8 Touted Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar (and What the Research Says)

Expert opinion on the effectiveness of apple cider vinegar for skin care is mixed, and high-quality research on the subject is lacking. So it’s best to check with your dermatologist before working ACV into your skin-care routine.

Dr. Shapiro sees some potential benefits. “The acidity in vinegar can help clear skin and stop acne by drying out the blemishes and allowing for clear skin to take its place,” he says. “Apple cider vinegar can also help regulate the pH levels in your skin, which keeps it at optimum levels between being oily and dry.”

The right PH balance helps ensure that the outer layer of your skin, the acid mantle, is healthy.

To try apple cider vinegar for your skin, first wash the target skin area as you normally would, then gently pat a washcloth soaked in diluted ACV over your skin. It’s important to dilute the vinegar first, as it contains natural acids that may cause major irritation, even burns, if it is applied full strength to the skin, as a study reported. You may want to do a test patch first, especially if you have sensitive skin, by applying the diluted ACV on a small, less-visible area (such as behind your ear) and then waiting 24 hours to check for redness, irritation, or tenderness.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, ACV’s acetic acid has been shown to reduce the absorption of starches and slow digestion. But does this mean that ACV could help with weight loss?

Potentially, according to findings from one randomized clinical trial. Participants on a lower-calorie diet who drank 2 tablespoons (tbsp) of ACV diluted in water with lunch and dinner reported a decrease in appetite and lost 8.8 pounds over 12 weeks. Those who did not drink ACV lost only 5 pounds. (The vinegar drinkers also had decreased hip circumference and reduced triglycerides.)

Another small study found that the acetic acid in vinegar helped people who ate plain white bread at breakfast stay fuller longer than a control group. A review from 2022 found four of six short-term studies showed that vinegar suppressed appetite, although no long-term studies were able to reproduce these results.

A small study of adults with type 2 diabetes found that participants who downed 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar diluted in water with a bedtime protein snack (1 ounce of cheese) had lower blood sugar levels the next morning than those same participants did after they downed 2 tbsp of plain water with the same bedtime snack. And a randomized study published in 2023 found similar results, reporting that people with type 2 diabetes who took ACV over eight weeks had lower fasting blood glucose, A1C, and harmful cholesterol levels compared to a control group.

Because apple cider vinegar is acidic and contains minerals, it may work as a natural bacteria-fighting agent that targets bad breath, says Marc Lowenberg, DDS, a cosmetic dentist in New York City. “Mix a half tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a tablespoon of baking soda to make a paste to brush on your teeth,” he says. The mixture is weak enough to remove bacteria while keeping tooth enamel intact, he says. “As a bonus, it can also help remove surface stains,” Lowenberg adds. (Note that high-quality published studies that demonstrate this benefit are lacking.)

If you’re plagued with psoriasis-related scaly patches, ACV may help relieve the irritating itching. “I recommend psoriasis sufferers use diluted apple cider vinegar as a toner and apply it directly to dry spots on the skin, using a cotton pad or sponge,” Shapiro says. If your hands or feet are a concern, he recommends soaking them in a bowl of diluted apple cider vinegar, although research about apple cider vinegar and psoriasis is limited.

Apple cider vinegar has long been a popular home remedy for treating onychomycosis, aka toe fungus, a common condition that discolors and thickens the toenail, although there are no clinical studies to support ACV’s effectiveness for this. “Apple cider vinegar can be a natural and effective treatment for toe fungus,” Shapiro says. He advises treating toenail fungus at home with an apple cider vinegar footbath. “Since apple cider vinegar is acidic, it works to create an unfriendly environment for the fungus without being so strong as to damage the surrounding area of skin and nails,” he says. If you want to try this, it’s recommended to soak the affected toe in a 50:50 mix of ACV and warm water for 15 to 30 minutes, twice daily, for a few days at most. Finish by drying the area thoroughly.

Although published clinical research is lacking, Shapiro has also found apple cider vinegar to be helpful for some of his patients with dandruff and an itchy scalp. “It contains alpha hydroxy acids that work to exfoliate the top layers of the skin to expose the smoother, softer skin below,” Shapiro says. He recommends saturating your scalp with a mixture of one to four parts water and one part vinegar several times a week. Leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for shingles, a painful rash triggered by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Although there isn’t strong clinical evidence, some report that apple cider vinegar may help reduce the pain from shingles. “Using apple cider vinegar externally helps promote blood circulation in the skin and can prevent bacteria and regulate pH levels,” Shapiro says. Both of these actions make apple cider vinegar a potential home remedy for shingles and other conditions that cause skin irritation, such as insect bites and hives. To try it, Shapiro advises pouring 1 cup of apple cider vinegar into a tub of cool bathwater and soaking for 10 minutes a day. Vinegar is also mentioned as a way to help with shingles blisters by diluting it with water and using it in a cold compress, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.