Apple cider vinegar seems to be everywhere these days. From fighting obesity to improving digestive health to relieving cold symptoms, the benefits of apple cider vinegar are being touted as the remedy for a wide range of health problems. These claims include the purported ability of apple cider vinegar to help people with type 2 diabetes maintain their blood sugar levels.
Encouraging, But Minimal, Research
While there is little if any downside to adding apple cider vinegar to your diet, the research about its effectiveness in diabetes management isn’t conclusive. However, the studies that do exist are encouraging and suggest that apple cider vinegar may have a positive impact on the health of individuals with diabetes.
What research there is about the connection between apple cider vinegar and diabetes has focused apple cider vinegar’s potential to reduce blood sugar levels.
A 2018 review of existing research concluded that, on average, those who regularly consumed apple cider vinegar saw a small but significant reduction in their HbA1c results after approximately 8–12 weeks. HbA1c levels reflect blood glucose levels over a span of several weeks or months.
Groups taking apple cider vinegar experienced noticeable improvement in blood glucose levels half an hour after consuming the vinegar, but that effect seemed to be short-lived as the difference between those who took the vinegar and those who did not narrowed as time went on.
Other studies attempted to figure out why and how apple cider vinegar appeared to reduce blood sugar levels. One crossover, randomized 2015 study suggested that apple cider vinegar may improve the way that the body absorbs blood sugar and increase insulin sensitivity in the skeletal muscle.
Since obesity is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, apple cider vinegar’s effect on obesity is also of interest. Some researchers claim that the acetic acid found in apple cider vinegar can help reduce obesity. For example, one 2017 study revealed that mice who received vinegar had lower levels of body weight and fat distribution.
No matter its potential benefits, apple cider vinegar alone is certainly not enough to keep blood sugar levels where they need to be for folks with diabetes. Even with a healthy and optimal diet, effective, accurate, and continuous monitoring of those levels will always be an indispensable aspect of effective diabetes maintenance.
Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) is a tested, approved, and easy-to-use transceiver device that helps those with diabetes stay informed and ahead of the game with their diabetes monitoring. Contact us today to see if you qualify for CGM and access our guide to continuous glucose monitoring.