As the world is becoming more digital and synthetic, people are putting greater focus on bringing their bodies back to nature.
Our family buys organic vegetables, stays away from processed foods, and looks for natural methods of treating illness.
If you are looking for natural ways to improve your health as well, you have probably already heard a lot about apple cider vinegar.
From WebMD: "Apple cider vinegar is fermented juice from crushed apples. Like apple juice, it probably contains some pectin; vitamins B1, B2, and B6; biotin; folic acid; niacin; pantothenic acid; and vitamin C. It also contains small amounts of the minerals sodium, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium. Apple cider vinegar can also contain significant quantities of acetic acid and citric acid. It is used to make medicine."
There are claims that ACV is helpful in treating anything from high blood pressure to cancer. When I began to have problems with my own blood pressure, I remembered my neighbor raving about ACV and all it had done to improve his health.
However, my stomach is not exactly strong, and I did not believe I would be able to keep it down. So I began to wonder if I could take apple cider vinegar pills.
It turns out that there are many forms of ACV supplement liquids, tablets, and capsules available. This post will help you decide if you should try apple cider vinegar, and in which form.
| QUICK TAKE: THE BEST VALUE ACV SUPPLEMENTS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | 450 mg, 180 CapsulesNOW Foods |
| CHECK ON AMAZON |
 | 625 mg, 180 CapsulesSwanson Ultra |
| CHECK ON AMAZON |
 | 600 mg, 200 CapsulesPiping Rock Health Products |
| CHECK ON AMAZON |
 | 500 mg, 120 CapsulesAmazing Formulas |
| CHECK ON AMAZON |
 | 200 TabletsAmerican Health |
| CHECK ON AMAZON |
 | 500 mg, 120 CapsulesBest Naturals |
| CHECK ON AMAZON |
 | 600 mg, 120 CapsulesGNC Superfoods |
| CHECK ON AMAZON |
 | 250 mg, 250 TabletsNature’s Life |
| CHECK ON AMAZON |
 | 60 CapsulesPhytoral |
| CHECK ON AMAZON |
 | 600 mg, 60 CapsulesNature’s Truth |
| CHECK ON AMAZON |
Apple Cider Vinegar Pills vs. Liquid
For the most part, both liquid and pill forms of ACV will have similar effects. However, taking it in capsules or tablets does offer some advantages.
Obviously, apple cider vinegar smells horrible. Believe me, it tastes even worse. Even significantly diluted, liquid ACV is no cool, refreshing beverage. Unless you have no taste buds and a stomach of steel, you will need to drink an entire glass of water or other liquid with two tablespoons of ACV. Apple cider vinegar pills or capsules can pack a similar amount into one dose.
The acid in liquid ACV can also do significant damage to your esophagus and teeth. However, there is actually one reported instance of a woman having severe esophageal damage from apple cider vinegar pills getting caught in her throat, so make sure you drink plenty of water.
Another advantage to apple cider vinegar pills is the quality of the product. Often, regular supermarket liquid ACV is filtered to the point of having little use as a health supplement.
Apple cider vinegar pills are designed specifically to be used in this way, so they retain all the helpful ingredients. If you do decide to use the liquid version look for the browner, murkier stuff as opposed to the clearer liquids.
You can also find ACV combined with other supplements, tailored for specific uses. Many of the supplements in the table below have other ingredients, usually targeted to weight loss because that's a popular use of ACV. However, it's easy enough to find one that contains only ACV.
Note: Some weight loss supplements are not controlled by the FDA and can cause more harm than good. The side effects can wreak havoc on the body as well. Here's an article on what the Mayo clinic says about ACV and weight loss.
How to Choose Apple Cider Vinegar Pills
When shopping for apple cider vinegar pills, what I noticed was that aside from their pricing and packaging, most products are very similar. Several are formulated with the same eight other ingredients in the same quantities.
One common question I see from readers is "does it have the 'mother'?" The "mother" in ACV is a living organism so it can't possibly survive the dehydration process. That doesn't mean many benefits of the substance don't still survive. If you want to ensure you get all the benefits of the "mother" you need to use liquid ACV, and high-quality unfiltered ACV at that.
Another common question is about the proper dosage. ACV is considered a food, so there's no official recommended dosage.
Packaging doses range from a low of 250 mg to a max of 3,750 mg, which is a pretty absurd range. What you're always looking for is the minimum effective dose, so I'd start at the bottom of that range and work up to what works best for your individual system. Also, consult your doctor before starting a new regimen of any sort.
Lastly, while shopping I noticed that the unit of comparison is usually the "count," or the number of pills you get for a certain price. Some pills contain 250 mg and others contain 625 mg though, so that's not a completely accurate level of comparison.
A 10X Price Difference (?!)
In the table below I created a "cost per gram" indicator. What I noticed is that the difference between the lowest and highest cost pills is over 10X!!
It's inconceivable to me that there's a quality difference that justifies that price difference. Some of the better-known brands like Swanson and NOW Foods are on the lower end of the price scale so I think those are the sweet spot in terms of value for the dollar.
Apple Cider Vinegar Pills Brand Comparison Table
Image | Name | Cost per Gram | Recom-mended Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
  | $$$ | NA | 3rd party tested | |
  | $$ | 2-6 | Difficult to determine accurate info from listing | |
  | $$$ | 3-6 | Also contains honey powder | |
  | $$$ | 2 | Priced double for 2 bottle pack, also contains ginger, cayenne pepper, and garcinia cambogia | |
  | $$$ | 1-2 | None | |
  | $$$$ | 1-3 | Contains eight other active ingredients | |
  | $$$ | 2-4 | None | |
  | $$$$$ | 1-3 | Contains eight other active ingredients | |
  | $$$ | NA | 480 mg is the serving size, not the tablet size | |
  | $ | 2 | Sold as a 2 pack 2x the price, also contains calcium | |
  | $$$$$ | 1-3 | Contains eight other active ingredients | |
  | $$$$$ | 1-3 | Contains eight other active ingredients | |
  | $$$$$ | 1-3 | Contains eight other active ingredients | |
  | $$$ | 3-6 | Also contains honey powder | |
  | $$$ | 4-6 | Also contains honey powder | |
  | $ | 3-6 | None | |
  | $$ | 3-6 | Priced double as a 2-pack | |
  | $$$ | 3 | Also contains calcium and phosphorous | |
  | $$$$$ | 2 | Contains seven other active ingredients | |
  | $$ | 2-6 | Difficult to determine accurate info from listing | |
  | $ | 4-6 | None | |
  | $ | 3-6 | 1-2 capsules before each meal | |
  | $$$ | 1 | None | |
  | $ | 3-6 | None | |
  | $$$$$ | 3 | Also contains soy lecithin and B-6 | |
  | $$$$$ | 1-3 | Contains eight other active ingredients |
Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
Unfortunately, as is the case with many all-natural remedies, there have been relatively few studies done on the benefits of ACV.
Although many of the more outlandish claims about the miracles of ACV are unsubstantiated, there is evidence that it can be a beneficial treatment for many health problems.
- Diabetes: The most scientific information available on the health benefits of ACV is in relation to diabetes. One study done by the American Diabetes Foundation in 2004 showed it could help significantly lower blood sugar for people with type 2 diabetes. Another study published by WebMD in 2007 showed that it could also be helpful for people with pre-diabetic symptoms.
- Weight Loss: This is perhaps the most common use for ACV as a supplement, and much of this is due to its properties as a diuretic. However, any weight loss from ACV will be gradual, so you can’t turn in your gym membership yet. A recent study showed it could help you lose about two and a half pounds in three months. There are also known weight loss benefits of exogenous ketones, which you could stack with the ACV and support the ketogenic diet.
- High Blood Pressure: High blood pressure often relates to high levels of sodium in the blood. Potassium from ACV can help to balance these levels. Health and wellness expert Dewey Q. McLean has a helpful video with more information on the topic.
- High Cholesterol: ACV can be helpful in combating high cholesterol for many of the same reasons that it helps high blood pressure and weight loss. Health Remedies Journal has some additional information about ACV and cholesterol.
- Heart Disease: There is little scientific evidence to back claims that ACV can combat heart disease. However, with its combined effects of reducing blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, and helping with weight loss, the risk of heart attacks can be significantly reduced.
- Cancer: As to the claim that ACV can cure cancer, which is obviously absurd. There have been studies that show it can help kill cancer cells in rats, but you probably aren’t a rat and there has been nothing conclusive for humans.
- Digestive Problems: Much to my surprise, apple cider vinegar is actually helpful for stomach problems. This is obviously where taking it in pill form, or at least heavily diluted, would be helpful. ACV can be used to treat indigestion, heartburn, and other tummy issues.
- Everyday Treatments: ACV is also helpful for other less serious problems such as hiccups, congestion, sore throat, leg cramps, acne and more. It is also said to give people a burst of energy and could be used instead of your second cup of coffee.
ACV Supplement Pills Are Worth a Try
The risks of taking apple cider vinegar pills are slight in comparison to possible benefits like combating diabetes and high blood pressure.
Even losing weight or calming upset stomachs make it worth trying. However, it is always a good idea to check with your doctor before making any health decisions.
The most common downsides of ACV deal with the acid damage to your mouth and esophagus and much of this is bypassed when using pill form. As with anything new, it is best to start out with a small dosage, such as a 250 mg tablet or capsule.