Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss and Blood Sugar: What Trials Found
What pooled trials of apple cider vinegar found for weight and blood sugar, why the evidence is small and variable, and why a much-quoted weight trial was retracted.
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Quick answer
Pooled analyses of short human trials found small average drops in body weight and in blood sugar markers after people drank apple cider vinegar (ACV), but the studies differ a lot from each other and none shows ACV is a treatment. One heavily publicized weight trial has been retracted. The label that fits best is promising but limited.
How the sources define the terms
- Meta-analysis: a statistical pooling of several trials. Its answer is only as good as the trials in it.
- HbA1c: a blood test that reflects average blood sugar over about the last three months.
- I2: a percentage that shows how much the trials disagree. A high I2 means the pooled average hides large differences.
What the sources found
| Question | What the source found | Strength of evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Weight, BMI, waist | A 2025 meta-analysis of 10 randomized trials (789 adults, at least 4 weeks) found daily ACV lowered body weight, BMI and waist size, with I2 of 62%, 83% and 61%. Subgroup results suggested gains in studies up to 12 weeks, at 30 mL/day, in adults who were overweight, obese or had type 2 diabetes. The authors call it a possible short-term adjunct. [1] | Promising but limited |
| Blood sugar, type 2 diabetes | A 2025 meta-analysis of 7 controlled trials found lower fasting blood sugar (-21.9 mg/dL) and HbA1c (-1.53) and no change in insulin resistance. [2] A single 8-week trial of 30 mL/day in people with type 2 diabetes reported a fall in fasting glucose that was significant only in the ACV group, and a lower HbA1c than the control group. [3] | Promising but limited |
| Blood sugar and cholesterol, all adults | A 2021 meta-analysis of 9 studies: total cholesterol -6.06 mg/dL, fasting glucose -7.97 mg/dL, HbA1c -0.50; no clear change in LDL, HDL or insulin. Glucose and HDL appeared to rise in apparently healthy participants. [4] | Mixed |
| Wider heart and metabolism markers | A 2023 meta-analysis of 25 trials (1,320 adults) found lower fasting glucose, HbA1c and total cholesterol, but no significant effect on BMI, insulin, triglycerides, LDL or HDL; heterogeneity was very high (I2 above 95% for glucose and HbA1c). [5] | Mixed |
| Single-meal blood sugar rise | In 12 healthy adults, liquid vinegar lowered the rise in blood sugar after a meal by 31% compared with water, while whole vinegar tablets did not. [6] | Small, short study |
| Bedtime ACV | Proper evidence not found. We searched PubMed for vinegar at bedtime and found a 2007 study in type 2 diabetes that was indexed without an abstract, so we did not read it and make no claim. | Proper evidence not found |
The retracted weight trial
A 2024 randomized trial of 120 Lebanese adults and teens with overweight or obesity reported improvements in weight and blood tests and concluded that ACV "does not produce any side effects". [7] In 2025 the journal retracted it. The notice says the analyses could not be replicated and multiple errors were identified, and that the supplied data showed patterns inconsistent with random allocation. [8] The authors state the problems were honest mistakes. [8] Any article or video still quoting that trial is quoting a withdrawn result.Frequently asked questions
Does apple cider vinegar make you lose weight?
A 2025 meta-analysis found small reductions in weight, BMI and waist size in trials of at least 4 weeks, with large differences between trials. [1]
Does apple cider vinegar lower blood sugar?
Meta-analyses found lower fasting glucose and HbA1c on average, mostly in people with type 2 diabetes, but results varied widely. [2] [4]
Why was the Lebanese apple cider vinegar trial retracted?
The journal said the analyses could not be replicated and multiple errors were found. [8]
Is apple cider vinegar before bed better?
Proper evidence not found. We did not read a bedtime ACV trial, so we cannot say whether timing matters.
Can I use apple cider vinegar instead of diabetes medicine?
No source we read supports that. The trials tested ACV alongside usual care, and one small study found it slowed stomach emptying in type 1 diabetes. [9] Ask the prescriber or pharmacist.
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Limits and uncertainty
- The pooled trials are mostly short (weeks to a few months), so long-term weight change and safety are unknown.
- The meta-analyses combine different amounts, products and diets. The 30 mL/day figure is simply what the 2025 analysis reported for its subgroup; it is not advice. [1]
- Glucose and cholesterol changes are markers, not outcomes such as heart attacks. None of the sources we read followed people long enough to measure those.
- The authors of the 2025 type 2 diabetes analysis begin by noting that earlier evidence "provide conflicting results". [2]
Safety and who should ask first
- ACV is acidic. Case reports of throat injury, tooth erosion and skin burns are on the main page, Apple Cider Vinegar: Evidence, Teeth, Throat and Medicine Cautions, and the page on side effects.
- In a small study of 10 people with type 1 diabetes and delayed stomach emptying, ACV slowed emptying further, which the authors said might harm blood sugar control. [9]
- If you take medicine for diabetes or blood pressure, or you have kidney or liver disease, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are planning surgery, ask a pharmacist or clinician before adding ACV. We found no safety study in several of these groups.
- For weight, see Healthy Weight Basics; for blood sugar, Prediabetes, Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome. Never stop or change a prescribed medicine because of anything on this page.
References
- Castagna A et al., Nutrients (2025). Effect of Apple Cider Vinegar Intake on Body Composition in Humans with Type 2 Diabetes and/or Overweight: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Read 2026-10-23.
- Arjmandfard D et al., Front Nutr (2025). Effects of apple cider vinegar on glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes: a GRADE-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials. Read 2026-10-23.
- Jafarirad S et al., Front Clin Diabetes Healthc (2023). The improvement effect of apple cider vinegar as a functional food on anthropometric indices, blood glucose and lipid profile in diabetic patients: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Read 2026-10-23.
- Hadi A et al., BMC Complement Med Ther (2021). The effect of apple cider vinegar on lipid profiles and glycemic parameters: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Read 2026-10-23.
- Tehrani SD et al., Curr Med Chem (2025). The Effects of Apple Cider Vinegar on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Clinical Trials. Read 2026-10-23.
- Feise NK, Johnston CS, J Nutr Metab (2020). Commercial Vinegar Tablets Do Not Display the Same Physiological Benefits for Managing Postprandial Glucose Concentrations as Liquid Vinegar. Read 2026-10-23.
- Abou-Khalil R et al., BMJ Nutr Prev Health (2024), RETRACTED 2025. Apple cider vinegar for weight management in Lebanese adolescents and young adults with overweight and obesity: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (retracted article). Read 2026-10-23.
- BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, Retraction notice (2025). Retraction: Apple cider vinegar for weight management in Lebanese adolescents and young adults with overweight and obesity. Read 2026-10-23.
- Hlebowicz J et al., BMC Gastroenterol (2007). Effect of apple cider vinegar on delayed gastric emptying in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a pilot study. Read 2026-10-23.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.