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.
Apple Cider Vinegar Side Effects
Posted by Patrice53 (Modesto, Ca) on 08/09/2010
Anyone have sore gums after using apple cider vinegar! Mine have been, and red, and you can see my teeth though my red gums! .. P
Apple Cider Vinegar Side Effects
Posted by Sara (Sacramento, Ca, Usa) on 08/06/2010
I love taking Apple Cider Vinegar, but it gives me Acid Reflux. If I take it with Baking Soda then I get a Stomach ache. Please tell me how to take Apple Cider Vinegar. Thanks, Sara
Apple Cider Vinegar Side Effects
Posted by Pb (Cape Breton, Ns) on 07/10/2010
Hi folks - I'd love your thoughts on this one! I recently began taking 2 tbsp organic ACV daily, I'd "shoot" it then chase it with water. Last weekend I got the first yeast infection in YEARS (i'm not on the pill, eat fairly well, not on probiotics though). I wondered, as ACV has an alkalizing effect when taken internally, could it have changed my ph to the extent that a yeast infection was able to start (bc yeast do better in a more alkaline environment)?? I've been infection free for so long and this was the only thing I'd done differently lately that I could think of that might have caused it.
Apple Cider Vinegar Side Effects
Posted by Carolina (Nyc, Ny) on 07/06/2010
I have had an awful acid reflux condition along with irritable bowel syndrome for the past 4 years non-stop. I lived my life with 24 hours nausea, diarrhea (4 times a day or sometimes more) pain, unsuferable pain. In short, I was going mad. I started 5 days ago to take 2 TBS of ACV 3 times a day as suggested here after reading pretty much all your site, which is fabulous and informative! Thanks so much! The first night in 4 years that I don't wake up in the middle of the night in pain and about to puke. I could not believe my eyes and bow down to the bottle of ACV. My only problem and here lies my question, is that in day number 3, I started to experience super uncomfortable bloating (but no gas) that turned into pain afterwards. Now my back hurts and sitting down feels unconfortable, and yesterday and today I experienced nausea again. Less nausea, I must say, but I started to freak out. Am I doing something wrong? How long should I consume the 2TBS conconction in order to totally heal my "problems"? I also started, at the same time, to take probiotics pills once a day. Please help! I am at a loss here :(
Apple Cider Vinegar Side Effects
Posted by Deirdre (Atlanta, GA) on 06/20/2010
In addition to the side effects I reported recently re Hyaluronic Acid, a new sensitivity to apple cider vinegar has developed after many, many years of drinking it on and off. I am becoming quite sensitive as I age, I guess.
I recently had to stop taking my favorite remedy on Earth Clinic due to multiple and at times severe side effects: heart palpitations, dizziness, vertigo, light headedness, anxiety, and panic attacks in the car (due to feeling dizzy). Hard to believe these side effects were caused by a benign home remedy such as vinegar, but it's true. I know other people on the site have reported similar symptoms over the years and I am wondering if they were also drinking apple cider vinegar!
It took me many months to figure out that apple cider vinegar (acv) was the cause of these symptoms because I only took it intermittantly. As soon as I'd start having symptoms, I'd stop drinking acv, caffeine and any food or drink that I thought might be causing the issues. What threw me for a loop however, was that a few of my symptoms (light headedness, dizziness) would continue for another 7-10 days. That's how long it took to leave my system! I knew it had to be something I was eating, drinking or taking (supplements, home remedies, etc), but the exact trigger eluded me.
My doctor finally had me wear a heart monitor for 2 days to figure out what was going on. I was told to try and trigger the palpitations. That was very easy... all I did was drink 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in water and the palpitations (pre-atrial contractions to be exact) began 20 minutes later. Once the palpitations started after drinking the acv, I exacerbated my symptoms with cardio exercise, caffeine, and an acupuncture session where needles were placed in the heart meridian. All confirmed with my heart monitor test. Alone, neither caffeine nor acupuncture nor exercise caused any symptoms. However, in conjunction with acv, big problem.
I haven't touched acv other than topically in 6 weeks and guess what, absolutely no symptoms! What a relief to finally know the cause.
I love this remedy. In fact as you many of you know, it was the very first one on Earth Clinic. I am saddened to have to stop taking what I believe is one of the best home remedies on this site. However, I wanted people to be aware of potential side effects. Thankfully, I had a 20 year run of drinking apple cider vinegar regularly without any side effects!
Apple Cider Vinegar Side Effects
Posted by Tami (Beaverton, Or) on 06/18/2010
I'm very interested in your post. I've been drinking 2tsp ACV in a tall glass of water for two 1/2 weeks. The execption being the weekends. Every day I drink it I get a headache...which is why I'm reading these posts, trying to get a handle on it. I'm also HypoThyroid & take dessicated thyroid (same main ingredients as Armour & Naturethroid). Do you think there is a connection between Thyroid, ACV and Headaches? In some ways I'm happy with the ACV but I can't deal with daily headaches. I would appreciate hearing your thoughts on the situation.
Apple Cider Vinegar Side Effects
Posted by Mariya (Tabuk, North, Saudi Arabia) on 05/21/2010
Would like to know your spin on this...i have tried two types of acv one of which is recommended on your site, and on both occassions became very light-headed and drowsy with diahorea. i took about 1tbsp in a large glass of water. i also had burning in my stomach with reflux. it took me about 2-3 days to feel normal again !
Apple Cider Vinegar Side Effects
Posted by Susan (Clifton, Nj) on 05/07/2010
I threw off my body's ph by drinking 1-2 TBS ACV (Heinz brand) & 1-2 TBS regular honey mixed into a class of water 2-3X a day. I drank it because it was supposed to give you a feeling of well being, and I began to like it.
Only after a while of doing this, and never immediately after I drank it, my reaction began. My lips felt burned. Days later, they turned red and swollen. Then days later, got tiny blisters all over them that would heal surprisingly fast (within days) and new ones would appear, but the effect was my entire lips but not near the outer edges.
I freaked out, thinking I caught something. Doctors incorrectly said it was dermatitis or herpes (which I've never had and doesn't appear on a person's entire lips) and gave me medicine that didn't work. I suffered for 10 months, trying lactobacillus acidophilus pills that had to be refrigerated and were expensive. I tried OTC products. Evenutally, it diminshed on it's own (that must have been when I stopped the daily overdose ACV because I thought the benefits were non-existent). At the time, I incorrectly thought it was a food allergy, when I noticed that it got worse from eating salads, then I narrowed it down to just the tomatoes (wrong), it was the vinegar. I had stopped my daily drink for a long time, and now, every time I had vinegar, within an hour, my lips got that burn, and if I ate more, they went all the way to becoming red and swollen.
I did nothing except stay away from vinegar for a few months, and my body returned to normal, but this had been going on for 10 months!!
Now that my body is normal again, I can eat vinegar whenever I want with no adverse reaction, but I will never have the quantity (2-4 TBS a day) that caused this ph imbalance.
Please condense this and let your readers know that this is a possible effect of too much ACV per day. I had no idea that there could be negative reactions, and since a book recommended 1-2 TBS a day, I figured that if some is good, more is better (wrong).
Apple Cider Vinegar Side Effects
Posted by Andy (St. Paul, Mn) on 03/22/2010
I have tried organic ACV (with the mother) with reverse osmosis water (approx. 1 tbsp. per 16 oz water) on 3 occasions and ended up with SEVERE headaches. The headaches have been disabling and accompanied by nausea. I currently take Armour thyroid (hypo.) and Cortef (for adrenal fatigue). I am blood type A . I can put other types of vinegar on salad with no adverse reactions. Should I avoid the ACV remedy, or should I dilute it way down and try again?
Apple Cider Vinegar Side Effects
Posted by Petunia (Warrenton, Or, United States) on 02/28/2010
I have been taking 2 T ACV with a little honey in 16 oz. bottled water twice a day, 5 days then rest on weekends. I have had insomnia the last couple of weeks, is this from the ACV, anyone else had this problem?
Apple Cider Vinegar Side Effects
Posted by Edith (Cologne, Germany) on 02/26/2010
Years ago, I always started bleeding after 2 weeks of drinking a teaspoon of ACV with a glass of water.
Last month I decided to try drinking ACV again, with the same dosage and was ok for awhile, actually feeling better than usual. But stopped when my period seemed to be starting.
But now, I have been FLOODING for at least 21 days and it looks like it will go on. I am not sure if this has anything to do with drinking ACV.
Or whether I should start drinking regularly, so the flooding will stop.
Any ideas?
Apple Cider Vinegar Side Effects
Posted by Tracy (Mogale City, South Africa) on 02/07/2010
HI I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY IT IS WHEN I DRINK APPLE CIDER CAPPSULES I FEEL THAT I HAVE HEARTBURN AND A UNCOMFORTABLE FEELING IN MY TUMMY? I HAVE 2 CAPSULES IN THE MONING AND 2 IN THE AFTERNOON. PLEASE HELP
EC: A few people on Earth Clinic have reported heartburn after taking apple cider vinegar capsules, among other side effects. We have never recommended the capsules on this site.
On the other hand, organic apple cider vinegar from the bottle diluted in plenty of water reportedly cures heartburn!
Apple Cider Vinegar Side Effects
Posted by Corinna (London, Kent, England) on 02/05/2010
I am aware of the benefits of apple cider vinegar and really really want to take it as it helps me with my hot flushes like nothing else. However, everytime I take it (2 tbl of ACV with plenty of water with food or without food) I get severe stomach pain afterwards. I tried it out at least 6 times over the course of the last 9 months but it is a persistant pattern. Does anybody have an idea why this is and what I can do about it? Thank you!
Apple Cider Vinegar Side Effects
Posted by Nitzp (San Jose, Ca, Usa) on 01/18/2010
Did anyone experience any side effects with apple cider vinegar? I developed very itchy skin in the arms and back of my knees. I am thinking this is a side effect of the acv I drink (2tbs) every night.
Apple Cider Vinegar Side Effects
Posted by Avis (Indianapolis, In) on 01/18/2010
does anyone know why acv would cause vaginal bleeding? I mixed it with a drop of honey and a teaspoon of lemon and heated it and after 2 days. It caused vaginal bleeding. That was about 4 years ago. I tried it again about a month ago this time I did not heat it and the same thing happened after about 2 days.
