Here are 6 reasons to take an apple cider vinegar supplement

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is one of the foods that can stand up to storage in the kitchen, which has caused a buzz in the world of health and wellness, it has been a popular topic in recent years due to its benefits for the beauty of the skin to help it lose weight.
Apple cider vinegar is traditionally used in cooking, and it is a great way to add a distinct flavor to your food without adding a lot of calories, salt or fat, and this versatile ingredient is also used in several other ways, as a cleanser, hair wash, mouthwash, antiseptic, and food preservative, toner, scrub, and more.
The health benefits of apple cider vinegar
The main reason for the widespread use of apple cider vinegar in recent years is that there are studies that have proven its important role in human health, given that people are looking to improve their health in more natural ways, and apple cider vinegar has become one of the ingredients that gained a lot of attention, as it was found that it regulates the sugar level in the blood, improves digestion, reduces cholesteroland aids in weight loss.
Apple cider vinegar has a strong taste and aroma thanks to acetic acid, which is the main active ingredient in it. Fortunately, even if you are not a fan of the bitter flavor, you can still reap the potential benefits of apple cider vinegar by using apple cider vinegar supplements as it is now found in liquid or pill form.
Apple cider vinegar supplement in tablet form contains the dried form of vinegar, and the acetic acid concentration in supplements typically ranges from around 250 mg to 1600 mg per tablet, with most brands containing around 500 mg.
Some types of nutritional supplements may also contain other compounds that contain apple cider vinegar, such as Bioperine, which helps the body absorb the vinegar better.
Some brands may include other ingredients with apple cider vinegar such as hot red pepper and grapefruit (to aid digestion) , beetroot and pomegranate (for color and flavor).
As with all nutritional supplements, it is important to always read the label to know exactly which ingredients you are taking, given the limited amount of research on apple cider vinegar supplements, there is no standard dosage for it, so be sure to follow package instructions and consult your healthcare provider.


1. It has been used for centuries
Despite its great spread these days, it is one of the oldest natural health remedies known, and it has been used for thousands of years in both cooking and medicine. The ancient Egyptians used it to treat wounds and also drank it to improve digestion, and the ancient Romans also used it for its properties that aid digestion, and they used to put dishes full of it on tables in large banquets to soak bread in and eat it to aid digestion after a big feast. Hippocrates - the founder of modern medicine - described vinegar as a general health stimulant and used it as an antibiotic, an aid for the digestive system, a disinfectant to clean sores and wounds, and a treatment for a variety of other diseases such as colds and coughs. The antiseptic properties of vinegar have been used throughout history to clean and disinfect the wounds of soldiers in wars and battles.


2. Contains probiotics and antioxidants
Apple cider vinegar is made from apple, yeast, and sugar in a two-step fermentation process.In the first step, the apples are crumbled and mixed with yeast to start the fermentation process, and the sugar produced by the apples turns into alcohol, and in the second step, a bacteria called acetobacter ferments the alcohol, which produces acetic acid. It is the main active ingredient in vinegar, which gives it its classic refreshing taste, in addition to being the main compound responsible for its health benefits.
A membrane-like material is formed during the second step of the fermentation process. It is made up of a mixture of bacteria, proteins and enzymes. This mixture is referred to as the "mother", and if you look at a bottle of apple cider vinegar, you may see strings floating inside it. Some products filter them to make their products look more attractive, but the "mother" adds additional nutritional benefits. The bacteria in the "mother" are beneficial and gut friendly bacteria that we often refer to as probiotics.
Probiotics help the digestive system function smoothly and also helps the health of the immune system, 70-80% of your immune cells live in the digestive system, so a healthy digestive system means a healthy immune system that is able to fight infections, the vinegar that is used in supplements is the same as apples vinegar, they may or may not be filtered, so some contain mother and others do not.
It also contains polyphenols, which are plant-based antioxidants that help neutralize harmful free radicals in the body and may help prevent chronic diseases.


3. Apple cider vinegar may help regulate blood sugar
One of the most studied health benefits of apple cider vinegar is its ability to regulate blood sugar. Diabetes is a disease characterized by high blood sugar levels, and this is caused by insulin resistance or a lack of insulin produced by the body.
 Diabetes is a global public health problem. In the United States alone, the number of people with type 2 diabetes is expected to increase by 50% in the next 25 years, and apple cider vinegar offers promising results in helping to reduce high blood sugar after meals and improve Insulin sensitivity, these results are supported by many clinical experiments.
In one study, participants consumed a meal rich in carbohydrates with 20 grams of apple cider vinegar or a placebo, then blood samples were taken after 30 and 60 minutes, and the groups that took apple cider vinegar had low levels of glucose in the blood in addition to an improvement in their insulin response. Apple cider vinegar may also help reduce the blood sugar of the fasting person. In one small study conducted on diabetics, participants who consumed two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bed had lower glucose levels in the fasting blood sugar the next morning.
The exact mechanism by which apple cider vinegar reduces blood sugar is still unknown, and the possibilities include delayed gastric emptying and preventing starch absorption, so more research is needed on how apple cider vinegar works, as well as research on how it can be used as an adjunct treatment for Diabetes.


4. Apple cider vinegar may help lower cholesterol
Animal studies have found that apple cider vinegar may lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, however human studies are limited, and two small studies on humans have found that consuming apple cider vinegar can lower total cholesterol, harmful cholesterol and triglycerides over a period of 8 or 12 weeks. Although the results are encouraging, more clinical experiments are needed to look at the ability of apple cider vinegar to reduce fat.


5. Apple cider vinegar may promote weight loss
Some studies have shown that vinegar can increase satiety, meaning a feeling of fullness, and increasing satiety may lead to eating fewer calories and thus losing weight. A 2009 experiment was conducted and is widely cited in Japan on 179 obese people, part of themwereasked not to drink apple cider vinegar and the other part were asked to take one or two tablespoons of it daily. After 12 weeks, participants who consumed the vinegar were found to have decreased weight, body mass index, visceral fat, waist circumference, and triglyceride levels.
A more recent randomized experiment, which was conducted in the year 2018, found similar results, as 39 participants followed a low-calorie diet, one group of them took apple cider vinegar twice a day and the other group did not take it, and the two groups lost weight after 12 weeks, but the apple cider vinegar group lost more. They also decreased BMI, hip circumference, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels (and increased levels of beneficial cholesterol). Participants in this group also felt a decrease in appetite. These studies were small in size and only followed the participants in the short term, however, additional studies are needed.


6. Apple cider vinegar supplement will not erode tooth enamel
Undiluted apple cider vinegar is very acidic and can damage the enamel of your teeth, and this can make you more vulnerable to tooth decay and cavities and lead to tooth sensitivity. Large amounts may also cause irritation and damage to tissues in the mouth and throat. When you take an apple cider vinegar supplement, you can avoid these potential complications.


Negative effects of apple cider vinegar
Long-term consumption of apple cider vinegar has been found to cause low potassium levels. This is especially important for people taking medications that can lower potassium levels (such as diuretics used to treat high blood pressure). In addition to diuretics, apple cider vinegar may also interact negatively with other medications, such as oral diabetes medications, insulin, and digoxin. Apple cider vinegar might also delay stomach emptying in people with insulin-dependent diabetes. This can make blood sugar difficult to control and can lead to hypoglycemic episodes. As with all medications and supplements, be sure to check with your doctor before starting an apple cider vinegar supplement.