Apple cider vinegar for weight loss

What is apple cider vinegar

Fermented twice, mostly acetic acid

Apple cider vinegar is made through a two-step fermentation process. First, yeast turns the sugar in crushed apples into alcohol. Then acetic acid bacteria turn that alcohol into acetic acid, the compound behind vinegar's sour taste and sharp smell.

The "mother" is the cloudy strands floating in unfiltered ACV: a mat of acetic acid bacteria, enzymes and proteins formed during fermentation. It looks impressive, but there is little evidence that it adds any weight loss benefit over filtered vinegar.

ACV is typically about 5% to 6% acetic acid, like other vinegars. Unfiltered versions carry live bacteria, but no one has shown they work as probiotics in people, and the apple polyphenols, potassium and amino acids come in amounts too small to matter next to eating a whole apple.

Does apple cider vinegar help with weight loss

The famous study was retracted

Here is where it gets complicated. In 2024, a study published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health reported that 120 people with overweight or obesity in Lebanon who took daily ACV for 12 weeks lost about 9% of their body mass. The findings went viral and seemed to confirm what ACV fans had said for years.

In 2025, the study was formally retracted. BMJ Group cited concerns about the quality of the work. Nutrition researcher Eric Trexler of Duke University, one of the scientists who flagged it weeks after publication, pointed out that the reported weight loss rivaled what people see on costly prescription drugs like Ozempic. That was the red flag.

That was the red flag.

Tina Sassine, RD, MPH

That doesn't make all ACV research meaningless. It means the rest has to be read carefully, and what is left is small, short and inconsistent. None of it supports dramatic or lasting weight loss. Here is the research that remains.

Other potential benefits of apple cider vinegar

Smaller, more real effects

The weight loss evidence is thin, but ACV may still offer a few things worth knowing about.

• Blood sugar regulation: some studies have found that vinegar taken with a high-carb meal improves insulin sensitivity and lowers the blood sugar response, including in people with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes. Anyone taking diabetes medication should talk with their doctor first.
• Triglycerides: the 2009 Japanese trial found lower triglyceride levels in the vinegar groups than with placebo. The effect is modest and comes from short studies.
• Antimicrobial uses: vinegar has been used as a preservative and cleaner for centuries. It has real uses in food preparation, but don't rely on it to treat an infection.

If you are exploring supplements and natural approaches, our Guide to the Best Supplements for Weight Loss covers options with stronger research behind them.

Apple cider vinegar side effects & safety risks

Acid has real downsides

ACV isn't dangerous for most people when used properly, but the risks are real.

• Tooth enamel erosion: vinegar is one of the most acidic things people drink. In an 8-week trial, adults who drank 2 tablespoons of vinegar in a cup of water twice a day saw their tooth erosion scores rise 18%, with no change in the control group. Always dilute it, drink it through a straw and rinse your mouth afterward.
• Digestive irritation: on an empty stomach, ACV can cause nausea, heartburn and stomach discomfort. People with gastroparesis should be especially careful, since in a small study of people with type 1 diabetes ACV slowed stomach emptying further.
• Throat & esophagus injury: concentrated vinegar can burn the tissues of the throat and esophagus, and there are documented cases of injury.
• Low potassium: large amounts of ACV taken over long periods have been linked with low potassium in case reports. Low potassium can cause muscle weakness, cramps and heart rhythm problems.
• Drug interactions: ACV can interact with diabetes medications, diuretics and some heart medications. If you take any prescription drug, talk with your doctor first.

How to use apple cider vinegar safely

Dilute it, eat with it, keep it small

If you want to try ACV despite the thin weight loss evidence, here is how to do it safely.

• Always dilute it: mix up to 1 tablespoon (15 ml) in a full glass of water, 8 to 10 ounces. Never drink it straight.
• Take it with food: before or with a meal is gentler on your stomach than an empty stomach, and it is when any blood sugar benefit would show up.
• Keep it to one serving a day: the trials that found any benefit used 1 to 2 tablespoons. More isn't better and raises the risk of side effects.
• Cook with it: ACV works in salad dressings, marinades and soups, where you get the flavor without concentrated acid washing over your teeth and throat.

Who should not take apple cider vinegar

Check with your doctor first

Some people should skip ACV or talk with a doctor before using it.

• People with gastroparesis or other disorders that slow stomach emptying, since ACV can make symptoms worse.
• Anyone taking diabetes medication, because ACV can lower blood sugar and, combined with insulin or other glucose-lowering drugs, push it too low.
• People on diuretics or heart medications, since ACV may interact with these drugs and affect potassium levels.
• Anyone with a history of eating disorders, who should approach any weight loss hack with caution and ideally discuss it with a healthcare provider.