Apple Cider Vinegar: Benefits, Side Effects, Best Time to Take It & More

Apple Cider Vinegar

(ACV)

Evidence: Reasonable
Possible Benefits: Reasonable
Safety: Reasonable

What is apple cider vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar, also known as ACV, is a type of vinegar made from apples. It is often used as a dietary supplement for improving digestion, nutrient absorption, gut health, and overall health. This article is about the main benefits of apple cider vinegar, its potential side effects, the best time to take it, and more.

Possible benefits

All of the potential benefits mentioned below are dose-dependent. As with most other supplements, there is a sweet-spot dose that allows you to get most of the benefits without causing meaningful side effects or tolerance buildup in the body. We will discuss the best dosing protocol later in this article.

Major benefits

Improved nutrient absorption – Because of its acidic properties, acetic acid in apple cider vinegar can increase the absorption of many minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, zinc, and copper, which is why these nutrients are often sold in acetate forms, which tend to be significantly more bioavailable than other forms, such as oxide and gluconate. Acetic acid can also increase the absorption of some phytonutrients, such as EGCG from green tea.

Minor benefits

Improved digestion – ACV can slightly improve the digestion of food. This is especially the case for people experiencing constipation and indigestion.
Improved blood glucose levels – This benefit is most notable when you take apple cider vinegar before a meal rich in carbohydrates. The carbohydrates will take longer to digest, leading to a smaller blood sugar spike.
Reduced appetite – Apple cider vinegar can make you feel fuller and less hungry, especially when you take it before a meal.
Weight loss – 15-30 mL of ACV daily can lead to a small but reliable weight-reducing effect. This benefit seems secondary to reduced appetite and food consumption.
Reduced triglycerides – Two human studies found notable reductions in triglycerides following ACV supplementation while one study found a small increase. More research is needed to determine the impact of ACV on triglycerides.

Possible side effects

The side effects below are dose-dependent. The risk for them increases (often linearly but sometimes exponentially) as you increase the dose. Some of the side effects only apply to very high doses.

Yellowing of teeth – Apple cider vinegar is acidic, which means it can damage the enamel and make the teeth yellower.
Reduced muscle mass – This side effect of apple cider vinegar is secondary to reduced food consumption.
Gastrointestinal side effects – Because of its acidic properties, high amounts of apple cider vinegar may damage the gastrointestinal tract.
Increased CRP – Apple cider vinegar was found in one study to slightly increase C-reactive protein, one of the main markers of inflammation. The reason for this effect is unclear.
Allergic reaction – An allergy to this vinegar is rare but possible.
Toxicity – While acute toxicity is extremely rare, drinking high amounts of this vinegar could lead to chronic toxicity and cause health problems over time. Regularly drinking high amounts can also cause the body to develop a tolerance to the vinegar. To prevent chronic toxicity or the buildup of tolerance, staying below 30 mL in a day is best unless you have a great reason to take more.

Who should not drink ACV?

You should probably avoid apple cider vinegar if you:

have vulnerable teeth
are allergic to this vinegar
experience a severe adverse reaction after drinking ACV
are pregnant or breastfeeding (while it can be safe to drink this vinegar during pregnancy or breastfeeding, it can put some unnecessary risk to the child)

Who will benefit the most?

You should consider using ACV if you:

often get constipated
cannot digest food well
are trying to lose weight
recently went through an antibiotic cycle
tend to overeat
wish to improve gut health and general health
experience symptoms of ulcerative colitis

How much apple cider vinegar should you drink daily?

The sweet spot dose typically ranges between 15-30 mL daily for most people. This amount should provide most of the benefits without meaningful side effects.

The higher end of this range usually provides slightly more benefits in the short term. If you plan to use this vinegar for a longer time (multiple months or years), the lower end is probably a better way to go since it is safer, and you would develop tolerance faster if you were to take higher doses.

The upper safety limit for this vinegar is not well-established. To stay on the safe side, don’t take more than the recommended dose unless you have a great reason to do so. Higher amounts may cause problems if you use the vinegar for a prolonged period.

Like most other supplements, it is best to cycle apple cider vinegar and take about two days off weekly to reset your tolerance. That will allow you to keep getting the benefits in the long term.

Best time to drink apple cider vinegar

The best time to drink ACV for improving digestion is about 30 minutes before eating a meal.

Whether you use the vinegar in the morning or the evening does not make much difference. Both options are fine so feel free to experiment.

If you drink green tea or other types of tea, it is best to consume some ACV with it to enhance the absorption of EGCG and other catechins.

Interactions

Iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, and other minerals
Because of its acidic properties, acetic acid in apple cider vinegar can greatly enhance the absorption of these and a few other minerals.
Green tea
Apple cider vinegar can greatly increase the absorption of EGCG and possibly other catechins in green tea and other types of tea from the Camellia sinensis plant, such as black and oolong tea.

Where to buy apple cider vinegar?

In most countries, Amazon is the best option for ordering apple cider vinegar. They offer some very affordable products backed by many positive reviews. Also, you can choose from a wide range of brands without having to search through other markets on the Internet.

If possible, buy the vinegar in a glass bottle instead of a plastic one to avoid phthalates.

FAQ

Like most other supplements, it is best to cycle apple cider vinegar and take a break from it for about two days per week to reset your tolerance back to baseline. That will keep your body sensitive to ACV and allow you to keep getting the benefits in the long term.

Yes. Whether you use ACV in the morning or the evening does not make much difference. Both options are fine so feel free to experiment.

This vinegar should not become harmful once it exceeds the expiration date. However, it can become moldy or lose potency over time. Keep this vinegar in a cold, dark, and dry place so it remains as potent for many months or even years.

While acute toxicity is rare, taking very high amounts of this vinegar could lead to various problems over time. High doses can also make you develop tolerance much faster than lower doses.

While you could safely take higher doses, there is usually no point in taking more than 5 grams daily. This amount should give you most of the benefits without meaningful side effects.

Unfortunately, not much is known about the half-life of apple cider vinegar in the body. However, most of the effects of this vinegar are cumulative, so they mainly happen in the long term rather than acutely. Therefore, the half-life of ACV isn’t very relevant in practice.

Apple cider vinegar may acutely improve your digestion and blood glucose levels shortly after you start taking it. In the long term, you must use ACV for about 2-4 weeks to begin noticing most of the benefits.

Yes, apple cider vinegar is vegan-friendly. If you buy ACV in a capsulated form, beware that the capsules often contain animal-based gelatin. Instead, find a brand that puts its products into cellulose capsules.

ACV should not interfere with fasting in any significant way.

References

Most of the information in this guide is based on scientific research that can be found and verified in the PubMed medical library. We highly encourage you to use the library to verify anything you read in this article. We excluded from consideration studies that are either confounded or have a high conflict of interest.

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