Apple cider vinegar may be an acquired taste, but a new study suggests it may actually help young people who are obese to lose weight.
The researchers found that people who ingested a small amount of this vinegar daily for 12 weeks lost more weight than those who took a placebo.
Those who drank the product also had lower levels of blood glucose, triglycerides and 'bad cholesterol'—also known as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
High levels of triglycerides and LDL cholesterol—fats that are found in the blood—are known to increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
"The results might contribute to evidence-based recommendations for the use of apple cider vinegar as a dietary intervention in the management of obesity," the researchers at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik in Lebanon said in a press statement.
"The study could stimulate further research in the field, prompting scientists to explore the underlying mechanisms and conduct similar studies in other populations."
In the study, the team recruited 120 Lebanese participants with an average age of 17 and a Body Mass Index (BMI—a measure of body fat based on height and weight) of between 27 and 34, putting them in the 'overweight' or 'obese' categories.
(For most adults, an ideal BMI is in the 18.5 to 24.9 range, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)
The subjects were randomly divided into four groups. Three of the groups were asked to drink apple cider vinegar first thing in the morning, before food, for a period of 12 weeks. One group drank 5ml daily, one 10ml, and one 15 ml.
Participants in the fourth group were given a liquid placebo instead.
The timing of the daily dose of vinegar was purposefully chosen to reduce the potential influence of other food and drink.
The researchers also wanted to explore whether the apple cider vinegar could help reduce appetite and increase satiety—the feeling of fullness. Participants also kept food and activity diaries, which were largely the same between the groups.
After the three-month trial, those who drank apple cider vinegar once daily during that period lost between 6 kg and 8 kg in weight and reduced their BMI by 2.7 to 3 points, depending on the dose.
Those drinking the highest amounts of apple cider vinegar experienced the largest decreases after 12 weeks. At 15 ml, the average weight dropped from 77 kg to just over 70 kg. The decreases in weight and BMI were smaller among those in the placebo group, from just over 79 kg to just under 79 kg in weight.
Although the small sample size limits the generalizability of the study, the researchers say the findings warrant further research into the potential benefits of apple cider vinegar.
Previous small studies have suggested that the product may have a modest effect on weight loss by lowering appetite.
The full findings of the study were published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health.
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