Does Apple Cider Vinegar Help Weight-Loss?

Check out this answer from Consensus:

The scientific evidence supports the claim that apple cider vinegar can aid in weight loss. Its effects on appetite suppression, metabolic health, gut microbiota, and additional health benefits make it a promising natural remedy for weight management. However, it is essential to use ACV as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle for optimal results.

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has been touted as a natural remedy for various health issues, including weight loss. This article explores the scientific evidence behind these claims, examining whether ACV can indeed aid in weight management and the mechanisms through which it might work.

Effects on Weight Management

Several studies have investigated the impact of ACV on weight management. A randomized clinical trial involving overweight or obese individuals found that ACV, when combined with a restricted calorie diet, significantly reduced body weight, BMI, hip circumference, and visceral adiposity index (VAI) compared to a control group that only followed the restricted calorie diet1. Another study confirmed these findings, showing that ACV intake led to a consistent reduction in body weight and BMI over a 60-day period2.

Mechanisms of Action

Appetite Suppression

One of the ways ACV may aid in weight loss is by suppressing appetite. The acetic acid in vinegar has been shown to increase feelings of fullness, which can lead to reduced calorie intake1.

Metabolic Effects

ACV has also been found to improve various metabolic parameters. For instance, it significantly decreased plasma triglyceride and total cholesterol levels while increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations1. These changes can contribute to better overall metabolic health, which is often linked to weight management.

Gut Microbiota Modulation

Emerging evidence suggests that ACV can modulate the gut microbiota, which plays a crucial role in obesity and metabolic health. A study on rats subjected to a high-fat diet found that ACV supplementation led to a significant decrease in BMI and altered the gut microbiota composition, reducing the levels of harmful bacteria6.

Comparative Studies

When compared to other weight loss methods, such as pharmaceutical drugs and other natural supplements, ACV has shown promising results. A study comparing the effects of ACV, green tea, and pharmaceutical drugs like orlistat found that ACV was effective in reducing body weight and improving liver function, making it a safer alternative to chemical drugs7.

Additional Health Benefits

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Properties

ACV has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which can further aid in weight management by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation associated with obesity4 5.

Blood Sugar Control

ACV also has anti-hyperglycemic properties, making it beneficial for diabetic patients who are often overweight. It helps in lowering blood sugar levels and improving insulin sensitivity, which can contribute to weight loss10.

Does apple cider vinegar help weight-loss?

Cornelie Nienaber-Rousseau has answered Uncertain

An expert from North-West University in Nutrition

Vinegar is a sour-tasting liquid made by fermenting dilute wine, cider or beer or other alcoholic liquids. It is often used as a condiment or for pickling vegetables. Many types of vinegar exist. The main component of apple cider vinegar, persimmon vinegar, tomato vinegar and others, is acetic acid (AcOH), with 15 ml vinegar containing approximately 750 mg of acetic acid (Petsiou et al., 2014; Samad et al., 2016). Other constituents of vinegar include organic acids (formic, lactic, malic, citric, succinic, and tartaric), amino acids, peptides, vitamins, mineral salts, and polyphenolic compounds (e.g., catechin, caffeic, ferulic acid) (Petsiou et al., 2014). The therapeutic value of vinegar could be due to the presence of the acetic acid and these other components.

In terms of vinegar’s effects on body weight, most studies on rats seems to be beneficial (Kondo et al., 2009; Lee et al., 2013; Lozano et al., 2012; Yamashita et al., 2007; Yamashita et al., 2009; Yamashita, 2015; Yun et al., 2005) with one finding no effects (Fushimi et al., 2007). Human studies on this topic are scarce. A double-blind placebo-controlled randomized control trial in 155 “obese” (overweight according to the World Health Organization) Japanese individuals studied for 12-weeks indicated beneficial effects that were lost after cessation of treatment (Kondo et al., 2009). The beneficial effects included a reduction in overall weight, waist circumference and abdominal fat. Note that the study of Kondo et al. (2009) was sponsored by a manufacturer of vinegar products. Seo et al. (2015) reported findings from an investigation on the effects of ginseng ripened into a persimmon vinegar (used traditionally in Korean foods) on body weight in obese female adolescents and found a reduction in body weight/fat even though their study was small. However, more good quality (double-blind placebo-controlled randomized control trials) independent studies are essential if we want to determine whether vinegar might be of benefit. Vinegar/acetic acid seems to delay gastric emptying (Hlebowicz et al., 2007; Liljeberg & Björck, 1998), which could be beneficial in terms of weight maintenance. Furthermore, it seems as though vinegar could lower blood sugar (glucose) levels of type 2 diabetic individuals when added to a high glycemic index meal (Johnston et al., 2010; Johnston et al., 2013; Liatis et al., 2010). Vinegar as an appetite suppressant is not well tolerated due to nausea reported as a side effect (Darzi et al., 2014).

For detailed discussions on other possible health benefits of vinegar please refer to the reviews by Petsiou et al. (2014) and Samad et al. (2016). Results from animal studies are promising, but the lack of studies on humans prevent the drawing of an evidence-based conclusion. Further research is needed to support previous reports on the health benefits of different kinds of vinegar or acetic acid. However, while waiting for good quality independent human intervention trials, one could use vinegar to flavor food without feeling any quilt, because it is low in energy (12.6 kJ per tablespoon) (Kohn, 2015) and generally regarded as safe. Vinegar in tablet form should, however, be used with caution (Hill et al., 2005).

For a comprehensive and updated analysis, please see my post titled ‘Is Apple Cider Vinegar Effective for Weight Loss?’ on Nutrition Unveiled (https://nutrition-unveiled.ghost.io/ghost/#/site)

Does apple cider vinegar help weight-loss?

Rafael Franco has answered Extremely Unlikely

An expert from Universitat de Barcelona in Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, Antioxidants, Nutrition, Pharmacology, Asthma, Cell Biology, Biochemistry

Vinegar (from any source) provide acidity. You may like it.

To loss weight at present required to eat less and/or expend more calories (by exercise)

No miracle drugs and for sure vinegar does not help to reduce weight.

This question reminds me a Biochemist (do not recall is name) who gave a graphical description on dieting. If you diet (only) is like pushing a big stone up a hill. When you stop you go down the hill. In other words when you diet you train the body to take more profit of what you eat, i.e. when you go back to eat “normal” again you get the same or even more weight than before starting the diet.

In summary eating less plus exercise is the trick. At present quite likely the only one.