Past studies have shown that consuming vinegar can improve insulin sensitivity in people with insulin resistance and possibly improve blood glucose control in people with Type 2 diabetes. Now, research has indicated that vinegar consumption is also effective at controlling after-meal blood glucose levels in those with Type 1 diabetes.
To determine the effects of vinegar in people with this condition, researchers recruited 10 men with Type 1 diabetes who ranged in age from 29 to 35 years old and who had been diagnosed roughly 15 years earlier. To ensure that they were observed under similar metabolic conditions, the participants were instructed to fast overnight and had insulin infused through a hand vein until an hour prior to the start of the experiment. The men were randomly assigned to groups consuming either vinegar (30 milliliters of vinegar and 20 milliliters of water) or placebo (50 milliliters of water) five minutes before eating a meal composed of bread, cheese, turkey ham, orange juice, butter, and a cereal bar. Blood samples were collected prior to eating and at 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, and 240 minutes after the meal to measure insulin levels, and blood glucose levels were measured with a continuous glucose monitor. (A week later, the groups were switched and the experiment was conducted again.)
The data showed that blood glucose levels were similar in both groups prior to eating and until 30 minutes after the meal. At the 30-minute mark, blood glucose levels in the placebo group continued to rise, peaking at roughly 209 mg/dl at 94 minutes, while in the vinegar group, blood glucose levels rose to 155 mg/dl and remained steady, without spiking, until the end of the experiment.
While the mechanisms by which vinegar helps control after-meal blood glucose levels aren’t entirely clear, it is known from previous studies that vinegar delays stomach emptying and that acetic acid, the main component of vinegar, enhances glucose storage in the liver and muscle tissue.
According to the researchers, “two tablespoons of vinegar could easily be used as a complementary food (e.g., in a salad dressing) to reduce hyperglycemia.”
To learn more, see “Vinegar Decreases Postprandial Hyperglycemia in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes” in Diabetes Care.
Always ready to try new things, where can one find more specific info regarding what concentration level of vinegar they started with before it was diluted and what vinegar source did they use, ie, Apple Cider, Wine? Nice to possibly have natural alternatives!
Posted by Gary W | Feb 16, 2010 at 8:21 amStudy subjects drank 30 ml vinegar with 20 ml water five minuted before the test meal. The report doesn’t say what kind of vinegar.
-Steve
Posted by Steve Parker, M.D. | Feb 17, 2010 at 1:53 amCould this work to offset sleeptime increases in Glucose readings.
Posted by Fred White | Feb 17, 2010 at 1:23 pmIn other studies done with type 2s, they used apple cider or white vinegar, both have similar acetic acid levels. I have used apple cider vinegar for a few years and I works for me.
Posted by Joe Mc | Feb 17, 2010 at 1:50 pmMy wife and I have for several years drank unprocessed apple cider vinegar whenever we feel a cold coming on with very good results. I’ll gladly try this tip (thanks!) I believe the brand we get is Brags or Braggs. They’re online, but several of our local stores carry the brand.
Posted by STEPcoach | Feb 17, 2010 at 2:13 pmThe taste is strong - we dilute it with cool tea, never use hot liquids they destroy the good stuff in the vinegar - and we just got used to the flavor.
A painless way to get vinegar is to use it to make cucumber salad. Add onions, a little sweetener, water.
Posted by Heartha Whitlow | Feb 17, 2010 at 3:04 pmRe: finding more info on medical research — you can go to Pub Med (http://www.msn.com/). If you don’t like to wade through a whole paper, you can read the abstract — a short version of the paper. Sometimes the articles they list in the sidebar have the exact info I want. Or perhaps type key words — such as “vineagar + blood sugar” — into a search engine and follow the trail that those results put you on. Following links in articles or search results often gets me to the specific info I’m looking for.
Posted by Marcie | Feb 17, 2010 at 4:49 pmI have been using vinegar before meals for years and it works every time for me. It delays digestion and keeps glucose steady and my last A1c was 6.6 as I use either a cocktail composed of about 2 tablespoons of vinegar with lemon and lime juice a few minutes before the meal OR I take vinegar tablets when eating out. These vits can be purchased at Swansonvitimans.com.
Posted by Fred | Feb 18, 2010 at 12:53 amPlease let me know the name of theCough mixture that helps Neuropathy.
Posted by hclarke | Feb 18, 2010 at 5:43 pmMany thanks
Hilary
The vinegar idea to help with blood glucose control for people with Type2 diabetes sounds good, but what about people with stomach ulcers or acid reflux? won’t the sourness of vinegar bother them?
Posted by Sandy | Feb 21, 2010 at 3:30 pmI really love statements like these…
“While the mechanisms by which vinegar helps control after-meal blood glucose levels aren’t entirely clear…”
A disease that impacts tens of millions and causes billions of dollars of health care, and our research is that inconclusive as to cause/effect?
Until we understand HOW these diseases work, we won’t have a clue how to CURE them, only how to address symptoms of them.
Posted by Charlie Levenson | Feb 24, 2010 at 1:27 pmWhat about that cough mix that works for neuropathy. My husband has massive pain that pills do not touch. HELP
Posted by Ms Hudson | Feb 24, 2010 at 1:38 pmI eat pickles, pickles and more pickles - esp. the ones with the most vinegar and dill - and salads with wine vinegar (fiber plus vinegar!) You know salad is NOT the first part of a meal for many Europeans but the last!
Posted by Anna Frederiksen | Feb 24, 2010 at 1:47 pmWorks great for me - and my body seems to just crave and love it!
I like the idea of not having food crash into my system. I have neuropathy in my stomach now, so I am wondering if the vinegar will just make that worse? I have been type ! for more than 55 years, and have survived until now pretty much ‘normal’ if there is such a thing as normal. I love the advise and common sense from these blogs. lets keep it up!
Posted by William Hildebrandt | Feb 24, 2010 at 2:06 pmI also would like to know about the cough mixture for neuropathy. thanks for information about the vinger i will try it.
Posted by maria alvarez | Feb 24, 2010 at 3:00 pmHow would this affect the amount of my pre- meal insulin dose? What adjustment ,if any,would Ihave to make?
Posted by gilbert glotzer | Feb 24, 2010 at 3:19 pmUnless I am misssing something, 10 people in the study appears to be a very small sample to make this scientifically valid. Looks like it is a random study, but the small sample size makes me skeptical. My 2 cents.
Posted by Sangeeta Pradhan | Feb 24, 2010 at 3:27 pmI agree with Sangeeta. The study was also with 10 men (as are most initial pharmaceutical studies). I wonder if the same efect would hold true with women. I would hate to be chugging an apertif of cider vinegar every night if it was shown not to work in women.
Posted by Regina | Feb 24, 2010 at 8:32 pmMy question is what type of vinegar can we use for type 2? and how much should you drink a day and when will it be after every meal or before.
Posted by C C | Feb 24, 2010 at 8:57 pmI also would like to know about cough mixture for neuropathy.
Thank You
Posted by Jim Pick | Feb 25, 2010 at 12:24 pmI never heard about a cough mixture for neuropathy, so I also would like to know all about it, is it something we mix up ourselves?
Posted by Donna Holbrook | Feb 25, 2010 at 1:19 pmThanks Much
I have been a diabetic for well over 40 years…
Posted by marilyn hook | Feb 26, 2010 at 11:55 amI also have been on vinegar diets…Most vinegars that are used is the apple cider vinegar..I have used wine vinegar with success, but apple cider is the one prefered by herboligists…That is no the correct word, but I know you figured it out…
Vinegar curves your appeitite, and also lowers the
sugar levels in your system and cleans some people out. I am new here, but I have a little knowledge about the vinegar…nice talking to you all….
That’s my girl Anna! Pickles are the answer. Flatens mt tummy. Helps me to lose the water in my system. Lowers my sugar levels. But best of all helps me lose week. And, my husband wonder why I love pickles? Silly Man! However, let’s not talk to much on how much we love vinegar and pickles; the manufactures will double the cost of them and start to put them in smaller jars. LOL!
Posted by Angela Williams | Feb 27, 2010 at 3:25 pmThis is sort of off the subject, however, I had neuropathy in my feet and my podiatrist recommended that I use Alpha Lipoic Acid for it. It worked for me and as long as I use it consistently, I don’t have any pain. He said that it should be at least 300 mg. daily. I buy it at a health food store or on line from a vitamin site.
Jean F.
Posted by Jean F. | Feb 28, 2010 at 4:54 am