Apple Cider Vinegar: Uses, Health Benefits and FAQ

ACV has nearly cured my acne. I have acne since my 1st menstrual cycle in 6th grade. I'm 35-years old now. I have tried everything you can think of ... the only thing that has worked is Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar.

I am addicted to carbonated sodas! These cause huge blood sugar spikes. I noticed that my acne got worse when I ate high glycemic foods and when I drank sodas or ate cakes. From the research I did on Earth Clinic and from other places, I discovered ACV helps to control spikes in blood sugar. So, not only did I lower my consumption of these foods, but when I absolutely HAD TO HAVE a soda or a slice of chocolate cake, I took 2tbs of ACV diluted in about 6 ounces of cold water about 10-minutes before. Not only did it eliminate the breakouts already there, but it has prevented more from popping up. It smells awful and tastes even worse - but, for more than 20-years I have spent thousands of dollars to fix this unsightly problem and it's the only thing that has been worth anything! A huge bottle costs about $8.

As for weight loss ... the same reason it seems to work on acne, is likely why it seems to help with weight loss. We gain weight (especially around the middle) when we have an insulin response to the foods we eat (along with stress , etc.) Lower insulin response = lower stored fat. It also helps the digestive process and I don't feel like eating two pieces of cake after the ACV. All of these things contribute to ACVs weight loss prowess. It's better and cheaper than diets and diet pills. But, always try to maintain a good balanced diet, low in fat and at least walk for thirty minutes three times a week.

ACV also cured my hemorrhoids. I had such bad ones internal and external that I needed surgery. It was the worst pain i have ever experienced. (Don't do it!!!) But, after three months, they had not gone away. On Earth Clinic I learned that they could be remedied by applying ACV. I tried it and they shrank to almost nothing overnight! I just saturated a enough of a section of a gauze pad to cover my hemorrhoids and applied it directly on them for 30-minutes before bed. I was in so much pain after the surgery that I would cry all day and I stopped eating, just so I wouldn't have a bowel movement. The ACV was a miracle. I wish I had read Earth Clinic before I decided to go under the knife.

I have side effects after taking 2 TBS ACV diluted in a 8 oz cup of water twice a day - a lot of gas and bloating problem, even acid reflex, I think. Anyway, I couldn't sleep at night. That's how uncomfortable it made my stomach and chest feel. Then, I tried two ways to ease the problem. One is adding about 1/4-1/2 TS of baking soda to the drink. It worked. But, I was concerned about the side effects of using the baking soda mentioned on this web site, so I switched my ACV drink to a lower dosage - 1 TBS ACV with a full glass of water, and always drink it after a meal. Either way helps my problem. Oh, I also found out another great way to stop the gas/bloating problem - apples. It really works. But, it seems green apples work the best. Hope the tips would help anyone with the same problem.

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.

PERSONALLY I HAVE TRIED THE ACV REMEDIES FOR COLDS, COUGH, VOMITING, INDIGESTION, ACIDITY, HEADACHES, AND ALL OF THEM WORKED WELL.

THANKS PEOPLE FOR ALL YOUR COMMENTS AND REMEDIES , BUT REALLY WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF THE AGE OF THE PERSON IS MENTIONED SO THAT ONE CAN GAUGE IF THE REMEDY WILL WORK FOR AN OLDER OR YOUNGER OR IN CASE OF CHILDREN.

I think it would be useful to know people's ages.

For Dianna from Mumbai, India:

Hello Dianna,

I have used ACV with my children and my youngest one is now 47 years old. I don't remember giving it orally to any of them until they were l year old, In view of the
fact that honey is said to contain some bacteria (it also has some antibiotic/antihistaminic action) that the babies immune systems cannot handle under 1 year or age. However I got the honey/ACV from Dr. Jarvis' book on home remedies that he found worked, so I probably did give it to them before since I didn't hear the above caution until all four of my children were past the age of l year.

I haven't seen it on EC yet,but I used to have a relative with 2 small children visit frequently. In the heavy insect bite seasons, my children always developed impetigo (also a streptococcus organism) after their visits. I quickly learned that putting a cup of ACV in the bath water for my four after these visits, stopped my kids from catching impetigo all the time. Another benefit of the ACV in their bath water, they had very few bug bites following the ACV baths. Not wanting to spend half my time treating bug bites & stings, I started using ACV every night for their bathwater.

I am now 76 years old & still using ACV for multiple purposes: cooking, medicine, clogged sinks, bathing, etc.

I can only recall one respiratory infection with severe cough that 50/50 ACV/local honey didn't help. I must have drank at least 3 pints of that stuff and if it helped I would hate to think what pertussis would have been like without it. There was a couple of times that I came close to dialling 911 for transport to the hospital ER. That was when I caught pertussis (whooping cough) from a patient about 10 years ago. When I got one of those coughing spasms after returning to work (the cough does sound terrible and it doesn't feel good) my doc remarked that I needed to see a lung man. He looked surprised when I told him that I didn't, because what was making me cough was all in my head, and my lungs were working hard to keep the crap from moving on down into them. If any of you or your children ever get this mess, remember that. The cough comes from the drainage from the head, which I can best describe as "feels like someone is spraying Elmer's glue or worse over the trachea (windpipe) and the best way to stop it is to flush the nasal passages with normal saline, which I got proceeded to do and stopped the coughing for an hour or two, when I needed to repeat the process. The good news is that my lungs did sucha good job of keeping it out that my entire chest was sore from coughing so vigorously.

Wish I had known about Bill's H202 inhalation then. I certainly would have used it by inhalation & probably sprayes it in my nose too.

I am the living witness on how Organic Apple Cider Vinegar helps much in our body. I suffered different ailments..and it always come to the doctor see the cure and take the medicines. But still it takes a while before the our body relieves. I use this internet to see what is best on my ailments. I found this Organic ACv. i try to use it last 2008. and until now it does really works with me. Every time i am not feeling well, I used 1 tbsp of acv diluted with a glass of water3x a day before meal. It does really works with me. Good advise try it and you will see the difference with your body!!heaps of people relieves thru this .Try now! Use straw to drink it!!

From what I understand, yeast infections can be an issue if you are still eating processed carbs and sugars in any quantity. As yeasts need sugars to feed on, removing those from your diet would help to prevent yeast infections whether you are taking vinegar or not. All carbs will turn to some kind of sugar in the body, which is why most, if not all, Anti-Candida diets remove them. Those who have removed sugars and carbs from their diet are less likely to have problems with the vinegar - especially when some time has passed and all the residual sugars have cleared from the system. It is also possible that those who have issues with yeast infections when taking vinegar, may actually be pre-diabetic and have issues with carbohydrate metabolism anyway, in which case following a low-carb regime would benefit them.

The quantity of processed carbs and refined sugars that are consumed in the Western diet is damaging everyone to a greater or lesser degree. Above all we need nutrition - and the carbs and sugars rob the body of valuable nutrition during their processing whilst giving little or nothing in return. They look good, they taste good, but they are worthless to the body.

For yeast infection check out coconut oil... you need to read all about coconut oil anyway

i feel that apple cider vinegar is a cure-all. It cures everything from constipation to a urinary tract infection. I take a shot of it everyday and it helps me so much! I love it, the taste is strong, but its worth the help it does your body. ACV is good for everything, allergies & sinus problems. I love how much it has helped!

I am just wondering if ACV will deplete anything from your body such as pottasium or anything else that i should watch out for. I take it twice a day(2Tbl spoons with a small cup of Organic apple juice, then i drink a cup of water. In the evening i mix it with a tablespoon of Blackstrap Molasses) and feel great, i am just worried that there could be some long term side effects from taking it everyday. I know that it can effect teeth, so i make sure it does not sit on my teeth. Thanks, and look foward to a response.

The first person who recommended ACV to me said that YES it does deplete your potassium, and that it could make your legs ache as a result. She said she would eat a banana when that happened and she would be fine. However, I've read in many other places that one of ACV's greatest benefits is that it INCREASES your potassium, which is a main reason why it works so well. I don't know. I like bananas, so I eat them often anyway. My legs never hurt.

I've been drinking ACV w/ maple syrup and cayenne for several months now after reading about it on Earth Clinic. It has helped me to control my sweet tooth, drop a few lbs., and completely healed the dry cracking skin on the back of my hands. If I miss a day of drinking it or when I feel thirsty, I actually feel a craving for it. I use 2 TB of ACV and maple syrup per 8 oz. of water and a few dashes of cayenne pepper.

Also, I haven't gotten sick once since I started drinking this great stuff. My entire household got colds a couple of months ago and I fully expected to get one too, but to my surprise, it skipped me!

I started taking ACV just over two weeks ago, and after about 3 days my hay fever was almost completely gone and hasn't come back! It has been absolutely terrible this year since about May. I started out by using 2 tbsp. a day, just adding 1 tbsp. to a 160z water bottle. I found that worked well, and I've reduced it some days to just 1 tbsp. and I found it still to be just as effective. I also noticed almost immediately after I started taking the ACV that I have absolutely NO ODOR under my arms. I've always had to wear deodorant, so I was shocked when the second day I was taking the ACV and I forgot to put my deodorant on and I realized I didn't smell. It's wonderful! I haven't worn deodorant for 2 weeks now! Just to note, I always use a straw when drinking the ACV, to prevent my tooth enamel from wearing away.

Add 1 tblsp of ACV, 240 ml of water and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of Baking Soda. Feeling fatigue is sign of body being ACidic. Good Health

I have been taking ACV along with manuka honey which also contains many healing properties, so far so good, every now and then i will add 1 clove of garlic by crushing and adding to it, im feeling great and will continue with this as long as i need too, thank you all for the awesome stories and knowledge you have all shared. Kia Kaha

There seems to be some confusion so I am writing to clarify about the ACV mother. I did go to the Briggs sight and looked up the the information on ACV with mother needing to be in the refrigerator. It 'did not' say 'do not' refrigerate it only said you did not 'need' to refrigerate! That is logical because vinegar has a almost indefinite shelf life but in can be stored in the refrigerator with no ill affects as well. Neither one is a problem, or right or wrong so it is a personal choice. Hope this is helpful.

For everyone using ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) on a more than rare instance, please note the following in my research of the product from webmd.com

http://www.webmd.com/diet/apple-cider-vinegar?page=3

Should I Use Apple Cider Vinegar?

The answer depends on how you want to use apple cider vinegar. As a salad dressing, you should be fine. But TAKEN AS A DAILY medical treatment, it could be a little more risky. Yes, some studies of applecider vinegar are intriguing. But a lot more research needs to be done. Right now, there is not enough evidence that apple cider vinegar -- or any vinegar -- has any health benefit for any condition. Since the benefits are unknown, so are the risks.

I think its a great option to help relieve the pain and suffering of various issues etc., but figured since everyone was somewhat glorifying ACV on the site I had to research it, and think this should be posted so people aren't overding it... apparently it has been known if used too often to lead to potentially osteoperosis (bone thinning) and a slew of other things. Do your research people, please, for you.

Thank you for this site and the posts though, great great ideas and great great remedies. Being added to my favorites list b/c I dont prefer pill popping and shots to fix ailments/sickness etc.

Best, J

I whole heartedly agree. Of course doctors are going to shoot down any inexpensive natural remedy because they can't capitalize on it. They are all about drugs and treatments because it makes them and the drug companies money. I will take the natural remedies any day of the week and twice on Sunday. I have had great success with ACV, as well as cayenne pepper. They have worked better for me than any prescribed drugs.

In regards to doctors and pharmaceutical companies and not recommending "home" cures (that may or may not work--I believe ACV works by the way) because there is no profit in killing cancer (or whatever), I came across a quote somewhere (maybe even here) that bears repeating:

A live sheep can be sheared many times, but you can only kill him once.

Yes, I have been on a similar high protein/low carb diet, through a weight loss center, but in their case when I reported constipation as a side effect of the diet, their remedy was to sell me their "cleansing tea" which while pleasant tasting was just a teabag version of senna-based laxatives! It seems that the ACV is helping in this regard but it may be too soon to tell just yet. Of course the weight loss center will not like this because they don't sell ACV or make a lot of money off it...

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.

This is my first time trying the ACV diluted in water and I find that I like the taste! Maybe because my nose is so stuffed up from my allergies. If they do clear up as you guys say. Then maybe my sense of smell and taste will come back! (And that I will still not mind the taste of the ACV! ) Hoping to lose some weight too. . . . Keep ya posted! . . . Caroline

Dr. Mercola has a good article on ACV: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/06/02/Apple-Cider-Vinegar-Hype.aspx

Dr.Mercola doesn't necessarily NAY ACV. He is providing an objective analysis of ACV benefits, which for the most part is positive. Please read the article again; he provides some scientific evidence to many of the ACV benefits. And also read the comments section- tons of positive feedback.

-Dug

I go to an anti- aging doctor, and she does not know that MSM is derived from DMSO my mixing it with Hydrogen Peroxide. Dr Mercola does not know that ACV is Malic acid and not acetic acid. Friends and neighbors, we can't trust any of these BS artists. They just slickin every thing for our appitite. They are like a car sales man they don't know crap about a car. They just sell them. Been with money managers for the last 14 years. They don't know crap either and that is the reason I'm now doing my investments myself. If Dr Mercola does not know that ACV is malic acid, he is a fraud.

According to Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malic_Acid), seems malic acid is what gives the green apple its tart taste but the malic acid decreases with ripening of the fruits (apples and grapes & probably other fruits). Malic acid winds up being converted to lactic acid.

Wiki definition of ACV (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_cider_vinegar) states that first fermentation of apple juice converts sugars in the apple juice into alcohol. A second fermentation converts the alcohol into acetic acid.

We all might want to find a better method of separating the ones who have our health at heart from the charlatans. Personally, I choose to go with the ones that check out with other sources and the best way to separate the two are by do they recommend remedies you can gather for yourself or are readily obtainable (as Dr. Jonathan Wright does) or do they only recommend herbs, etc. from far east India, South Africa, or China & are they connected to the place selling combinations of those "must be imported from afar" herbs.

I have been waiting until the end of the school year to report on my success with organic ACV with the "mother". I have been a tutor in an elementary school for three years now. The first two years I caught everything imaginable...constant sore throats, horrendous coughs, runny noses, on and on all year....I truely was constantly fighting something. Last Fall before the start of the year I began to take 1/4 cup of ACV with tomato juice faithfully once a day. AMAZING....I have not so much as had a sniffle the entire year....no flu, no colds, no anything. I'm in my late 50's and until discovering ACV I believed I needed to quit a position with children that I loved!! This is good news in my world and what have you got to lose by trying it? I tell anyone who will listen about this simple natural "cure-all"....I'm living proof of it's benefits!!!!

Hello. This is a wonderful site. I have been reading about the many uses of apple cider vinegar and keep it handy. I know that it makes the body more alkaline as it should be, but it also abates inflammation in the body. For years I have had joint pains on and off (sickle cell trait), and last sunday had a flare up. During the night it was difficult for me to move in the bed because of my left knee. In the morning when I got up to get ready for church, I had about 3 tablespoons of ACV in a glass of water, just before I went and took a shower. By the time I left for church my knee pain was gone. This stuff is great. My dad was also complaining of back and knee pains and I told him to start drinking ACV daily- he no longer complains. I have been using ACV and 3% percent peroxide (50/50)with occasional tea tree oil for a fungus of my big toe nail- it is clearing up nicely. Thanks earth clinic.

I am using about 1 - 2 tbsp of ACV every day for about 2 months now. I have been able to get off of my prescription heart burn pills, finally. I find that I get heart burn more often, but ACV relieves it. I am thinking now of using the only 2 tsps to one 8 oz glass of water though, as I do get concerned to taking too much.