Testing the Anti-Glycemic Effect of Commercial Apple Cider Vinegar Pills

A recent meta-analysis concluded that vinegar consumption could be considered effective adjunct therapy for improving glycemic control. Glycemic control strategies are useful for diabetic and pre-diabetic patients as a way of managing the symptoms of disease. However, liquid vinegar consumption is often poorly tolerated and ingestion can invoke nausea. This pilot study examined the effect of liquid vinegar versus commercial vinegar pills on postprandial glycemia in 12 healthy adults. All participants were healthy with fasting blood glucose averaging 91mg/dl. This study examined the efficacy of liquid vinegar ingestion (25 g apple cider vinegar [1.25 g acetic acid]) versus vinegar pill ingestion (4 vinegar tablets [1.5 g acetic acid] either consumed whole or crushed and then dissolved in water) on postprandial glycemia. At 30 minutes following a standard test meal (bagel + jelly + juice; 106 g carbohydrate), blood glucose concentrations were reduced 12% in comparison to the pill groups or to a no vinegar control (135.6±15.8, 154.3±22.2, 152.7±30.6, and 157.7±22.8 mg/dl for the liquid vinegar, whole pill, crushed pill, and control groups respectively; p=0.023). These data suggest that in healthy adults, four commercial vinegar pills with a reported acetic acid content of 1.5 g acetic acid are not effective for improving glycemic control.