste and the "burn." I have been drinking it off and on for over 2 years now and I too, have also had a general "better all over" feeling after doing so. More energy and just better.

I have found a simple treatment for vaginal odor. This is not odor caused by infection! This treatment worked for everyday bacteria related odor. I started taking a bath in apple cider vinegar and noticed my vaginal body odor completely disappeared. This would only last about 2 days so using so many baths was getting expensive! I decided to make wipes. I use fragrance free, natural wipes or you can use paper towels. Add 1 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar with one cup of water and pour into container of wipes! Wipe your entire "downtown" area and let sit 2 or 3 minutes before showering. Wash area as usual. Easy peezy!

To make things even more simple I just decided to make a 50/50 solution in a spray bottle and just spray area before bathing. Repeat as needed. Hope this helps! It's been a life changer for me! 😉😉

It sounds like she had esophageal thrush. I had one just like it, including fever, after a 3 week course of several antibiotics. I drank a lot of probiotic drinks and it eventually went away, and would highly recommend doing the same, it keeps candida (fungus) under check by giving the body the good flora to fight it off.

Raw apple cider vinegar with the mother. I start with 2 tbsp of ACV and 1tsp of raw honey in a cup of hot water. I drink 3-4 cups a day, daily.

This decreases inflammation, pain and you can lose weight. Lowers your cholesterol. Boost your immune system, and flushes your kidneys....etc...

Sandra, Stick with the vinegar, lemon, baking soda formula every day. I let my set sometimes for a while . I use distilled water also. Try different times of the day and see what works for you. Drink slowly. Your body will become used to it.

To Eric:

Are you certain about the neutralizing effect of Baking Soda? I've read about that a few years ago and the effect was to change the nature of the acid to a different form of acid but the effect was not to completely defeat the acid. Ted, I believe, has written on this very issue.

Mixing with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) would neutralize all the acids (acetic, malic, ascorbic, etc.) that are in apple cider vinegar defeating the purpose of taking it!

That is so true. It eroded my teeth enamel as well. I used to sip it every day. Now I use a straw and push it as far back as possible and swallow as quick as possible.

Comment on 'lovin the buttermilk but not losing weight'

Rama - I noticed you said you can't lose weight despite the fact that you are a fitness person. Suggestion: Eat full fat buttermilk or not at all -- better for you because of more nutrients! But, you may possibly have a milk intolerance (many people from your part of the world do) and your body protects you by keeping you full of fluids (food sensitivities can do this). I suggest going a week with no milk products (ice cream, cheese, milk & buttermilk...) and see if that makes a difference. OR, perhaps your body is getting too many carbs from the usual sources (rice, wheat, corn...) Remember this: It is not fat that makes us fat but way too many carbohydrates. Lower your carbs just for 1 week to between 70-100 a day and see how you feel and if your weight recedes. If it does, you have your culprit! Tally your carbs on-line or get a good carb-counting book. Love & Happiness...CAT

Comment on Gargling with ACV:

I would not frequently do this, folks! The enamel on your teeth will eventually erode making it very easy to get cavities, plus, your teeth can thin. Best to mix with warm water in a small baby jar with a lid -- about 2 ACV tsps with 3 tablsps of water and 1 tsp of honey or molasses (if you are not worried about sugar-diabetes) and either chug down or straw-down toward the back of the throat. And certainly never gargle with ACV without quickly rinsing your mouth out thoroughly afterwards. If you want to thicken thin teeth, look into ingesting a tsp a day of FOOD GRADE diatomaceous earth (DE) for a couple of weeks to a month. Many report that it thickens teeth (it did mine - from playing card look to corn bulb look and it tightened my loose teeth. You can even brush once a week with it to whiten your teeth); helps with thin hair, gum health, arthritis, shoulder, wrist, knee and other joint pains. Do your "safety" research first. Peace out, CAT

Wow MtM, thanks so much for doing this simple test that no one else thought to do!!!

Another tip is to simply rinse the mouth out afterwards.

Now and again, the subject comes up on this site of the safety of using Apple Cider Vinegar for the teeth. The concern is that the acidity of vinegar will harm teeth enamel.

Yesterday I tested the pH of a cup of coffee and a glass with 8 ounces of water plus 1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar. The pH of each was pretty close. Both were quite acidic.

So what this makes me conclude is that taking diluted apple cider vinegar in water is probably no worse for tooth enamel than coffee. Seeing that coffee is consumed in such immense quantity in our country, and I don't think there is an epidemic of tooth enamel problems from that, I tend to think that the tooth enamel concern with apple cider vinegar is not really a concern for most people. And for someone for whom it is, it would seem coffee would be contra-indicated also.

Just an observation and a few thoughts.

~Mama to Many~

I feel myself blessed to come across this site and I have learnt a lot about healthy living from here. It would be a pleasure to be helpful in return.

I just came across an awesome discovery that I would like to share. The topical application of Apple cider vinegar (ACV) works great for breast size reduction and for fat reduction from almost any part of the body.

I have used apple cider vinegar (ACV) in a spray bottle, to spray and spread evenly on the breasts (re-apply immediately after it dries) for 30-40 min twice everyday for 3 weeks and got amazing results with size reduction from 38 to 36. Vinegar cuts fat like bleach cuts color, I also applied ACV to my belly and love handles and reduced my waist by 2 inches in three weeks. ACV has countless benefits for skin. If it doesn't suit to anyone, try using regular white vinegar.

Only if the fever doesn't get too high. 102 is ok but 105 degrees is not.

I had a sore throat that came on suddenly yesterday. It started bad and went to worse very fast. It was so painful I could not swallow. I used to drink apple cider vinegar with hot water and honey daily but because of this goofy diet I was on I stopped. My best friend reminded me of the apple cider vinegar concoction so I tried it. Litterally within an hour my sore throat was gone. I am not sure but I really think I have strep throat. Bottom line is I think it may have cured it. Time will tell but at the very least it aleveated the pain I was experiencing. I love this stuff!!

I mix one tablespoon with my Zeal powder every day and it really tastes great! You may need to mix you Apple Cider Vinegar with a strong juice. I love taking it! Not crazy about the taste but it has really grown on me. The other key is to not breath through your nose till you have cleared your pallet with another taste or just plain water.

Was that how you were eating prior to adding ACV to your daily routine? In other words, are you sure it was the ACV that helped you lose weight, or was it that you started "saying NO" to the foods you shouldn't have eaten that caused the weight loss?

Inquiring minds want to know. ;-)