PSA: Apple Cider Vinegar Is Not Proven to Aid Weight Loss

Apple cider vinegar or ACV was once the darling of both grocery stores and beauty stashes. Enthusiasts would rush to the grocery store for it. The hype was built around its many claims to fame, such as calming acid reflux, boosting the immune system, and aiding in weight loss. Previous trends transformed it from a kitchen staple to a lifestyle hero, with people consuming it in various ways, from morning shots on an empty stomach to facial toners.

While ACV does have acetic acid that can kill harmful bacteria, natural probiotics that can improve gut health, and antioxidants that prevent cell damage, further studies are necessary to prove what exactly they can do for you. In fact, a study that stated it helps with weight loss was recently retracted by the journal that published it.

BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health withdrew a study that claimed drinking ACV could help overweight individuals cut down their weight significantly. The authors recruited 120 people from the Lebanese population to test their hypothesis and to investigate the effects of ACV consumption, which led them to say that it was a beneficial natural remedy for the said purpose.

The 2024 clinical trial was much publicized and stated in the past year, but independent analysis raised skepticism on the quality of the work. The wide-ranging concerns included the statistical analysis of the data, the reliability of the underlying dataset, and the inadequate reporting of methods. Upon investigation, BMJ disclosed that they have decided to retract the research.

The authors tagged the discrepancies as “honest mistakes that arose from version mismatches, data rounding, or formatting differences when exporting from statistical software to reporting spreadsheets.” They also agree with the journal’s decision.