Can vinegar help lower morning BGL?

Treatment
1

Hope I’m putting this in the right section of the forum.

Here’s a bit of interesting news that i found. I wonder if it works?

Can vinegar help lower morning BGL?
14 December 2007

A small amount of vinegar taken before going to bed at night may help to reduce high fasting blood glucose levels the following morning, in people with type 2 diabetes, a United States study has shown.

Researchers from the Department of Nutrition at Arizona State University, gave 11 people with type 2 diabetes, two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar as part of a pre-bed snack. This was compared to a pre-bed snack with water instead of vinegar.

The results published in the current issue of Diabetes Care, showed a small average reduction of 0.26 mmol/L (a 4% decrease) in fasting blood glucose levels with the vinegar treatment compared to a 0.15 mmol/L (2%) reduction for the water treatment.

The authors suggest these results may be due to the acetic acid in the vinegar altering glucose output by the liver which may result in lower fasting blood glucose levels.

Vinegar has already been shown to help reduce post meal blood glucose levels if taken with a carbohydrate containing meal, e.g. as the dressing on a side salad, so does this study mean you should have a swig of vinegar prior to bed to lower high fasting blood glucose levels?

Both the small study size (just 11 participants) and the small effect of the treatment would suggest that there isn’t enough evidence yet to say that it is of benefit.

It is also important to remember that vinegar is an acid and can cause tooth erosion and so is best taken as part of a main meal.

However, while the jury is still out on vinegar, there are a few things we do know that can help to reduce fasting high blood glucose levels. These include weight management and regular physical activity. When these are not enough, diabetes medications may be needed.

Source: diabetesnsw.com.au

2

The problem with these studies lies in the actual reduction.

They start with people whose fasting blood sugar is dangerously high, say 200 mg/dl. (11 mmol/L) so yes, the vinaiger lowers them 4% but that means they drop all of 8 mg/dl (.5 mmol/L) and are still at an organ destroying 192 mg/dl 10.5 mmol/L.

Why not pursue a strategy that gets you to a safe, normal fasting blood sugar! Which would be under 100 mg/dl (5.6 mmol/L). Which would be in order of usefulness, cutting carbs in all your meals, taking metformin, trying Byetta, and if all fails, using basal insulin? I hear from so many people who have dropped A1c from as high as 15% to the 5% range, that I know it can be done.

3

If you’re going to try vinegar make sure it’s raw apple cider vinegar.The benefits of raw apple cider vinegar are numerous. however, distilled vineger is toxic. I suggest reading Bragg’s book “raw apple cider vingar”.

I take two Tbl. in a glass of water before meals. If , you’re going to do it before bed time ,take it just before you brush your teeth!

4

I’m Type 1, but tried organic raw (unfiltered) apple cider vinegar for four nights before bed. I took the two tablespoons straight, thinking it might help my dawn phenonmenon a bit. Four nights isn’t much of a test, but it didn’t do anything. Raising my evening Lantus didn’t help me much either:) I’m going to have raise the Lantus even more.

But, I have found that if I eat something with a lot of vinegar with a meal, it does seem to help some. I love cabbage & have been eating a lot of cole slaw lately–no mayo, just vinegar, olive oil, herbs.

5

I believe you’re right .Raw apple cider vinegar slows the absorbtion of glucose from carbs;thus make food lower glycemic and preventing spikes.

6

This is interesting however i was reading Dr robert O. youngs “The ph miracle for diabetics” and he recommends staying away from acid based substances such as vinegar which can lead to high acidity in the blood, as well as mayonase, soya sauce and other acidic foods. one thing i find helps lower blood sugars is a nice big mug of green tea, much more appetizing than vinegar :slight_smile: haha