Can Apple Cider Vinegar help in weight management? Research finds out

Obesity is a growing global health concern characterized by excessive body fat accumulation, often resulting from a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors, and is associated with an increased risk of numerous chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and several types of cancers.

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in alternative remedies to support weight management, and one such remedy was apple cider vinegar (ACV)- a type of vinegar made by fermenting apple juice. It contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids and polyphenols such as flavonoids, which are believed to contribute to its potential health benefits and has been used for centuries as a traditional remedy for various ailments.

For the research, a total of 120 overweight and obese adolescents and young adults were enrolled in and assigned to either the placebo group or experimental groups receiving increasing doses of ACV. Subjects consumed their normal diets throughout the study. The contents of daily meals and snacks were recorded in a diet diary. The physical activity of the subjects was also recorded. At weeks 0, 4, 8 and 12, anthropometric measurements, i.e., weight, body mass index, waist/hip circumferences and body fat ratio, were taken for all participants, and the level of glucose, triglycerides and total cholesterol were assessed by collecting 5 mL of fasting blood from each subject.

The results revealed that the addition of 5 mL, 10 mL or 15 mL of ACV to the diet resulted in significant decreases in body weight and BMI at weeks 4, 8 and 12 of the intake. Serum glucose levels decreased significantly by three doses of ACV at week 4, 8 and 12 compared with week 0. Triglycerides and total cholesterol levels decreased significantly at weeks 8 and 12. However, the placebo group did not experience any significant changes in the anthropometric variables throughout the study.

The findings of this study indicated that ACV consumption for 12 weeks led to a significant reduction in anthropometric variables and improvements in blood glucose, triglyceride and cholesterol levels in overweight/obese adolescents/adults and suggested that ACV might have potential benefits in improving metabolic parameters related to obesity and metabolic disorders in obese individuals.

Reference: Rony Abou-Khalil, Jeanne Andary, Elissar El-Hayek; Journal: BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health 2024; doi: 10.1136/bmjnph-2023-000823