Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV): 9 Top Uses & Health Benefits

Gout

100%

Write a review

Posted by Deirdre (Mission, B.c. Canada, British Columbia, Canada) on 08/12/2010

I have arthritis and a naturopath tested that my blood has acid crystals. I checked with Dr. Paul C. _____'s book "Apple Cider Vinegar Health System" and he advocates = 2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar with 1 tsp honey in small glass of water, twice a day. Apparently when acid crystals are allowed to harden in joints and tissues, joints become stiff and tissues are hardened. When acv programme is given the precipitated acid crystals enter into a solution form and pass out of the body. Have you any thoughts on this?

Replied by Alain
(Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)
08/12/2010

Hi Deirdre
Those crystals are probably uric acid crystals. Their accumulations create all sort of problems. The pain in joints is called gout. So look for gout treatment. Eat the least processed food as possible. Don't drink sodas pop. Avoid food with aspartame, msg, any food with high fructose corn syrup, reduce protein... All these are acidic. 60% or more of uric acid is eliminated by the kidneys via the urine. If the urine is acidic a lot less of it will be eliminated. To measure urine acid level you can use pH paper or sticks. You can verify that your urine is most probably acidic (pH lower than 7). The closer the urine pH is to 7, the more you will be able to eliminate uric acid. This is about the best thing I learned for myself. So, learn about alkalizing, search for alkalizing formulas here or on the web, read some of my posts here. Unlike filtered vinegar, good unfiltered raw unpasteurized ACV is alkalizing. But there are better formulas than just ACV alone. Good luck, Alain

Gout

Posted by Mae (Maumelle,AR)
★★★★★

ACV is a miracle cure. The whole world should know about it! It's cured my family af allergies, my husband of gout, my dogs of skin ailments...we love it..its changed our lives.

Gout

Posted by Al (Big Lake, MN)
★★★★★

I was having the worst gout attack in years, the pain brought me to tears, as my left foot was swollen to the ankle. Ibuprofen did not work even in large doses. My wife gave me 2 tbsp of organic apple cider vinegar mixed with 2 tbspn of organic honey (2 times daily); within 3 hours I was walking around with minimal pain and 1 day later I was able to put on my shoes and walk with little pain on the third day it's almost all gone. Amazing, considering it usually lasts for at least 1 week, I am an absolute believer in this remedy.

EC: Click here for more testimonials about ACV curing gout!

Gout

Posted by Phil (Wales, UK)
★★★★★

I have been taking 2 Tablespoons cider vinegar plus 1 Tablespoon of honey in 1/2 cup of boiled water 3 times a day for the last 3-4 weeks, plus doing chi kung exercises and have been able to stop taking piroxicam for gout (I've got the tablets nearby just in case!). I use Aspells organic cider vinegar - I live in Wales so _______'s cv is presumably not available.

Hair and Scalp

5 star (3)

100%

Write a review

Posted by Brijette (Bettendorf, Iowa)
★★★★★

My Chiropractor told me to use vinegar on my baby girl's cradle cap. I applied it straight and let it sit for 10 minutes before her bath. I've done this only four times now and her cradle cap is almost gone already!!! Maybe this straight vinegar treatment could work for other scalp problems as well.

Replied by Tina
(Sunnyvale, California)
05/27/2008

The ACV may work on dandruff but boy it smells horrible. I tried the lime juice (yes, fresh squeeze lime juice) and it does clean my scalp like nothing else. You may want to apply the juice on your scalp for 20 minutes and then rinse it off with a little bit of shampoo. I've been doing this once every week now.

Hair and Scalp

Posted by Anne (USA)
★★★★★

I have dark hair which is very oily. I use apple cider vinegar as a hair rinse, it helps to dissolve buildup, which results in much shinier hair. It has also been very beneficial for my dandruff.

Hair and Scalp

Posted by Reader (Boston, MA)
★★★★★

I'm so happy that I found this site. I have applied straight apple cider vinegar 30 min before washing my hair and the flaking is almost gone. It has taken five treatments and WOW what a difference. It make my hair shiny too (extra bonus).

EC: Click here for many more remedies to cure SB and dandruff.

Hair Conditioner

5 star (3)		75%
1 star (1)		25%

Write a review

Posted by Ellenf (Leander, Tx, Usa) on 03/06/2012
★★★★★

Thank you EarthClinic contributors... You have made me the happiest mom!!!

My eight year old daughter has had dense, curly hair since she was two. I have for six years of my life dealt with her screaming and crying while brushing or combing the tangles out of her hair. I literally had to chase her when she was younger and brush her hair while running. I only brush her hair when it's wet or it turns into a puff ball. I have tried every shampoo and conditioner you can imagine. Even special (expensive) products made for curly children's hair.

I read the posts here, washed my daughter's hair, then rinsed. Next, I mixed about 2 tbsp of ACV mixed with warm water in a 16 oz squeeze bottle. I applied it to her scalp and worked it down through her ends, then rinsed and towel dried. I applied a small amount of leave in conditioner and began brushing her hair with a special (expensive) brush made for curly hair.

As I brushed her ends, the tangles fell out with VERY little effort. I then brushed from scalp to ends... Completely dumbfounded. I finished in about one minute and she ran off to play with her sister. I stood there, paralyzed in amazement, on the verge of tears. I could not believe that 2 tbsp of ACV solved this long standing problem. I think of the time, energy, frustration and tears that have gone into brushing my little girl's hair over the last six years and all I can do is shake my head. Bless you all!

Hair Conditioner

Posted by Faith (Forest Park, Ohio) on 12/20/2011

Take 1/2 cup of vinegar in an extra large cup, add a pinch of baking soda and let it fizz, then add some hot water, then rinse your hair BUT let it sit on the head for 30 minutes LIKE A CONDITIONER. This will STOP anything and cure it in the scalp! Repeat each time you WASH THE HAIR. I did this for my daughter's whose hair was falling out badly, she now has a full head of hair. The DOCTOR wanted to put her on THREE months of antibiotics..

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.

Replied by Beth P.
(West Palm Beach, Fl)
03/22/2025

Try using diluted borax instead for the hair and scalp issues. From this sight many people are raving about it.

Hair Conditioner

Posted by Renee (Kingman, Az) on 05/29/2010
★★★★★

I've been using ACV as a hair rinse for decades. We keep a bottle of it in the shower with a plastic cup. After washing my hair, I dump about 1/2 cup ACV in the cup, fill with water, and then rinse my hair with it. I do not rinse again with plain water. The vinegar smell goes away when your hair dries and no, it does not change the color of your hair. I got my husband to try it years ago and he hasn't needed to use dandruff shampoo since - yay!

Hair Conditioner

Posted by L (South Portland, Maine) on 05/24/2008

I put two glass jars in my shower. One filled with a mix of borax and baking soda. (More borax for dry hair...more baking soda for greasy... half and half for normal.) I get in the shower and sprinkle approximately 2 tablespoons in the empty jar and fill it with water and shake it around. I then dump that over my head and rinse it out. I keep a bottle of ACV in the shower as well and pour approximately 1/4 of cup into the now empty jar add water pour over my head and rinse. The drying process looks a little funky but my hair is clean, shiny, flake free and dare I say fabulous. I'm actually a little dismayed that I have spent so much money over the years on toxic products that didnt make my hair look half as good. I switched to white vinegar for a week once and my hair became much blonder. The ACV brings out more amber highlights. Good Luck.

Hair Conditioner

Posted by Barbara (Phoenix, Arizona)
★★★★★

I have been using vinegar once a week for years and years as a hair rinse. It gives my hair the perfect pH balance. As a result, at the ripe old age of 63, I have very thick, healthy, shiny hair. When I tell people about it, they think I am crazy, but it works!! I remember when I was very young, my mom would wash my hair in rain water and then rinse it with vinegar.

I use approximately 1/2 to 3/4 cup vinegar diluted with about 1/2 cup water. I shampoo and rinse first then pour on the vinegar - let it sit about a minute and then rinse out the vinegar and then shampoo again and rinse very well so there is no odor of vinegar. This was even recommended to me by a beautician once, and I hadn't even told her that I was already doing it!! The vinegar also removes all the old shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, etc. build-up in the hair.

Replied by Marcie
(Dallas, TX, USA)
09/27/2008

i am anxious to try using ACV as a rinse for my hair to see if it can help with hair loss. will the ACV lighten the hair at all? i have very dark brown hair that i LOVE ( my natural hair color) and am afraid that the ACV will make it lighter. i plan to use it about 3 times a week as a rinse after the shampoo part and use a conditoner on top of that.

can anybody tell me if it's safe for me to use? i DON'T want to bring out highlights or anything i just want to keep my color as is.

thanks in advance!!

Hair Growth

5 star (1)

100%

Write a review

Posted by Anna (Elk Grove, California, USA) on 04/09/2008
★★★★★

I'm 48. Twenty years ago I had hysterectomy and my hair thinned very badly. I was embarrassed but doctors said there was nothing they could do. I tried everything. I finally gave up and 20 years later started taking ACV for other things and it worked great. The woman who cuts my hair asked if I was taking vitamins or what I was doing different. She said there was new hair growth and my hair was thicker. Now, 6 months later, and for the first time in 20 years my hair is back to normal. You dont understand how happy that made me. I couldnt believe it and wanted to share with Ted and readers. Thank you for your website!

Replied by Maria
(Jacksonville, FL)
06/25/2009

Would you please let me know the amount of ACV you were taking on a daily basis, I have a seventeen year old daughter and noticed her hair line is thinning.

Replied by Alex
(Frankfort, Kentucky)
07/06/2009

2 Tablespoons in a glass of water / 3 times a day

Replied by Noreen
(Los Angeles, Ca)
10/14/2009

thank you

Replied by Deborah
(Denver, Colorado)
01/26/2015

I am 60 plus and I have been losing my hair and I need to know what are the amounts of ACV and water, how often, do you let sit, do you scrub your scalp, I need to know I am so embarresed to be in public, won't go to social event because of it. I even went to the Womens Hair Club and they said there is nothing they can do for me. I work but wear a head band; it helps kinda, of course it is so thin from my forehead back to crown. Help me please

Replied by Timh
(KY)
01/27/2015
2041 posts

D: Check out the E.C. page for hair loss. Come back here for any additional help or updates as to your condition.

https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/hair-loss-alopecia-women.html

Halitosis/Bad Breath

5 star (1)

100%

Write a review

Posted by ReeRee (Dallas, TX) on 03/07/2007
★★★★★

Apple cider vinegar is a great mouthwash, it actually takes and conquers the odor of bad breath for long lengthy hours try it

EC: Click here to read more remedies for bad breath.

Replied by terri
(martinsville, va, usa)
10/18/2008

How do you use the ACV for bad breath? I recently started drinking ACV, with 100% grape juice (no sugar added).

Replied by Lins
(Syracuse, NY)
05/02/2009

YIKES ACV is an acid and very corrosive to teeth so I would strongly suggest that you stop using this as a mouthwash STAT.

When one is on an ACV regimen (which is ALWAYS diluted with water),it is highly recommended to use a straw aimed at the back of the throat to help reduce contact with teeth followed by a thorough gargle.

Good luck with your condition.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Health Benefits

Apple Cider Vinegar: A Complete Guide to Benefits, Uses, and How to Take It