Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies and Pills: What the Evidence Shows

Apple cider vinegar has moved from salad dressing to supplement aisle, sold as gummies, capsules and “wellness shots” for digestion, bloating, blood sugar and weight. Here is what clinical research shows, and some cautions that rarely appear on the bottle.

What trials found

A 2021 review pooled nine trials of apple cider vinegar in adults. It found small decreases in total cholesterol, fasting blood sugar and HbA1c, a longer-term blood sugar measure. There was no significant effect on LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, HDL cholesterol or insulin. Some effects showed up mainly in people with type 2 diabetes or in studies lasting more than eight weeks.¹

Most of these trials used liquid vinegar. Results don’t automatically apply to gummies, which often contain added sugar, or to capsules with unknown amounts of vinegar.

The weight-loss study that went viral

A 2024 trial reporting large weight loss from daily apple cider vinegar in young people got wide media attention. In 2025, the journal retracted it.² If you saw headlines about vinegar and weight loss, that study no longer counts as evidence.

Product quality is a concern

After a report of throat injury from an apple cider vinegar tablet, researchers tested eight tablet products. They found wide differences in tablet size, acidity, acid content and label claims, and doubted whether some even contained apple cider vinegar.³ That study is older, but supplements still aren’t approved by the FDA before they’re sold, so quality can vary.

Cautions

• Slower stomach emptying. Vinegar can slow how fast the stomach empties. In a small study of people with type 1 diabetes and slow stomach emptying, it slowed emptying further.⁴ If you have diabetes or gastroparesis, ask your clinician first.
• Acid on the throat and teeth. Swallow pills with plenty of water, and don’t let tablets dissolve in your mouth. Dilute any liquid vinegar.
• Blood sugar medicines. If vinegar does lower blood sugar slightly, it may add to diabetes medicines.¹ Tell your clinician.

If your gut is the reason you’re buying it

For bloating, heartburn or irregular bowels, finding the cause works better than a supplement. See our guides to gas, heartburn and GERD and IBS.

Try: “I’ve been taking apple cider vinegar gummies for bloating and blood sugar. Is that safe with my medicines, and what should we check instead?”

Bloated by Dinner includes a Belly Clock log and a Test-It list with a visit script. Use them to track what you take and how your digestion responds, and bring them to your appointment. See the book.