Does drinking apple cider vinegar help with acid reflux

Table of Contents Show

The Problem with the Vinegar Remedy
Finding a Better Solution
Here’s how it can potentially make your heartburn better (if done right).
Apple cider vinegar for heartburn
Can apple cider vinegar make your acid reflux worse?
Can you take apple cider vinegar pills for heartburn?
How much apple cider vinegar should I drink for acid reflux?
Should you drink apple cider vinegar if you have acid reflux?
How do you make acid reflux go away fast?

People wonder if apple cider vinegar could help with many ailments. Could it help you lose weight? Could help clear up your acne? Is it good for your hair? Can it ease your acid reflux?

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

Many people worldwide swear by apple cider vinegar, saying the acid can help digestion and the yeast (or “the mother” can act as a natural probiotic. However, researchers haven’t done enough scientific study around these claims.

That said, if you are curious and want to try it, you can.

Use a small amount, such as a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, and dilute it into a warm mug of water before or after a meal. While there’s very little research to support health claims tied to apple cider vinegar, the risk of trying it is generally low.

— Gastroenterologist Maged Rizk, MD

Posted: Jan 30 in Diet & Reflux by

When it comes to acid reflux, there are many so-called “remedies.” Because gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a persistent problem with many different causes, you may have tried a hundred at-home solutions to rid yourself of acid reflux in Albany or Macon. Unfortunately, heartburn “cures” like apple cider vinegar are scientifically-faulty—though many people use vinegar in an attempt to find quick reflux relief, it often has the opposite effect.

The Problem with the Vinegar Remedy

Acid reflux can, understandably, be prompted by acidic foods. This is why so many reflux sufferers steer clear of citrus fruits and tomato-based products: their high acid content makes them surefire reflux triggers for most people.
Some swear by apple cider vinegar as a fast-acting reflux cure, claiming that drinking two tablespoons of the stuff in a glass of water will neutralize your stomach acid. There’s just one problem: apple cider vinegar, like all vinegars, is highly acidic. Though this is one of the most talked-about remedies for acid reflux, there is no scientific evidence to back up its effectiveness—in fact, vinegar’s acetic acid can actually burn your esophagus on its own.

Finding a Better Solution

As you struggle to control acid reflux in Albany or Macon, you may come across many home remedies that seductively claim to be quick fixes for reflux, but it’s important to take them with a grain of salt. As you become more aware of what triggers your symptoms, you’ll realize that many of these claims are not logical solutions. Some will tell you that lemon juice offers effective reflux relief, but lemons (along with limes) have the highest concentration of citric acid in all citrus fruits.
It’s important to note that not everyone responds to the same foods in the same ways. Many people swear that remedies like apple cider vinegar work for them, and though the science may be faulty, some speculate that a placebo effect could be the reason. If you feel that apple cider vinegar does work for you, it may be a topic worth discussing with Dr. Bagnato.
The lesson here is to simply stay aware and skeptical of anything that offers a quick remedy for reflux. Drinking water, reducing stress and eating a low-fat, low-acid diet are far more effective strategies and will not put you at risk of making your symptoms worse.
Have you come across any other questionable remedies for acid reflux in Albany or Macon? Tell us about them in the comments below!

Hearst Newspapers participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.

Here’s how it can potentially make your heartburn better (if done right).

Making homemade apple cider vinegar, preparation process. Woman pouring water in jar

TARIK KIZILKAYA/Getty Images

Apple cider vinegar is continuing to trend like crazy these days, and it’s not hard to find all kinds of items on store shelves touting its purported benefits, from shampoos promising to revive damaged hair, to gummies and pills that can potentially help with bloating and gut health, to DIY recipes allowing you to take or apply ACV in its natural state.

While most experts would agree there isn’t enough research out there to support this claim, some people have claimed that taking apple cider vinegar has helped to relieve symptoms of heartburn. As with most natural remedies, though, there’s an art to this, and if you do not measure the dosing properly, you may see less desirable effects than what you’re hoping for.

Here, a registered dietitian breaks down what you need to know about taking ACV for heartburn.

Apple cider vinegar for heartburn

According to Taylor Stolt, RDN, a functional medicine dietitian who specializes in gut health, apple cider vinegar can make acid reflux worse in certain instances, though it may help in others.

Can apple cider vinegar make your acid reflux worse?

“In cases where the acid reflux is caused by low stomach acid, apple cider vinegar can help because its acidity can help assist in the digestion of food in the stomach,” she explains. “If food is better digested in the stomach, it is able to empty into the small intestine at the appropriate rate, thus reducing reflux.”

However, if the acid reflux is the result of too much stomach acid, apple cider vinegar is like throwing fuel onto the fire and it can make acid reflux worse, she warns. That’s because if you have irritation or damage in the esophagus or stomach from acid reflux, the apple cider vinegar can be irritating and worsen tissue damage. Additionally, if you have ulcers, taking apple cider vinegar can be incredibly irritating, painful, and dangerous.

So what can you do to reap the benefits and avoid having the ACV wreak havoc on your digestive system?

“Always, always dilute apple cider vinegar,” Stolt says. “If you don't dilute apple cider vinegar, the extreme acidity will irritate the esophagus and it can also cause irreversible tooth enamel damage.”

Can you take apple cider vinegar pills for heartburn?

According to Stolt, while some people have claimed to have seen positive effects when taking ACV for heartburn, there currently isn’t sufficient research to back up such claims, whether they be related to ACV in its natural state, or in pill form.

“One small study showed improvements in heartburn for some participants, but the improvements only appeared to last 60 to 75 minutes,” she says. “If you are experiencing acid reflux, the best thing to do first is see a gastroenterologist who can do a thorough examination and perform an upper endoscopy to rule out high acid production and make sure you don't have any ulcers.”

If your workup is clear, Stolt recommends working with a gut specialist to identify the root causes of your reflux/heartburn and address those root causes, as well as help you determine if it’s possible to treat your condition without acid-blocking medications.

“Gut specialists can evaluate your need for digestive enzymes that contain HCl and pepsin, which your stomach naturally produces, to safely boost digestion in a more controlled way than with apple cider vinegar,” she explains. “They can also assess for gut bacteria imbalances, bacteria/yeast overgrowth, compromised gallbladder function, increased intestinal permeability (AKA "leaky gut"), and gut inflammation.”

The bottom line: Talk to your doctor before trying to treat acid reflux (or really any health condition) with a natural remedy like apple cider vinegar.

How much apple cider vinegar should I drink for acid reflux?

There is very little evidence that apple cider vinegar can help with acid reflux. If you do decide to try it, just one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar per serving is recommended.

Should you drink apple cider vinegar if you have acid reflux?

You may try using apple cider vinegar to relieve acid reflux symptoms, but there's no guarantee it'll work. It's thought this home remedy helps balance your stomach pH by balancing stomach acid. It's generally accepted as safe to consume a small amount of apple cider vinegar. Dilute it with water.