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Apple Cider Vinegar and Reflux Studies

Of the estimated 100 million Americans who suffer from acid reflux, a digestive disease that forces stomach acid back up into the esophagus and has been found in some cases to be a precursor to throat cancer, as many as 80 million go undiagnosed. Part of the problem is that the symptoms of the affliction are now recognized to be much broader than previously thought. The newer diagnosis of "silent reflux" ties into indicators such as hoarseness and chronic coughing.

Effectiveness Mostly Anecdotal 

Much of the evidence of a positive effect on acid reflux occurring in patients who take apple cider vinegar is anecdotal rather than scientific, which does discount the home remedy's effectiveness for those patients. Rather, it indicates that there is no guarantee, from one person to the next, that apple cider vinegar will reduce the incidence of acid reflux. Since acid reflux is often stress-related, Weill Cornell gastroenterologist Dr. Kunal Jajoo for example prefers to prescribe yoga or meditation. At the same time, another person found that by combining a daily tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with water and a bit of honey, his acid reflux problem and side effect of nausea completely disappeared within four weeks.

Change of Diet Better Option 

Dr. Jamie Kaufman, author of the book Dropping Acid: The Reflux Diet Cookbook & Cure, has found that the average age of an acid reflux sufferer is now much lower. Whereas the disease once afflicted people in their 40's and 50's, she is now treating many patients in their 20's and 30's. She tends to bypass folk remedies such as apple cider vinegar in favor of a more comprehensive change in a patient's diet, especially any food that has the same acidity level as stomach acid. These include sodas, acidic fruits, and canned and bottled foods. Her findings show that patients who followed a two-week "detox" diet experienced dramatic relief from acid reflux.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Weight Management 

The most dramatic recent study findings with regards to apple cider vinegar concern weight loss. A study at the University of Sydney found that people taking two tablespoons per day were much less susceptible to blood sugar level surges and crashes, resulting in the daily consumption of 1,400 fewer calories.  Apple cider vinegar's other clinically proven benefits, such as improving assimilation of food and digestion, can have a carryover effect and diminish acid reflux.