Apple Cider Vinegar Side Effects
What You Must Know

Apple cider vinegar is a popular health tonic with many potential benefits.

However, as with many products, there are also some potential side effects that you should be aware of.

The good news is that most apple cider vinegar side effects are mild, and in many cases they can be easily prevented.

Here is what you need to know before you start taking.

Highly acidic drinks like apple cider vinegar can weaken tooth enamel.

To protect yourself, never drink vinegar straight. Dilute it with water to drink it.

After you are finished, get a glass of fresh water and rinse your mouth out to remove the acid from your teeth.

Do not brush your teeth until you have rinsed, as brushing while the vinegar is still on your teeth is more likely to damage the enamel.

Vinegar has been known to irritate or even burn skin when used at full-strength.

Also, one woman suffered permanent damage to her esophagus after getting an apple cider vinegar tablet stuck in her throat.

To prevent this side effect, always dilute vinegar before drinking it or applying it to skin.

Try to take liquid vinegar drinks instead of pills, and if you do take pills, take them with plenty of water.

A 1998 case report found that one patient who ingested large amounts of vinegar suffered from low blood potassium levels. As a result, she also suffered from low bone density and osteoporosis.

You should stick to low doses of apple cider vinegar or avoid it altogether if you have osteoporosis or if you are taking medicines that could lower your blood potassium levels.

Talk to your doctor if any of these circumstances apply to you!

Vinegar may interact with certain drugs.

Talk to your doctor before you start taking apple cider vinegar if you take any of the following medications: digoxin (a heart drug), diuretics like Lasix, prescription laxatives, or if you take insulin.

Many people use apple cider diluted in water as a tonic for an upset stomach. However, other people have reported apple cider vinegar side effects that include heartburn, diarrhea and indigestion.

Possibly, different people react differently to vinegar based on their different body chemistries.

Since vinegar is commonly used as a detox drink, some people may experience these apple cider vinegar side effects as part of the normal detox process.

However, if these symptoms make you uncomfortable and do not subside over time, try reducing the dose or discontinuing use altogether.

Herbal Plant Therapies: Apple Cider Vinegar. MD Anderson Cancer Center Website. http://www.mdanderson.org/departments/cimer/display.cfm?id=9e8f94b3-b637-4a3e-bf43a1dce39b9be3&method=displayfull&pn=6eb86a59-ebd9-11d4-810100508b603a14

Hill LL, Woodruff LH, Foote JC, Barreto-Alcoba M. (July 2005). Esophageal injury by apple cider vinegar tablets and subsequent evaluation of products. J Am Diet Assoc. vol 105(7):1141-4.

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