Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsBenefitsResearchUsageRisks and Side EffectsOther Treatments
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Benefits
Research
Usage
Risks and Side Effects
Other Treatments
Some people use apple cider vinegar for acid reflux. While there haven’t been any clinical studies showing it works, many people swear it brings relief.
Acid refluxoccurs when the contents of your stomach come back up into theesophagus. Normally, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) remains closed to prevent this. However, if the LES is weakened or stressed, it can open and cause gastroesophageal reflux.
Chronic acid reflux, known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), has many causes, one of which is low stomach acid (hypochlorhydria).Apple cider vinegar(ACV), a popular home remedy made from fermented apples, is acidic. Drinking diluted ACV is believed to restore stomach acidity and relieve acid reflux.
This article discusses apple cider vinegar for acid reflux. It explains how ACV may work to relieve heartburn, how to use it, and potential side effects and risks.
vasiliybudarin / Getty Images
Purported Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar for GERD
Most people experience acid reflux from time to time. Known medically as gastroesophageal reflux, it causes a burning sensation in the chest and a sour taste in your mouth.
Chronic acid reflux may be a sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In GERD, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is weakened or relaxed, allowing stomach contents to travel up the esophagus.
Enter apple cider vinegar. Made from crushed and fermented apples, ACV contains acetic, lactic, citric, andmalic acids, as well as bacteria. Adding acid from ACV may help balance stomach acids to optimal working levels.
People also claim raw apple cider vinegar offers probiotic benefits that can help with digestion.
What Causes Low Stomach Acid?
10 Breakfast Ideas for People With Acid Reflux
Research on Using Apple Cider Vinegar for GERD
There isn’t enough clinical research showing ACV is a good remedy for acid reflux or GERD.
One study notes that ACV may be useful when taken before meals with other dietary supplements, including magnesium citrate, probiotic supplementation, anddeglycyrrhizinatedlicorice (DGL).
How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar as a Home Remedy
If you want to try ACV for your acid reflux or GERD, dilute the ACV in warm water first:
Alternatively, you can take a capsule of dehydrated apple cider vinegar. It is sometimes blended with other herbal remedies.
While the risk of trying ACV for GERD is low, there are some potential side effects, especially if you have GERD. After all, apple cider vinegar is corrosive.
Drinking straight apple cider vinegar or large quantities of diluted ACV is never recommended. You should also not have APV when trying to heal an ulcer.
Even diluted ACV can cause:
Talk to your healthcare provider about:
Other Treatments for GERD
Other over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, prescription medications, and lifestyle changes may help with GERD.
Over-the-Counter Medications
OTC options to treat acid reflux or GERD include:
13 Home Remedies for Acid Reflux Relief
Prescriptions
If OTC options don’t work, your healthcare provider may prescribe treatments, including:
Higher doses of medication come with added risks, however, such as an increased bone fracture risk associated with prescription PPIs.
Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle changes can help manage acid reflux and GERD. Avoid food and drink that triggers acid reflux, such as:
Other lifestyle changes may help relieve acid reflux:
Summary
While there are many claims about apple cider vinegar’s health benefits, there isn’t enough research to support its use as a treatment for acid reflux or GERD. Consult your healthcare provider about possible side effects or potential interactions before taking apple cider vinegar.
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.John Hopkins Medicine.GERD diet: Foods that help with acid reflux (heartburn).National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GER & GERD.Kines K, Krupczak T.Nutritional interventions for gastroesophageal reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, and hypochlorhydria.Integr Med(Encinitas). 2016;15(4):49-53U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Over-the-counter (OTC) heartburn treatment.Neiworth-Petshow EM, Baldwin-Sayre C.Naturopathic treatment of gastrointestinal dysfunction in the setting of Parkinson’s disease.Integr Med (Encinitas). 2018;17(4):44-50.Chang J, Han SE, Paik SS, Kim YJ.Corrosive esophageal injury due to a commercial vinegar beverage in an adolescent.Clin Endosc. 2019 Aug;2019:ce.2019.066. doi:10.5946/ce.2019.066Hlebowicz J, Darwiche G, Björgell O, Almér LO.Effect of apple cider vinegar on delayed gastric emptying in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a pilot study.BMC Gastroenterol. 2007 Dec 20;7:46. doi: 10.1186/1471-230X-7-46National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).Treatment for GER & GERD.American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.How is gastroesophageal reflux disease treated?Food and Drug Administration.FDA Drug Safety Communication: possible increased risk of fractures of the hip, wrist, and spine with the use of proton pump inhibitors.Dağlı Ü, Kalkan İH.The role of lifestyle changes in gastroesophageal reflux diseases treatment.Turk J Gastroenterol. 2017 Dec;28(Suppl 1):S33-S37. doi:10.5152/tjg.2017.10Additional ReadingBadillo R, Francis D.Diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.World J Gastrointest Pharmacol Ther. 2014;5(3):105-12. doi:10.4292/wjgpt.v5.i3.105Biswal B.Drug-excipient interaction study for apple cider vinegar with 20 potential excipients using modern analytical techniques.Asian J Pharm.2016;2016:107. doi:10.22377/ajp.v10i1.530
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.John Hopkins Medicine.GERD diet: Foods that help with acid reflux (heartburn).National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GER & GERD.Kines K, Krupczak T.Nutritional interventions for gastroesophageal reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, and hypochlorhydria.Integr Med(Encinitas). 2016;15(4):49-53U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Over-the-counter (OTC) heartburn treatment.Neiworth-Petshow EM, Baldwin-Sayre C.Naturopathic treatment of gastrointestinal dysfunction in the setting of Parkinson’s disease.Integr Med (Encinitas). 2018;17(4):44-50.Chang J, Han SE, Paik SS, Kim YJ.Corrosive esophageal injury due to a commercial vinegar beverage in an adolescent.Clin Endosc. 2019 Aug;2019:ce.2019.066. doi:10.5946/ce.2019.066Hlebowicz J, Darwiche G, Björgell O, Almér LO.Effect of apple cider vinegar on delayed gastric emptying in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a pilot study.BMC Gastroenterol. 2007 Dec 20;7:46. doi: 10.1186/1471-230X-7-46National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).Treatment for GER & GERD.American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.How is gastroesophageal reflux disease treated?Food and Drug Administration.FDA Drug Safety Communication: possible increased risk of fractures of the hip, wrist, and spine with the use of proton pump inhibitors.Dağlı Ü, Kalkan İH.The role of lifestyle changes in gastroesophageal reflux diseases treatment.Turk J Gastroenterol. 2017 Dec;28(Suppl 1):S33-S37. doi:10.5152/tjg.2017.10Additional ReadingBadillo R, Francis D.Diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.World J Gastrointest Pharmacol Ther. 2014;5(3):105-12. doi:10.4292/wjgpt.v5.i3.105Biswal B.Drug-excipient interaction study for apple cider vinegar with 20 potential excipients using modern analytical techniques.Asian J Pharm.2016;2016:107. doi:10.22377/ajp.v10i1.530
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
John Hopkins Medicine.GERD diet: Foods that help with acid reflux (heartburn).National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GER & GERD.Kines K, Krupczak T.Nutritional interventions for gastroesophageal reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, and hypochlorhydria.Integr Med(Encinitas). 2016;15(4):49-53U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Over-the-counter (OTC) heartburn treatment.Neiworth-Petshow EM, Baldwin-Sayre C.Naturopathic treatment of gastrointestinal dysfunction in the setting of Parkinson’s disease.Integr Med (Encinitas). 2018;17(4):44-50.Chang J, Han SE, Paik SS, Kim YJ.Corrosive esophageal injury due to a commercial vinegar beverage in an adolescent.Clin Endosc. 2019 Aug;2019:ce.2019.066. doi:10.5946/ce.2019.066Hlebowicz J, Darwiche G, Björgell O, Almér LO.Effect of apple cider vinegar on delayed gastric emptying in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a pilot study.BMC Gastroenterol. 2007 Dec 20;7:46. doi: 10.1186/1471-230X-7-46National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).Treatment for GER & GERD.American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.How is gastroesophageal reflux disease treated?Food and Drug Administration.FDA Drug Safety Communication: possible increased risk of fractures of the hip, wrist, and spine with the use of proton pump inhibitors.Dağlı Ü, Kalkan İH.The role of lifestyle changes in gastroesophageal reflux diseases treatment.Turk J Gastroenterol. 2017 Dec;28(Suppl 1):S33-S37. doi:10.5152/tjg.2017.10
John Hopkins Medicine.GERD diet: Foods that help with acid reflux (heartburn).
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GER & GERD.
Kines K, Krupczak T.Nutritional interventions for gastroesophageal reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, and hypochlorhydria.Integr Med(Encinitas). 2016;15(4):49-53
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Over-the-counter (OTC) heartburn treatment.
Neiworth-Petshow EM, Baldwin-Sayre C.Naturopathic treatment of gastrointestinal dysfunction in the setting of Parkinson’s disease.Integr Med (Encinitas). 2018;17(4):44-50.
Chang J, Han SE, Paik SS, Kim YJ.Corrosive esophageal injury due to a commercial vinegar beverage in an adolescent.Clin Endosc. 2019 Aug;2019:ce.2019.066. doi:10.5946/ce.2019.066
Hlebowicz J, Darwiche G, Björgell O, Almér LO.Effect of apple cider vinegar on delayed gastric emptying in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a pilot study.BMC Gastroenterol. 2007 Dec 20;7:46. doi: 10.1186/1471-230X-7-46
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).Treatment for GER & GERD.
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.How is gastroesophageal reflux disease treated?
Food and Drug Administration.FDA Drug Safety Communication: possible increased risk of fractures of the hip, wrist, and spine with the use of proton pump inhibitors.
Dağlı Ü, Kalkan İH.The role of lifestyle changes in gastroesophageal reflux diseases treatment.Turk J Gastroenterol. 2017 Dec;28(Suppl 1):S33-S37. doi:10.5152/tjg.2017.10
Badillo R, Francis D.Diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.World J Gastrointest Pharmacol Ther. 2014;5(3):105-12. doi:10.4292/wjgpt.v5.i3.105Biswal B.Drug-excipient interaction study for apple cider vinegar with 20 potential excipients using modern analytical techniques.Asian J Pharm.2016;2016:107. doi:10.22377/ajp.v10i1.530
Badillo R, Francis D.Diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.World J Gastrointest Pharmacol Ther. 2014;5(3):105-12. doi:10.4292/wjgpt.v5.i3.105
Biswal B.Drug-excipient interaction study for apple cider vinegar with 20 potential excipients using modern analytical techniques.Asian J Pharm.2016;2016:107. doi:10.22377/ajp.v10i1.530
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
