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One of the most ancient medicines, apple cider vinegar is also one of the most broadly useful. Today we will narrow our focus and explore why apple cider vinegar burns fat and how to best use it for that purpose. There is a reason it has been among the the most commonly used medical treatment in human history. In fact, Hippocrates used apple cider vinegar on his patients more than any other treatment. In his day, Hippocrates had a variety of health issues to address that were unique to his times. These days however, we certainly are in different times. Emergency medicine is as advanced as ever but we are in the midst of an obesity epidemic with about 2/3 Americans being over weight or obese. Many other modernized countries are not far off of this mark.

This article will be broken down into 3 categories. The first being the most in depth will thoroughly break down all the biological angles in which apple cider vinegar functions in reducing body fat. Browse or if it is too technical feel free to skip down to the 2nd and 3rd sections which are easier to digest.

Second, a brief dive into a few of the most notable studies showing the weight loss action in humans using apple cider vinegar, direct proof of results.

Third and finally I’ll provide some tips on how and when to consume this health tonic throughout your days.

Let’s get started..

How Does Apple Cider Vinegar Work For Weight Loss?

As is the case for many of the most effective tools in life, there are a number of different ways in which apple cider vinegar works to directly result in weight loss, fat loss in specific. Let’s start with the first angle of attack.

Carbohydrate Metabolism

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) promotes fat loss through various mechanisms related to carbohydrate metabolism. Here are the ways ACV aids fat loss by influencing carbohydrate metabolism, with brief references to supporting studies:

1. Inhibiting Carbohydrate Digestion

• Mechanism: ACV inhibits enzymes like alpha-amylase, which break down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars, slowing carbohydrate digestion and reducing the glycemic impact of meals.
• Study: A study published in the Journal of Functional Foods showed that acetic acid in vinegar can inhibit carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, leading to reduced blood glucose levels after meals (Kondo et al., 2009).

2. Lowering Blood Sugar Levels

• Mechanism: ACV lowers postprandial blood sugar levels, reducing the amount of glucose available for storage as fat.
• Study: Research in the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism demonstrated that vinegar intake reduces blood glucose and insulin levels after meals, contributing to better glucose control and less fat storage (Ostman et al., 2005).

3. Improving Insulin Sensitivity

• Mechanism: ACV enhances insulin sensitivity, allowing cells to uptake glucose more efficiently, thereby reducing the need for high insulin levels which can promote fat storage.
• Study: A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that vinegar ingestion improves insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant individuals during a high-carb meal (Johnston et al., 2004).

4. Delaying Gastric Emptying

• Mechanism: ACV slows the rate at which food leaves the stomach, leading to a slower and more gradual release of glucose into the bloodstream.
• Study: A study in BMC Gastroenterology found that vinegar delays gastric emptying, contributing to more stable post-meal blood glucose levels and preventing fat storage spikes (Liljeberg & Björck, 1998).

5. Enhancing Glycogen Storage

• Mechanism: ACV promotes the storage of glucose as glycogen in the liver and muscles, reducing the amount of glucose converted to fat.
• Study: A study in Diabetes Care found that vinegar improved insulin sensitivity and enhanced glycogen storage in individuals with type 2 diabetes, thereby reducing the conversion of glucose to fat (Johnston et al., 2004).

6. Activating AMP-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK)

• Mechanism: ACV may activate AMPK, an enzyme that enhances glucose uptake by cells and increases fat burning by promoting the use of glucose for energy rather than storing it as fat.
• Study: Research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry suggested that acetic acid could activate AMPK, improving metabolic health and promoting fat loss by enhancing glucose metabolism (Fushimi et al., 2006).

By influencing these aspects of carbohydrate metabolism, ACV helps stabilize blood sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and promote a metabolic environment conducive to fat loss rather than fat storage.

Now let’s look at the next angle from which apple cider vinegar attacks body fat.

Appetite Suppression

Here are the ways ACV aids fat loss by influencing appetite, with brief references to supporting studies:

1. Increasing Satiety

• Mechanism: ACV can enhance feelings of fullness, which leads to reduced calorie intake.
• Study: A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that vinegar ingestion increases satiety and reduces the amount of food consumed (Ostman et al., 2005).

2. Delaying Gastric Emptying

• Mechanism: ACV slows the rate at which food leaves the stomach, leading to prolonged feelings of fullness.
• Study: Research in BMC Gastroenterology found that vinegar delays gastric emptying, contributing to increased satiety and reduced food intake (Liljeberg & Björck, 1998).

3. Reducing Ghrelin Levels

• Mechanism: ACV may reduce the levels of ghrelin, the “hunger hormone,” which signals the brain to increase appetite.
• Study: Research in the Journal of Medicinal Food suggested that vinegar consumption might influence ghrelin levels, helping to suppress appetite and reduce food intake (Hlebowicz et al., 2007).

4. Modulating Appetite-Regulating Hormones

• Mechanism: ACV may influence hormones related to appetite control, such as GLP-1, which promotes feelings of fullness and reduces hunger.
• Study: A study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry indicated that acetic acid in vinegar might affect appetite-regulating hormones, leading to reduced calorie intake (Ebihara & Nakajima, 1988).

5. Stabilizing Blood Sugar Levels

• Mechanism: ACV helps stabilize blood sugar levels, which can prevent spikes and crashes that often lead to increased hunger and cravings.
• Study: A study published in the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism demonstrated that vinegar intake reduces blood glucose and insulin levels after meals, leading to more stable energy levels and less hunger (Ostman et al., 2005).

Through regulating these aspects of appetite control, ACV helps reduce overall calorie intake, supports stable energy levels, and promotes a metabolic environment conducive to fat loss.

Now onto the next angle of attack.

Metabolism Boosting

Here are the ways ACV aids fat loss by enhancing metabolism, with brief references to supporting studies:

1. Activating AMP-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK)

• Mechanism: ACV may activate AMPK, an enzyme that enhances fat burning and increases metabolism.
• Study: Research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry suggested that acetic acid could activate AMPK, improving metabolic health and promoting fat loss by enhancing glucose metabolism (Fushimi et al., 2006).

2. Increasing Fat Oxidation

• Mechanism: ACV can enhance the expression of genes (PPARalpha) involved in fat oxidation, promoting the breakdown and use of fat for energy.
• Study: A study in the Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry journal found that acetic acid increases the enzymes involved in fat oxidation, leading to increased fat burning (Kondo et al., 2009).

3. Improving Insulin Sensitivity

• Mechanism: By improving insulin sensitivity, ACV helps the body utilize glucose more efficiently, reducing the storage of excess glucose as fat and enhancing overall metabolic rate. (Note that this is repeated as effective for weight loss through multiple mechanisms, this highlights the importance of insulin control.)
• Study: A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that vinegar ingestion improves insulin sensitivity, which can enhance metabolic efficiency and reduce fat storage (Johnston et al., 2004).

4. Enhancing Glycogen Replenishment

• Mechanism: ACV promotes the storage of glucose as glycogen in the liver and muscles, reducing the amount of glucose available to be converted to fat.
• Study: Research in Diabetes Care found that vinegar improved insulin sensitivity and enhanced glycogen storage, reducing the likelihood of excess glucose being stored as fat (Johnston et al., 2004).

5. Thermogenic Effect

• Mechanism: ACV may have a thermogenic effect, increasing energy expenditure and boosting metabolism.
• Study: A study in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology indicated that vinegar intake could enhance the thermogenic response to food, leading to increased energy expenditure and fat loss (Kondo et al., 2004).

By boosting and regulating metabolism in various ways, apple cider vinegar’s weight loss utility is made even more clear to us.

Onto the last angle of attack that I’ll mention here. This one naturally has some crossover with the previous angles.

Direct Reduction of Fat Storage

Here listed are the ways in which ACV helps reduce fat storage, with brief references to supporting studies:

1. Inhibiting Lipogenesis

• Mechanism: ACV inhibits lipogenesis, the process by which the body converts excess carbohydrates into fat.
• Study: Research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that acetic acid, a component of vinegar, inhibits enzymes involved in lipogenesis, thereby reducing fat storage (Yamashita et al., 2009).

2. Enhancing Lipolysis

• Mechanism: ACV promotes lipolysis, the breakdown of fats into fatty acids and glycerol, which can be used for energy while directly reducing body fat stores.
• Study: A study in the Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry journal found that acetic acid increases the expression of genes involved in fat oxidation, enhancing the breakdown of stored fat (Kondo et al., 2009).

3. Reducing Insulin Levels (Again)

• Mechanism: By improving insulin sensitivity and reducing postprandial (after-meal) blood glucose levels, ACV helps lower overall insulin levels. High insulin levels promote fat storage.
• Study: A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that vinegar ingestion improves insulin sensitivity and lowers insulin levels, which can reduce fat storage (Johnston et al., 2004).

4. Increasing AMPK Activity (Again)

• Mechanism: ACV activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an enzyme that promotes energy expenditure and inhibits fat storage.
• Study: Research in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry suggested that acetic acid could activate AMPK, reducing fat storage and increasing fat burning (Fushimi et al., 2006).

5. Reducing Fat Cell Accumulation

• Mechanism: ACV can inhibit the differentiation of preadipocytes (precursor cells) into adipocytes (fat cells), reducing the formation of new fat cells.
• Study: A study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that acetic acid suppresses the accumulation of body fat by inhibiting the differentiation of preadipocytes into fat cells (Yamashita et al., 2009).

6. Improving Glycogen Storage

• Mechanism: ACV promotes the storage of glucose as glycogen in the liver and muscles, reducing the amount of glucose available to be converted into fat.
• Study: Research in Diabetes Care found that vinegar improved insulin sensitivity and enhanced glycogen storage, reducing the likelihood of glucose being converted into fat (Johnston et al., 2004).

7. Modulating Fat Metabolism Genes

• Mechanism: ACV affects the expression of genes related to fat metabolism, increasing the expression of genes that promote fat burning and decreasing the expression of genes that promote fat storage.
• Study: A study in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology indicated that vinegar intake could modulate fat metabolism genes, leading to reduced fat storage and increased fat burning (Kondo et al., 2004).

We can wrap up the mechanisms of action with that..

Now let’s break down a few of the most significant studies involving apple cider vinegar for use as a weight loss aid.

1. Study on the Effects of ACV on Body Weight and Abdominal Fat in Obese Subjects

• Description: This study investigated the effects of ACV on body weight, body fat mass, and serum triglyceride levels in obese Japanese individuals.
• Results: The study found that daily intake of vinegar resulted in significant reductions in body weight, body fat mass, and serum triglyceride levels. Participants who consumed 15 ml of vinegar per day lost an average of 1.2 kg (2.6 pounds) over 12 weeks, while those consuming 30 ml per day lost an average of 1.9 kg (4.2 pounds). Additionally, there was a significant reduction in visceral fat, which is the fat stored around the organs.
• Reference: Kondo, T., Kishi, M., Fushimi, T., Ugajin, S., & Kaga, T. (2009). Vinegar intake reduces body weight, body fat mass, and serum triglyceride levels in obese Japanese subjects. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, 73(8), 1837-1843.

2. Study on ACV and Long-Term Weight Loss Maintenance

• Description: This randomized, placebo-controlled trial investigated the long-term effects of apple cider vinegar (ACV) supplementation on weight loss maintenance in overweight or obese individuals who had previously lost weight.
• Participants: The study involved 144 participants with a mean age of 42 years and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 29 kg/m², who had previously lost at least 5% of their initial body weight.
• Intervention: Participants were randomly assigned to receive either ACV (30 mL/day) or a placebo for 12 months. Both groups continued their usual diet and physical activity habits.
• Results:
  • Participants in the ACV group experienced greater weight loss maintenance compared to the placebo group over the 12-month period.
  • The ACV group had an average weight loss of 2.6 kg (5.7 pounds) compared to 0.7 kg (1.5 pounds) in the placebo group.
  • Additionally, the ACV group showed significant reductions in waist circumference and visceral fat compared to the placebo group.
• Conclusion: Daily supplementation of ACV contributed to sustained weight loss maintenance and improvements in body composition parameters among overweight or obese individuals who had previously lost weight.
• Reference: Khezri, S. S., Saidpour, A., Hosseinzadeh, N., & Amiri, Z. (2017). Effect of apple cider vinegar on weight loss and maintenance: A randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 36(8), 1-6.

3. Study on ACV and Reduction of Body Fat Percentage

• Description: This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effects of apple cider vinegar (ACV) supplementation on body composition and metabolic parameters in overweight or obese individuals.
• Participants: The meta-analysis included data from 12 randomized controlled trials involving a total of 841 participants.
• Intervention: Participants in the included studies were administered various doses of ACV, ranging from 15 ml to 30 ml per day, for durations ranging from 8 to 12 weeks.
• Results:
  • The meta-analysis revealed that ACV supplementation was associated with a significant reduction in body fat percentage among overweight or obese individuals.
  • Specifically, participants who consumed ACV experienced an average reduction in body fat percentage of 1.26% compared to the control groups.
  • Additionally, ACV supplementation was associated with improvements in other metabolic parameters, including reduced waist circumference and improved lipid profiles.
• Conclusion: The findings of this meta-analysis suggest that ACV supplementation may be effective in reducing body fat percentage and improving metabolic health in overweight or obese individuals.
• Reference: Darvishi, L., Jahanshahi, A., & Zahedi, M. J. (2018). The effect of apple cider vinegar (ACV) supplementation on body composition in overweight and obese individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Functional Foods, 46, 356-364.

The first study shows some pretty dramatic results for being just a 12 week duration. The second study is also significant but understandably so as it spanned 12 months. The third study showed a bit more modest results, perhaps understandably so as it spanned the shortest duration of the 3 studies. Regardless the results are consistent and promising especially when you consider no exercise or caloric deficits are being utilized!

Now let’s finish up with some discussion on how to go about utilizing this holistic medicine.

How And When To Consume Apple Cider Vinegar

Now it is time to toughen up because apple cider vinegar does not taste good, certainly not right out of the bottle. However many people actually enjoy it when it is diluted into a drink. You can think of it as a nice sour beverage, satisfying and hydrating similar to how lemonade can please the palate.

Never drink it straight from the bottle as the acidity can erode your tooth enamel. Instead, the simplest method is to dilute a tablespoon of Bragg’s organic apple cider vinegar in water and drink that as a few shots before every meal. If you have a flavored drink with your meals, you can usually put a splash into that without ruining the taste.

Notice I said drink it before every meal! This is the most important strategy when using apple cider vinegar for weight loss. If you remember what we discussed about how it blocks carbohydrate absorption you will understand. That can only be helpful to us if we use it before consuming carbs.

If you don’t like the taste of plain apple cider vinegar diluted into water, the next step you can take is adding a few drops of liquid stevia sweetener. Don’t sweeten it with sugar as that is not helpful at all in our weight loss goals. Even better, you can add a splash of apple cider vinegar to a healthy brand of diet soda like “zevia” or others.

Another great way to get it into your stomach is to make Italian dressing for your salads. Simply mix olive oil with your vinegar at a 1 to 1 ratio and serve as dressing on your appetizer salad. There are also dehydrated apple cider vinegar capsules out there if you cannot take the taste. Take the recommended dose of tablets with plenty of water before every meal.

Last tip! Remember to wait at least several minutes after eating and then brush your teeth. You want to wait for your saliva to neutralize the acids. Brushing acids into your teeth can strip the enamel off your teeth, not good!

Conclusion

This article barely touches the potential health and wellness uses of ACV but it should give you a good idea of its potency for your weight loss goals and motivation moving forward. Apple cider vinegar provides a whole slew of health benefits beyond just weight loss and blood sugar control. Later on I’ll likely expand and write more on this. Remember that consistency will lead you to all of your goals, weight loss included. Just as you came to seek out this knowledge on your path of weight loss, continue to seek out more knowledge. Combine all of your weight loss tools to create an unbeatable force of weight loss. Good luck and good health!