Apple Cider Vinegar: Uses, Health Benefits and FAQ

Found some ACV today at the supermarket. It is the kind with "mother" in it. Not knowing how much to take I did what the bottle said and threw a couple of tea spoons in a cup with warm water (about 1/3 full) and drank it.

Any reccomendations on how much and when to take it? What is it supposed to do? Mine is the _____ brand and it says 5.6% acidity and says it's organic. Does any of this matter?

Do we need alkalinity or acidity?

Cheers.

Its possible that you are seeing detox symptoms... The skin is the last place you will see something in the body trying to get out, show up.... I would slow down, and be patient. Drink EXTRA water to help flush the body too. I've also read that lymphatic issues/blockages will show up as rashes.

Hi Ann, I'm not sure about ACV bleaching the face but hydrogen peroxide will bleach your face. However, They both will dry your skin out, so be sure to use some coconut oil as a fabulous moisturizer to replenish your skin :) I am an Esthetician and I use it daily.

Hi all! I started taking ACV with the mother about a week ago. 2 tablespoons mixed with water once a day.. I noticed low grade earache, sniffles, & sneeze here and there etc... Then after about 5 days I doubled my dosage to 2 tablespoons TWICE a day in water... And BAM! I had major allergies pop up. I'm wondering if my body is going through a detox affect? or what? Isn't it supposed to HELP allergies? I absolutely LOVE the energy it gives me within 10 minutes of taking it, but what is going on with these allergies? I havent changed my diet or exposed myself to anything new that I know of.. Except for ALOT of white lines in the sky the past few days. Any ideas are greatly appreciated :) Thank GOD and all of you for Earth Clinic!

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).

Have you been allergy tested for apples??

I too have been helped by using the Apple Cider Vinegar. The acid reflux is so bad that I have heartburn that feels like a rubber band across my chest pulling in both directions and it hurts to laugh, cough or twist and bend. When I take the apple cider vinegar this goes away. I use the below combination

1 cup heated water

2 TBLS unfiltered ACV

2 TBLS Raw natural unfiltered honey

Not only does it help with my stomach, the acid reflux it is also helping me with my hair and skin and boy am I full of energy. Hate to brag too much they may raise the price of this natural product that God made and the goverment may try to alter it by adding all kinds of junk to it. Can't beat the benefits. One way to stay healthy and not depend on this new healthcare insurance that the government is pushing.

I am but one voice, but I would sooner listen to the fact that apple cider vinegar (ACV) has been around for thousands of years and is known as nearly the first medicine known to man than listen to the USDA. Wishful thinking is excellent medicine, too.

We cannot believe all that is said here, but as someone mentioned a few posts back, real people talking to us. I feel more faith in these forums than listening to Gov. agencies.

I'll join in on this one. Severe fibro pain if you want to call it that. Severe allergies, impossible to live on this planet. ACV may have helped my asthma but 3 yrs on & the pain and allergies are no less. I do just about everything else on here to the point of almost being sick of it. These things generally dont taste nice.

I have taken Apple Cider Vinegar for 6 mos. Daily. I have fungus problems, sinus problems and others. I do not see any change by taking acv.

Try applying it topically for faster results. Here's my skin regimen: wash/exfoliate with a paste of baking soda and castille soap (castille soap won't dry your skin), tone with 50/50 mixture of water and ACV (I use B---- brand with the mother), then moisturize with organic virgin coconut oil. I've found all of these products at either the grocery store or a vitamin/health shop.

Since using the above procedure, my breakouts are down to near zero (I do get one or two here and there when I get stressed, but this is the exception rather than the norm). My skin just glows now -- I just wish this site had been around when I was in high school!

I suffer from nodular acne typically I get one or two around my periods I kept them at bay by applying JOJOBA oil to my face. It works for me. This time around I got a cluster of acnes on my cheeks and it got me worried Jojoba was not enough. I started drinking the ACV concoction after reading so much about it on this website. I do see some difference in the appearance of my acne, they are smaller, has less pus and go down faster.. But ever since I started ACV (a week ago now) I am observing that I get one new acne each day on my face. I did read that ACV may aggravate the problem before curing it.. I am just writing to gain some moral support to continue on ACV. Can someone share their similar experiences and how long it lasted. Please help.

I have read many postings about the benefits of ACV, ways to take it, and discussions about its acidic nature. I am a nurse trying to get my head around naturalistic cures as wonderful alternatives to prescription medications, but I'm having a lot of confusion regarding how ACV actually works in the body. I still have a few questions that maybe someone can answer for me.

1. Perhaps I just haven't read enough, but wouldn't natural (unprocessed) apple cider give the same benefits as the vinegar?

2. If the benefits from ACV come from ingesting the "acid", wouldn't it all be neutralized by taking it with baking soda?

3. If the benefits of ACV are related to the acidic nature, wouldn't one get the same benefits by taking other highly acidic foods; lemon juice, tomatoes, etc?

Thanks for your time.

I hope you post the update you mentioned! Thanks!

I hate the taste of vinagar, so I found the best thing to mix with it is grape juice. Chug it down without breathing, then rince cup out with a little more grape juice. Not to bad!

I have had a wart on the tip of my finger for a few years now. I just left it alone. It wasn't that visible and it didn't bother me. However, I just got tired of looking at it and was starting to bother me lately. So, I remember ACV was mentioned here for warts; so I tried it. I took a small piece of cotton, just enough to cover the wart and soaked it the ACV and put a bandaid on it. Left it on all day/night. following morning, took it off and repeated the process. It's been 3 days, and the wart has shrunk in size by half. No pain, by the way either. I will keep doing this until it is gone. ACV is truly a wonder. I drink 8 oz of water with 1 or 2 TBS of ACV every day by the way. Also helps with itching or bug bites. Just dab straight ACV on the itch. Love this site by the way. Lifesaver at times. Good luck everyone.

(I'm pretty sure you want to brush your teeth *before* not afterwards... Acids weaken the enamel, and brushing then damages it / wears it away. If you brush before, it's not such a big deal. That's my current understanding of it.)

Carmel, here's another "recipe" tip in case your batch is still foul-tasting. I'm from Russia and I usually drink my current bottle (still young, light colored, and quite gross) the way Russians drink cheap vodka. Pour yourself a shot with 2 tbsp ACV. 1/4 tsp baking soda is a good idea to neutralize the acid. (Other stuff is optional, cayenne pepper, honey, etc.... )

The real key is breathing properly:

1) Inhale
2) Exhale fully
3) With no air in your lungs, drop the whole shot with bravado
4) Inhale (if the stuff is real bad, then take the first inhale entirely through the mouth)

If you want to be on the safe side, you can take a few more breaths through your mouth before inhaling normally.

Chasers help too, even plain water...

If you have an old bottle of spirulina capsules, try emptying one in the shot. It won't make it taste any better, but it will turn it a neat radioactive green, and you can pretend you're about to turn into the incredible Hulk.

Very interesting. I bought a large bottle of this months ago and was told when I bought it that it had the mother in there. I was naive, had never bought this stuff before. When it was delivered and I looked for this fascinating mother I had read so much about I could see just a few bits in there, like grains of pepper. It tasted horrible so I decided to put it to one side while I had a think. A month passed and the few grains had become more and yes like kombucha. Still have not drunk it. Am contemplating doing so to help with my sinuses and blocked ears but hate the taste.

Hi I must add my voice to the crowd of people who find the taste of pure ACV to be absolutely unpalatable at best, nauseating at worst. That said, I have an interesting anecdote to report: I recently finished a bottle of very old ACV that had been sitting virtually untouched for 2 - 4 years (no kidding). It was never refrigerated, and for the last few years wasn't even properly closed (the cap broke). What happened is that it turned a very dark color, and the "mother" was so fully developed that it looked like kombucha starter, if you've ever seen that. I'm talking about large brown gelatinous masses rather than small filaments. Here's the most interesting part: it tasted great! It definitely had the right acidity and "kick" but there was no foul odor (excuse me if you're a fan), and no strong after taste at all. It was a very clean taste. It seems that ACV only gets better with time (and maybe even more healthful), like a fine wine, so if you ever see a long-neglected, dark colored bottle with well-developed "mother of vinegar, " snatch it up!

It was common when I was growing up to have greens, Mustard, Collards etc. And pour vinegar on them. It tastes good and is good for you.

Stomach 'acid', is actually not enough acid in the stomach, so ACV tonic actually helps. I do the morning tonic, 2 TBS ACV, 1/4tsp Baking soda, 1cp water (i use a scoop of stevia as well but honey is good too). I'm in a treatment for hashimoto's, I get dry mouth, eyes, inside nose. For me, I added, cayenne pepper, 1/4-1 tsp in lilttle bit of warm/hot water, slam it back.... I do feel the 'burn' in the mouth/throat for a few min. , then heat in the stomach that soon moves to the abdomen. Dryness gone in minutes, stomach is soothed. I still do AVC, but having the cayenne everyday makes the difference for me.

I am a 57 year old female, who had to go gluten/dairy and soy free a couple years ago. Been extremely strict with my diet and eat extremely healthy these days, excellent hydration habits and lost a ton of weight.

But for the past 6 months I'm plagued with something I can only describe as a dry mouth sensation. It started with stomach pains and spasms, but that went away and left me with the dry mouth. Sometimes this is very bad, sometimes it's tolerable, but it's been with me for 6 months now. It's not a matter of hydration, more water doesn't help. I've been to the doctor and months of testing show me as the picture of health, still I am plagued by this. I'm at the end of my rope. Now I have narrowed this down to my stomach. I am unsure whether this is connected to a low stomach acid problem or an excess stomach acid problem, but my dry mouth is worse whenever my stomach "isn't quite right".

So I am giving the ACV and honey cure a try. Just started this yesterday and so far I'm putting 2 tsp of organic ACV and 2 tsp of raw honey into about 8 oz of spring water and sipping it with my meal. (Tastes really good, I rather look forward to drinking it). At first I notice a very very slight burning in my middle, but it goes away pretty quickly if I sip a little more water. It does make the dry mouth abate for a couple hours. My worry though is that I'll damage my stomach if I actually have excess stomach acid causing the problem to worsen. How do you know if the ACV is doing more harm than good? How long should it take to see sustainable results?

In the past 2 weeks I have commenced using a cap full of organic ACV with a glass full of water every morning after breakfast. I am 54 years of age in good health and with the exception of a cholesterol lowering tablet, take no other medication. Over the past couple of months have felt lower energy levels and find it difficult to get going in the mornings. Since using the ACV have clearly noticed that my energy levels have returned and in fact better than what they were. I no longer have trouble getting out of bed and have found that there is no sign of constipation as was sometimes being experienced. I wasn't sure whether this was my imagination but now having read with great interest the feedback that have been posted, I do believe it is as a result of using the ACV. I intend to continue using it and am eager to see what my cholesterol levels will be at on my next blood test. If improved, I will suggest to my doctor that I trial a period of time ceasing the statins and maintaining the ACV. When I have some results from this experiment, I will post the update.

I find the easiest way to take Apple Cider Vinegar is, put the amount on a spoon, pour it in your mouth but do not swallow, take a glass of water or juice if you prefer and while you still have the ACV in your mouth take a drink of the juice, mix it around in your mouth with the ACV and swallow, voila, done!!! I actually like the flavor so I can take it right off the spoon, but it can burn your throat that way so it's best to mix in some water or juice.

Hello Sarah - I know your post about ACV is from 2008.... But I was wondering if you have found any other solutions or information regarding abdomen pain and bloating from prolonged sitting (something that affects me nearly every day, and has been causing me pain on and off for many years). You are the first person I have seen mention this as a cause of pain.... In fact, after years of using Earth Clinic - this is my first post!

I bought some of the _____s apple cider vinegar and it says that it is not necessary to refrigerate it, but I prefer it cold for the taste... Will it harm the vinegar if I keep it in the fridge? Also, I was wondering if it would be safe to mix it into my daily Emergen C drinks? Thank you!

Hi, Few months I googled and found this site for Apple cider vinegar to reduced my trigleceride level. I am 48 and took medicines for reducing. Then I took risk and took one tablespoon daily for 4 months within two months to my & doctor surprise my triglercite level went down.. Thanks for the person who created this site and the contirbutors for sharing their own personal effect and experience.....

Just let the tap water sit out for about an hour on the counter before mixing. We have to do this with our fish tanks.

I take ACV as well as a kelp supplement, along with eating Seaweed Snacks (nori) from a popular health food chain. Would this seem to be enough iodine? I live in the goiter belt so am concerned about this...

Peace, Jacquelynna

THIS IS A GENERAL COMMENT ABOUT DRINKING ACV:

Apple cider vinegar is gross, as any of you who has tried drinking it surely knows. All the posts I have seen say to dilute it with water, but in my opinion that just prolongs the terrible experience of drinking it.

I just tried mixing it with a little bit of cold tonic water (about 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar to 2-3 tsp tonic) and found that was much better than still water.

I hope that this doesn't somehow counteract acv's effectiveness, because I've found it to be much less disgusting!

I have had such bad bouts of reflux. When I had my gallbladder removed it improved. But this have gotten stressful medication prices have hit the ceiling never mind to mention the side effects. Out of desperation I googled a natural remedy. I used normal vinegar and it worked. So I know that the apple cider vinegar is going to be even more effective. Thank you!!!

I feel a real sense of obligation to post something here touting the benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar to combat a sinus infection. I first read about it here and must concur with the other "yeas".

I am 4 months pregnant and had been suffering with an incredible sinus infection for three weeks. This is apparently rather common for pregnant women due to various reasons. Not ever having one before, I just thought it was a severe cold with headaches, toothaches, etc. Finally, I found out what I actually had. I did the saline solutions which helped and took in more vitamin C. No doubt these were helpful, but it was when I starting the magic concoction suggested here: 2 tbsp ACV, 1 tbsp honey, 1 cup warm H20. I actually had to chase each horrific gulp with water. But I got it down. That was YESTERDAY! Today, I woke up having a full night of sleep and no headache, no earache, no face tenderness.

Just WOW! I did do a bit of research into the possible adverse effects of ACV for pregnant women before proceding, but found nothing to concern myself with. I wouldn't choose to use it daily however during a pregnancy, but for combatting that debilitating infection, yes! Yes! Yes!

Sunday, 3/25/12. This is my first day on this web site. I was looking for something for my horrible swollen ankles and lower legs. Not sure if my ankles are gout or just the effects of this salt-a-holic eating too much corned beef for St. Patty's Day (and leftovers). I am amazed at all the things ALC can cure or alleviate. I just tried the apple cider recipe with ACV (an old bottle I had), honey, cinnamon and nutmeg. Delicious. I actually like the taste. I was tempted to drink another glass right away, but decided to spread it out three times a day, morning, noon and night (unless I find another recipe I like then I will alternate).

Thirty minutes after drinking the apple cider, I started feeling more awake and alert. It was affecting something in my brain. Time will tell with some of my other ailments. I have not noticed any bad after effects. The air also feels cooler when I breath, maybe its also affecting my sinuses. In any event, I will continue drinking it and reading some of the other remedies listed on this web site. Who knows, maybe it will change my life for the better and I can shed some of my unwanted pounds. Thank you for your recipe. I have to go to the store and buy a new bottle of ACV, the one I have is pretty old, and some more honey. Great web site.

Be sure to drink plenty of water with it.

My sister had very serious sinus problems and was suffering badly and said that the chronic conditions had completely ruined her life for over a year and half with mega doses of antibiotics and was considering to undergo an operation. As a last resort she went into google and looked up natural remedies for her problem and came up with this wonderful site and it has been a G-d send and read up all sorts of home remedies for the sinuses. One of the remedies was drinking 2 teaspoons of apple vinegar in a cup of water (using a straw so as not to ruin enamel of teeth) 3 times a day. From the first day she found relief to her chronic problem, but then came up with the idea of adding vinegar to a boiling kettle with water and breathing the fumes up her nose making sure not to burn herself - u must keep a distance so as not to burn herself and keep a low heat and use a towel over the head and making sure not to use too much vinegar because of the strong fumes, start with too tablespoons, if too strong add more water until comforable, if too weak add more vinegar. Since then and until this day her problem has completely gone thank G-d and I am a witness as to how much she had suffered before using apple cider vinegar. Halleluyah!!!

Thanks a lot earth clinic. My son has been cure with ACV. He was with antibiotics but didn't work, it was worse. My son is 9 years old. The only thing I noticed is he has stomach pain when he drinks ACV. He takes 1 tsp of ACV once or twice a day after meals. Any advise for the stomachache?

Soaking your feet in apple cider vinegar uses a LOT of vinegar.

I've been able to use way less vinegar by putting my feet into the gallon size zip lock plastic bags, putting the bagged feet into a rectangular dishpan from the $1 store, in case the bags leak or spill vinegar.