It’s unlikely that taking a swig of apple cider vinegar in the morning will significantly affect weight loss.

Q: Is drinking apple cider vinegar in water first thing in the morning good for cleansing and weight loss? If so, how much is recommended?

Countless tips and tricks on how to lose weight quickly and “cleanse” the body are circulating online. However, most of them are unsubstantiated and ineffective.

Taking a shot of apple cider vinegar in the morning on an empty stomach is one practice that many wellness gurus claim helps you lose weight, reduce hunger, and remove toxins from your system. 

Although limited research suggests that vinegar may have a beneficial effect on hunger levels and body composition, results are far from conclusive. Plus, the majority of this research has taken place in animals, not humans. 

A few human studies have shown that supplementing with apple cider vinegar may help suppress appetite and have a modest beneficial effect on weight loss. This is mainly attributed to acetic acid, a type of acid concentrated in apple cider vinegar that may have hunger-suppressing effects (1, 2).

However, it’s important to note that there’s a lack of high quality human research in this area. While apple cider vinegar may slightly affect hunger levels, it’s unlikely that drinking apple cider vinegar will have any meaningful effect on your waistline — unless, of course, it’s combined with increased physical activity and healthy modifications to your diet.

Additionally, drinking apple cider vinegar can cause adverse side effects, such as tooth erosion and nausea (3, 4). 

What’s more, there’s no evidence to say that throwing back a drink containing apple cider vinegar will rid your body of toxins. Your body has an entire system dedicated to detoxification, and it does not depend on supplements for optimal functioning.

Lastly, there’s no scientific evidence to suggest that taking apple cider vinegar in the morning is more beneficial than doing so at any other time of the day.

In closing, although it’s unlikely that taking a swig of apple cider vinegar in the morning will significantly affect weight loss, it’s generally harmless for most people. Just make sure to limit your daily dose to 1–2 tablespoons diluted in a glass of water and rinse your mouth with water afterward to prevent dental erosion.
