The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
338 User Reviews
Posted by Rick (Indianapolis, IN) on 11/06/2006
★★★★★
I'm 37 and have had acid reflux for about 10 years. Growing up, my family didn't provide healthy meals. Consequently, I abused my body by consuming unhealthy amounts of soda, candy, saturated fat and other dangerous foods. I truly believe that huge amounts of sugar, caffeine and cholesterol in my system caused acid reflux. It also caused acne. I tried antacids at first, to no avail. Then, my doctor put me on Nexium, once a day. The medication only masks the problem. I've always worked out several times a week and after a couple of years on the medication, I noticed that I was gaining weight despite my steady workout routine. From the research I've done on the internet, certain doctors say that reflux medication kills the acid in your stomach so you won't have the pain. The problem is that you need the acid to naturally break down food and impurities. The absence of alkaline in my system was causing me to gain weight more easily. After I began eating 1-2 apples each day and taking a teaspoon of apple-cider vinegar, I had no problems. I've been off Nexium for a year and a half and have no problems. I drink more water, cut back on sweets and have completely given up soda. I also stop eating snacks 1-2 hours before bed. Apples and ACV also help cleanse your system and act as a natural laxative. It's easier to loose weight if you consume it regularly. I use to have quite a bit of acne. Now, at 37, my skin is much clearer.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by David (Tampa, FL) on 11/01/2006
★★★★★
1 part Apple cider vinegar and 3 parts water at least three times per day especially after meals has lessened acid reflux symptoms by 90% after three weeks steady treatment. I had been taking Nexium for approximately 5 years by doctor's prescription. When I went for a refill and found that I couldn't without going back to the doctor again, I decided to check out your website for help. After 5 years of Nexium and/or Zantac, if I missed taking it even one day, then my reflux came back as strong as the days before treatment. I never went back to the doctor for another prescription. The apple cider vinegar mixture treatment really works for me and is better than the last 5 years with few symptoms. I have also removed coffee and wine completely from my diet. Also, I try not to eat anything within 2-3 hours before bed. That's hard since I am a "grazer" and eat at odd times.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Alan (NYC) on 10/23/2006
★★★★★
Listen up singers! I have had reflux for almost two years now. I have no heartburn or stomach discomfort. I have the type of reflux that only attacks my throat. Sometimes my throat burns and is sore, my neck actually hurts and I have hoarseness. This of course is a huge problem because I am a singer and right now i'm doing a 1st national tour and when the acid reflux is bad, the singing is bad. Well it got particularly bad last week and my singing was really suffering (I even got my first bad review of my career because of it). Like many others I also have gone through nexium, zegerid, aciphex, etc. They all work for about a month and then the reflux comes back usually worse. So I went on a 24 hour information search because I got to a point where I wasn't sure I could sing the show. Well what I came up with worked IMMEDIATELY. So I want to share the news.
First - I stopped taking my prescribed reflux medicine. I took organic apple cider vinegar three times a day (two table spoons mixed in about 4 oz of water). I got a multi enzyme that I took before and after each meal and also after working out. And (this is a big one) I stopped drinking anything during my meals (it apparently makes digestion of food much easier when there isn't so much liquid with it). I started all this on a saturday morning and had a four show weekend. My voice came back by that matinee and it soared through the next three shows. Apparently people in the homeopathic world know all about the benefits of enzymes and the effectiveness of raw apple cider vinegar. I didn't. But now I do and I just wanted to share. It really works. Good luck. Peace.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Gwendy (USA) on 10/19/2006
★★★★★
I have suffered with AR for 3 years with no answers from Doctors. I have had just about every test they could think of and there's nothing wrong with me. I went to the health food store and bought digestive enzymes and hit it hard for a month along with Nexium. I have been off the PPI's for about a month and just started 1 1/2 weeks ago with the Apple cider vinegar and that stuff is great! I just do a combo of ACV and digestive enzymes and I feel great. No more raw throat when I wake up, I don't dread eating anymore. And the best thing of all is I'm off of the damaging meds. Praise God!! Just had to share.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Scott (Oil City) on 10/15/2006
★★★★★
I have been suffering from acid reflux for about 8 years .I have been to the doctor and have been on all of the prescription ppi drugs,currently on prilosec otc.I always had to back them up with tums ,Rolaids ect.None work for the long term. Tried ACV two nights ago seems to work. I have also for the last year been having problems sleeping, which then gave me migraines. I had my best sleep in two years the last two nights. Don't know if the ACV had any thing to do with that , but I love the side effect.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Phillip (Sweden) on 10/09/2006
★★★★★
Hi,about 3 years ago I started getting daily heartburn that got worse and worse.I ate rennie´s and tums like sweets and soon had to take Ranatidin on a daily basis. I visited my doctor who wrote out more prescription drugs.The drugs helped but as soon as the effect wore off I was back to square one. I read about the vinegar cure on your site and decided to give it a try. I cut back on the drugs and instead used the vinegar .I have been symptom free for over 6 weeks and feel 100% better. I can eat and drink things that were unthinkable before. A word of warning to anyone taking anti-acid drugs, the more you use them the worse your reflux will become after the daily dose wears off.The body compensates the lack of acid by producing more. It's a vicious circle that the drug companies never mention. Out with the drugs and in with the vinegar. A desert spoon in a glass of water every morning is enough to get your stomach working again. Best wishes from Scandinavia. P.S. great site
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Jackie (Seguin, TX) on 10/04/2006
★★★★★
i am trying the acv treatment for sciatica, my usual pain meds cause heartburn and are hard on the liver, i also have hepatitis c, so i thought acv would be good for me. well it tastes terrible but it has already stopped the heartburn and i only started yesterday. we will see how it works on pain. i love your website and am recommending it to everyone.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Mike (Allendale, MI) on 09/26/2006
★★★★★
I had this pain in my chest for a few days, thought i was having a heart attack it would come on and get worse until i would belch then it would go away, one day it didn't go away, 911 and a trip to hospital to find out i had a spasm and acid reflux, older brother has it and told me good luck. 2 days later on the web found earth clinic, acid reflux... ACV started taking acv as suggested. I SWEAR 4 min's after taking it i felt better. 6months later no acid reflux no spasms lost 25lbs. i am a junk food junkie, so 25lbs is huge, my over weight baby girl (11) and i are eating better and exercising and taking ACV 3x a day. will let you know on our progress. Thanks to all of you.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Rosie (Niagara Falls, ONT, Canada) on 09/25/2006
★★★★★
I Had such horrible Acid Reflux, and Digestive Issues, my Doc gave me tons of prescriptions... to no avail,nothing worked... I hardly ate, I was practically starving, grumpy and miserable,weak and tired.... you could find me drinking the Pepto-Bismal,Malox,Gravol,Peppermint tea. It was so nasty I did not want to get out of BED!until my father had mentioned Apple Cider Vinegar...I doubted it at first...well let me tell you, I purchased Gel Caps from the Natural Health Food Store,and Apple Cider Vinegar, after I swallowed the pill, I felt better within 45 mins...I could not believe it! so now I take 3 Gel caps a day of Apple Cider Vinegar,and i'm happy to say no problems, and I don't have to take any gross medicine. the first night I celebrated my new found health, I took my boyfriend out for beer and SPICY NACHO'S! Rose St.Louis (Thank God For Natural Cures...AND APPLE CIDER VINEGAR!)
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Don (Ontario, Canada) on 09/19/2006
★★★★★
All my life i"ve been eating rolaids like candy for my acid reflux. Watched a health show on tv about the digestive system and the lady doing the show said that a lack of acid is the most common cause of acid reflux. Acid naturally causes muscles of the esophagus to close off when digesting. Hence stopping acid reflux. The lack of acids cause the food to ferment and backup into the esophagus causing burning. She suggested taking a spoonful of ACV to stop the burn. Now no rolaids just ACV.Works wonders and I feel great.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Julie (Sheffield, PA) on 09/17/2006
★★★★★
My father has had horrible acid reflux for years. He tried 1Tbl. of Apple Cider Vinegar with 8 oz. of water every morning - and has been reflux free ever since. My question is about my 8 month old. He was a preemie and has horrible reflux. He's on Zantac and Reglan and has even tried Prevacid - it helps a little, but he still reflux's throughout the day - even aspirating into his lungs. I was wondering if you've ever heard of babies taking vinegar, and if it has helped them. I know he wouldn't take it by mouth, but he has a g-tube through which he receives his other med. s. If he could take it how much would you recommend. Thanks!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Bobbie (Rowlett, TX) on 09/11/2006
★★★★★
I got hooked on spicy chicken and started eating it almost everyday. At first I noticed that I got a little burning in my chest and when I coughed it got worse. The more chicken I ate the more I started getting acid reflux. I would mostly get it when I would go to bed or lay down. Today I was sitting up and got the biggest attack that I have ever had. I coughed and more acid came up. My ears, throat, and chest burned and I was getting choked and I felt like I was going to die. My husband heard all the choking and coughing and came in to help me. I had read many remedies on this site and remembered the ACV. My husband brought it to me and I mixed some with water and drank it. I started to feel better right after I used it and it about 10 minutes I was totally pain free. I'm going to use it for weight loss, acid reflux and arthritis.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Sharon (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada) on 09/07/2006
★★★★★
After suffering from a blocked bowel which caused back up of acid into the esophagus, many hospital visits with an NG-tube being inserted which scraped the interior of the esophagus, acid reflux was a full time occurrence. A scope showed that the lining of the esophagus was, as my Dr. said "raw meat". I was placed on most ant-acids known to man. They masked the symptoms for awhile, but I spent most days in pain. Sleeping was near impossible because of the pain and coughing. Thanks to a Dr. who practiced natural medicine and a magazine article which told me that far from having too much stomach acid, the pain meant that I was producing too little, I was told to take a forkful of sauerkraut when the pain hit and that it would help. It did! Immediately! It's effects were not permanent though. One week ago, again because of a magazine article, I was led to try Apple Cider Vinegar. Not for Acid reflux but to help me relax. I have not had acid reflux or heart burn since! Thanks for your web-site. I will be sharing my find with others.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Dr. Paul Swanson (USA) on 08/29/2006
★★★★★
Thanks much for the ACV remedy for reflux. I join the chorus and say, yes, it has worked excellently for me as well. It has been shown that the lower esophageal sphincter closes in response to acidic stomach liquid near it.
My theory is that reflux is caused either by stomach liquid which is insufficiently acidic or because the acid receptors near the lower esophageal sphincter are not sensitive enough. Acidifying the stomach liquid with vinegar allows closure of the lower esophageal sphincter to be properly triggered by proximity of sufficiently acidic stomach liquid.
This theory is directly counter to the prevailing idea that reflux is caused by excess acid. I have observed in myself that Pepcid, which reduces stomach acid, does make reflux less painful because the refluxed stomach liquid is less acidic, but that nonetheless the actual amount and frequency of reflux increases. Thus, it makes sense to me that medications which reduce acid do reduce pain but do not eliminate continued reflux and symptoms. Clearly, this explanation of reflux will not be favored by those with financial interest in selling acid-reducing pharmaceuticals. Thanks again, Paul Swanson MD
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Peggy (Florence, AL) on 08/15/2006
★★★★★
I was told about apple cider vinegar for reflux by a neighbor who had seen it on television. I have had several prescription medicines and was presently on prilosec. I have been on the apple cider vinegar for 3 days with absolutely no reflux. Believe me, it works!
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