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Apple Cider Vinegar for IBS

Most of us will have heard that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” and there is a more than a grain of truth in this if we consider all the alleged health benefits of apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar has been used as a medicine for centuries, and even Hippocrates is reported to have used it to cure just about everything from snake bites to earache. These days apple cider vinegar is still being touted by many as a potential treatment for all manner of health problems, including irritable bowel syndrome.

Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS as it is more commonly known is a disorder of the digestive tract affecting approximately 20% of the population.

The most common symptoms of IBS include abdominal pain, diarrhoea or constipation or even alternating diarrhoea and constipation. No one knows what causes IBS and there isn’t an identifiable cure for it either.

For most people, IBS will continue long term although the symptoms will come and go at different times. Treatment involves finding ways of dealing with the symptoms and as there is so much variation in the symptoms, what works for one person may not work for another.

So what is it about apple cider vinegar that is so good?

Apple cider vinegar contains numerous minerals, amino acids, vitamins and trace elements including beta carotene, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, silicon, copper, iron, vitamins A, C, E and B vitamins, bioflavonoids (vitamin P), lactic acid, propionic acid, and even some fibre in the form of pectin.

The anti-oxidants in apple cider vinegar help to free the body of toxins
It helps to break down fat, mucous and phlegm in the body
It promotes healthy digestion, assimilation and elimination
It inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria in the gut
It detoxifies and purifies the body so has a beneficial effect on the liver and kidneys

Many people with IBS have been found to have an imbalance of bacteria in the gut and some can even relate the onset of their IBS symptoms to a time when they had an infection such as gastroenteritis so it may well be that apple cider vinegar can help rebalance the bacteria in the gut as well as prevent harmful bacteria from growing. It has also been reported as effective in treating both diarrhoea and constipation.

If you wish to try apple cider vinegar you can use it in cooking as a marinade or in dressings. As a drink it should be diluted with water or fruit juice and should never be taken straight due to the high acid content.

Finally, there is very little scientific evidence to support the health claims about apple cider vinegar and as such its popularity may be largely due to the fact that it was one of the first medicines ever used and which has survived the test of time.