Downing a shot a day may keep the doctor away

By Gannett News Service

The use of apple cider vinegar as a health aid has prompted debate.

Pop singer Fergie says she does a shot of vinegar every night to help maintain her physique. Natural Solutions magazine recommended taking a few tablespoons with meals to counter acid reflux.

Meanwhile, the April issue of Health magazine listed honey-and-vinegar mixtures among its list of "health whoppers" that do nothing for arthritis pain.

Although a daily cocktail of apple cider vinegar may sound like another celebrity trend or folk remedy, recent studies suggest vinegar might ease or prevent a variety of ailments.

A Swedish study found that people who ate white bread with vinegar felt full up to two hours later, while those who ate just bread started losing their satiety after 30 minutes.

In a study from Arizona State University, the blood sugar spikes of people with type 2 diabetes were 4 percent to 6 percent lower in the morning when participants took two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before going to bed.

In January, a report in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology recommended that an anti-inflammatory diet including vinegar "should be considered for the primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease and diabetes."

These findings don't surprise or concern those who have preached the virtues of ACV - apple cider vinegar - for decades.

Jerry Berube, 85, who lives in Montgomery, Ohio, with his wife, Patricia, says he hasn't had a cold or sore throat in 35 years. He's never battled weight gain or suffered from arthritis. He has no prescription medications.

Berube partly credits his vitality to the drink he's sipped nearly every night since 1973: one tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar mixed with one tablespoon of honey and 8 ounces of warm water.

Even physicians who don't support ACV as a remedy see little harm in drinking moderate amounts diluted with water.

"The placebo effect is very strong. I don't argue with that if it makes them feel better. But I can't promote it and say, 'Yes it's going to help you,'" says Dr. Debra Krummel, researcher with the University of Cincinnati's Department of Nutrition.

Research from Arizona State University and the University of Lund in Sweden - the only groups known to be investigating ACV - has focused on ACV's potential for managing diabetes and hunger.

"I was doing low-carb diets with diabetics. But I came across [ACV] and I thought, 'This could be easier than changing their entire diet,'" says Carol Johnston, chairman of the department of nutrition at Arizona State.

In the study, acetic acid - found in any vinegar - controlled the blood sugar spikes that diabetics experience after a meal or first thing in the morning. Because these spikes destroy cells that produce insulin, ACV and other antiglycemic agents could prevent or delay the onset of the disease for those diagnosed with pre-diabetes.

source: http://www.saukvalley.com/articles/2008/07/16/features/health_and_medical/6b0ff64ac5d8146936ddef3e8ed64c0e.txt