Claims of apple cider vinegar as being able to treat gout are unsubstantiated by scientific evidence. However, a few studies have shown that apple cider vinegar does provide health benefits to those who are seeking alternative treatments for obesity, which when managed, can help with the long term management of gout.

Gout

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, gout is defined as "a common and painful form of arthritis" which has the effect of causing swollen, red, hot and stiff joints. The main cause of gout is an excess of uric acid in the body, specifically in the blood stream.

The treatment for gout consists of two main components, the first is reducing or stopping the inflammation of the affected joints and the second is the long-term management of the gout. Apart from prescription medicine, the best line of defense against gout is sufficient intake of fluids, an overall lifestyle healthy lifestyle change and ultimately, weight loss.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is vinegar made from the fermentation of pulverized apples. Fermentation of vinegar starts when sugar is broken down by bacteria and yeast; after which the sugar is turned into alcohol. Upon fermentation of the sugar, the sugar is turned into alcohol which then turns into vinegar over more time.

Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

The benefits of using vinegar have been written about since the seventeen-hundreds, where doctors reported that diabetes and stomachaches were managed and cured by drinking vinegar.

The most prominent study citing apple cider vinegar as a medicinal cure reports that taking vinegar significantly reduced the systolic blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats. The same study reports that drinking vinegar containing acetic acid also significantly reduced blood glucose concentrations. There are no concrete studies however linking apple cider vinegar as a treatment for gout.