Apple Cider Vinegar Effect on Blood Pressure and Cancer
Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) benefit on blood pressure is substantiated or confirmed by scientific evidence. One laboratory study on the antihypertensive effects of acetic acid and vinegar by Japanese researchers revealed that acetic acid, the main component of vinegar, significantly reduced high blood pressure. The research team suggested that this reduction in blood pressure may be caused by the significant reduction in renin activity and the subsequent decrease in angiotensin II. It is not however confirmed how it might work on human beings. But the proponents of apple cider vinegar recommend taking 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar and 1 tbsp of honey in a glass of water twice a day to lower high blood pressure. They suggest that potassium in the vinegar ‘balances sodium levels in the body, which aids in maintaining blood pressure within healthy limits’ and ‘apple cider vinegar and honey also contain magnesium, a mineral that works to relax blood vessel walls and thus lower high blood pressure’. They, however, recommend dietary modifications and daily exercise along with this remedy.
Similarly, a few studies have shown anti-tumor activity (cancer) of vinegar. A Japanese study published in the Journal Bio-Factors stated that ‘a prolonged lifespan due to tumor regression was noted in the mice ingesting rice-shochu vinegar as compared with controls’. However, the anti-tumor factors in vinegar have still not been identified. It is assumed that because acetic acid is converted to acetate in the stomach, it may possess anti-tumor effects. Case-control studies have yielded conflicting results. For example, a Chinese study found that vinegar ingestion was associated with a decreased risk for esophageal cancer; while a Serbian study found that vinegar ingestion was associated with 4.4-fold greater risk for bladder cancer! The jury is still out on this.
