Apple Cider Vinegar: Uses, Benefits & Side Effects

Introduction:

Apples are high in antioxidants (natural substances that prevent cell damage by inhibiting oxidation), which help inhibit free radicals (unstable atoms that leads to cell damage) formation. Apples are abundant in phenolic compounds, vitamins, minerals, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus, all of which are beneficial in managing numerous chronic conditions. Apple cider vinegar is formed from pressed apples that have been processed in the same way as apple juice, but it is not filtered.

Low acetic acid, flavonoids, phenolic chemicals (gallic acid, catechin, caffeic acid, epicatechin, chlorogenic acid, and p-coumaric acid), organic acids, minerals, and vitamins are found in apple cider vinegar, which is made from cider that has undergone acetous bioconversion.¹s

Salad dressings, marinades, and sauces frequently contain apple cider vinegar. It is prepared by a fermentation process in which yeast and bacteria are added to the juice of pulverised apples, converting carbohydrates to alcohol and then to acetic acid that gives the vinegar its sour flavour. Cider vinegar and apple vinegar are frequent names for apple cider vinegar.²

Nutritional Value of Apple Cider Vinegar:

Pectin, vitamins B and C, and trace amounts of sodium, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and magnesium are all likely found in apple cider vinegar.²

Apple cider vinegar’s primary active ingredients are acetic acid and polyphenolic chemicals. Succinic, ascorbic, formic, citric, and oxalic acids are other organic acid compounds found in apple cider vinegar.²

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Therapeutic Uses of Apple Cider Vinegar:

The therapeutic properties of apple cider vinegar are listed below.

• Antimicrobial
• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-hypertensive
• Anti-diabetic (blood sugar lowering)
• Hypolipidaemic
• Antiarthritic³
• Antidandruff
• Anti-osteoporotic(bone protective effect)²

Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar:

1. Benefits of apple cider vinegar for cancer:

The antitumor activity of apple cider vinegar has been studied using an animal model. It was found that apple cider vinegar reduced the deoxyribonucleic acid damage hyperproliferation and acted as a cancer-preventing agent. Apple polyphenols contain procyanidins, flavonoids, epicatechin, catechin, which significantly suppress colon cancer cells.

The apple cider vinegar suppressed the proliferation of breast cancer cells. In addition, the apple juice also inhibited chemical-induced tumour genesis by using several cell lines.

Polyphenols present in apple cider vinegar have cell toxicity effects in human urinary bladder cancer cells by causing apoptosis (cell death) and oxidative stress.¹

2. Benefits of apple cider vinegar for diabetes:

The anti-diabetic effect of apple cider vinegar was studied in a normal and diabetic rat model. Apple cider vinegar produced a blood sugar lowering effect and, reduced the inflammatory response, oxidative stress and normalised the lipid profiles in diabetes complications. Hence, it proved the benefits of apple cider vinegar for diabetes management.¹

The hypoglycemic (blood sugar lowering) effect of apple cider vinegar was studied on human subjects, and it was found that it significantly decreased the postprandial blood glucose after a meal. Researchers suggest that its use may influence satiety (feeling of fullness after eating) and blood sugar level control in healthy adults by slowing down gastric emptying (contents of the stomach moved to the small intestine), resulting in decreased after-meal blood glucose levels.⁴

The probable mechanism of hypoglycemic action could be the effect of apple cider vinegar on the α-amylase enzyme. The reduction of α-amylase in liver cells can suppress the conversion of carbohydrates (polysaccharides) into smaller saccharide units such as glucose, leading to a decrease in blood glucose levels.⁴

3. Benefits of Apple cider vinegar for inflammation:

The dietary flavonoids isolated from apple cider vinegar reduced the inflammation-related markers in mice’s intestinal tissue. Apple polyphenolic compounds reduced the inflammatory response of the kidney by decreasing the expression and activity of the cyclo-oxygenase-2 enzyme in the rat model.¹

4. Benefits of apple cider vinegar for obesity:

One study looked into the lipid-lowering effect of apple cider vinegar on an obese rat model. Obese rats had higher levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein, and the atherogenic index (predicts the chances of heart diseases). In contrast, rats that were administered apple cider vinegar showed significant reductions in all of these parameters, demonstrating that apple cider vinegar has an anti-obesity effect.⁵

5. Benefits of apple cider vinegar for the liver:

The liver protective effect of apple cider vinegar’s polyphenolic compounds was studied on rodent models. The polyphenolic compounds improved the oxidative enzyme’s activity in the liver tissue, indicating the liver-protecting activity of apple cider vinegar.¹

6. Benefits of apple cider vinegar for the heart:

The heart-protective activity of apple cider vinegar was studied in mice serum. Apple cider vinegar improved atherogenesis (fat deposition in arteries), lessened inflammation, and reduced triacylglycerol levels.

Polyphenolic compounds in apple cider vinegar reduced drug-induced damage to the heart in a cell line study. Polyphenolic compounds like chlorogenic acid found in apple cider vinegar reduce lipoproteins’ oxidation and prevent heart-related complications.¹

7. Benefits of apple cider vinegar as an antioxidant:

The consumption of apple cider vinegar increased the antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase due to the presence of polyphenolic compounds.¹

8. Benefits of apple cider vinegar for infections:

The antimicrobial potential of apple cider vinegar was examined against various bacteria like E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. The study’s findings revealed that antimicrobial activity was demonstrated by the loss of bacteria and fungi in culture media.

Apple cider vinegar also has antifungal activity against Candida species involved in denture stomatitis (inflammation of the oral mucous membrane).¹

9. Benefits of apple cider vinegar for the brain:

Several studies have shown the valuable results of apple cider vinegar on Alzheimer’s disease linked with ageing.

According to a study, when aged mice received the dilute form of apple cider vinegar in drinking water, there was a significant improvement in memory and increased antioxidant activity. Apple cider vinegar also prevents acetylcholine (a chemical found in the brain) depletion connected with ageing and oxidative stress and maintains neuronal communications.¹

10. Benefits of apple cider vinegar for immunity:

A study was performed to study the immunity-enhancing potency of apple cider vinegar. According to the study, apple cider vinegar was effective in acting as an immunomodulator on the systemic and mucosal immune response.¹

How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is available in the following forms:

• Vinegar
• Liquid drops
• Tablets
• Capsules
• Powder
• Gummies
• Topical preparations (face peels, creams, salve, body wash, and shampoo)²

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Side Effects of Apple Cider Vinegar:    

• Apple cider vinegar is generally well-tolerated in the amounts found in foods and when used for therapeutic purposes for a short period. However, larger doses and topical use could be unsafe.
• Hypokalaemia (low blood potassium), hyperreninemia (high renin blood concentration), and osteoporosis have been reported with long term use of apple cider vinegar.
• Apple cider vinegar tablets may cause oesophageal damage at a higher dosage.
• The use of apple cider vinegar topically may cause skin irritation and chemical burns.
• The acidity of undiluted apple cider vinegar has the potential to damage tooth enamel.²

Precautions to Take With Apple Cider Vinegar:

• The safety studies of apple cider vinegar on pregnant and breastfeeding women have not been documented. No research has been done on the safe use of apple cider vinegar in children. Therefore, it should only be taken under the supervision and advice of a doctor.
• Concomitant use of blood sugar-lowering drugs should be advised with caution due to the potential for additive effects.²
• Medicines or other herbal preparations that lower potassium should be used with caution, along with apple cider vinegar, due to the risk of hypokalaemia (low blood potassium).²

Interactions With Other Drugs:

• Apple cider vinegar and blood sugar-lowering drugs may have additive effects.²
• Medicines or other herbal preparations that lower potassium should be used cautiously along with apple cider vinegar due to the risk of hypokalaemia (low blood potassium).²

Also Read: Apricot: Uses, Benefits & Side Effects

Frequently Asked Questions:

How is apple cider vinegar made?

It is prepared by a fermentation process in which bacteria and yeast are mixed into the juice from crushed apples, first converting sugars to alcohol and then to acetic acid.²

Is apple cider vinegar safe?

Yes, apple cider vinegar is safe to use. It is generally well-tolerated in quantities typically consumed in foods and is safe for short-term medicinal purposes.²

What are the constituents of apple cider vinegar?

Flavonoids, phenolic compounds (gallic acid, catechin, caffeic acid, epicatechin, chlorogenic acid and p-coumaric acid) are the constituents of apple cider vinegar.¹

What are the common names of apple cider vinegar?

The common names of apple cider vinegar are cider vinegar and apple vinegar.²

Does apple cider vinegar cause dandruff?

No, apple cider vinegar is used for the management of dandruff.²

Is apple cider vinegar acidic?

Yes, apple cider vinegar is acidic due to the presence of acetic acid and malic acid.³

Can we drink apple cider vinegar?

Yes, we can drink apple cider vinegar. As per one of the studies, drinking a cup of apple cider vinegar in the middle of the meal induced a reduction in postprandial (after meal) glucose levels.⁴

Is apple cider vinegar good for the liver?

Yes, it is good for the liver. According to a study, the polyphenolic compounds present in apple cider vinegar improved the oxidative enzyme activity in the liver associated with adenosine triphosphate synthesis.¹

Does apple cider vinegar show side effects?

Hypokalaemia (low potassium blood level), hyperreninemia (high blood renin enzyme level), osteoporosis, oesophageal injury, skin irritation and chemical burns (due to topical application) are the reported side effects of apple cider vinegar.²

Can apple cider vinegar raise blood pressure?

No, apple cider vinegar lowers elevated blood pressure.³

Is apple cider vinegar good for weight loss?

Yes, apple cider vinegar is good for weight loss.³

What are the benefits of apple cider vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is used to manage skin conditions, dyspepsia (discomfort in the upper abdomen), nephrolithiasis (kidney stones), osteoporosis, arthritis, elevated blood pressure, painful joints, elevated blood sugar level, obesity, and stomach ache.²

Also Read: Licorice (Mulethi): Uses, Benefits & Side Effects

References:

1. Tripathi S, Mazumder PM. Apple cider vinegar (ACV) and their pharmacological approach towards alzheimer’s disease (AD): a review. Ind J Pharm Educ Res. 2020; 54: s67-74. Available at: https://www.ijper.org/sites/default/files/IndJPhaEdRes-54-2s-67.pdf
2. Martini N. Apple cider vinegar. J Prim Health Care 2021;13(2):191–192. Available at: https://www.publish.csiro.au/hc/pdf/HC19561
3. Akanksha S, Sunita M. Study about the nutritional and medicinal properties of apple cider vinegar. Asian J sci Technol. 2017; 8(11): 6892-6894. Available at: https://www.journalajst.com/sites/default/files/issues-pdf/5355.pdf
4. Dramane G, Klotoe J, Gbankoto A, Ahyi V, Yessoufou A. Apple Cider Vinegar as an Excellent Anti-Diabetic and Anti-Obesity Natural Beverage Because of its Depression of Postprandial Glycemic Response. Am J Innov Res Appl Sci. 2019; 8(6):258-263. Available at: http://american-jiras.com/Dramane-ManuscriptRef.1-ajira270519.pdf
5. Halima BH, Sonia G, Sarra K, Houda BJ, Fethi BS, Abdallah A. Apple cider vinegar attenuates oxidative stress and reduces the risk of obesity in high-fat-fed male wistar rats. J Med Food. 2018; 21(1): 70-80. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29091513/

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