#1 Best Hidden Benefit of Apple Cider Vinegar

Summary

In this video, Dr. Ford Brewer, a preventive medicine doctor with 40 years of experience, discusses the potential benefits of apple cider vinegar (ACV). Initially skeptical, Dr. Brewer's research led him to believe that ACV can improve cardio-metabolic markers, including reducing cholesterol, body weight, blood pressure, and fasting sugar. He emphasizes ACV's role in lowering hemoglobin A1C, a key factor in arterial plaque buildup and a marker for insulin resistance. Dr. Brewer suggests ACV as a supportive addition to a healthy lifestyle, particularly a low-carb diet, to maintain clean arteries and overall cardiovascular health.

Takeaways

• 🍎 Apple cider vinegar is believed to have health benefits such as weight loss, cholesterol reduction, and blood sugar control.
• 🔬 Dr. Ford Brewer, a preventive medicine doctor with 40 years of experience, initially skeptical, found evidence supporting ACV's benefits.
• 📉 Apple cider vinegar can improve cardio-metabolic markers, including decreasing triglycerides, body weight, blood pressure, fasting sugar, and hemoglobin A1C.
• 🧠 Hemoglobin A1C is a key indicator of arterial plaque buildup, and apple cider vinegar's ability to lower A1C could contribute to cleaner arteries.
• 🍽 Lifestyle and diet are crucial for heart health, with apple cider vinegar potentially playing a supportive role in a healthy lifestyle.
• 🤔 The impact of LDL cholesterol might be overestimated, with metabolic diseases like pre-diabetes being a significant but often undiagnosed issue.
• 📈 High A1C levels are associated with increased plaque buildup, and apple cider vinegar may help in reducing A1C levels.
• 🔍 There are different ways to detect plaque, with CIMT, calcium score, and CT angiogram being more effective than stress tests.
• 💧 Apple cider vinegar may work by slowing gastric emptying and reducing the body's ability to convert starches into sugars.
• 🥗 For consumption, apple cider vinegar can be mixed with extra virgin olive oil and lime juice as a healthier alternative to commercial salad dressings.
• 🚫 Despite its benefits, apple cider vinegar is not a standalone solution; a low-carb diet and avoiding processed foods are essential for managing A1C levels.

Q & A

What is apple cider vinegar and how is it made?

Apple cider vinegar is one of the three common types of vinegar made by fermenting apples.

What role does apple cider vinegar play in improving cardiometabolic markers?

Apple cider vinegar can decrease cholesterol, triglycerides, body weight, blood pressure, fasting sugar, and most importantly, hemoglobin A1c.

Why is hemoglobin A1c a significant marker in understanding the benefits of apple cider vinegar?

Higher levels of A1c are associated with arterial plaque buildup, and apple cider vinegar helps to lower A1c, which can contribute to cleaner arteries.

How does apple cider vinegar contribute to a healthy lifestyle?

While lifestyle is paramount, apple cider vinegar can be a significant part of a healthy lifestyle when used daily.

What is the relationship between A1c and plaque buildup?

A1c is a biomarker for the process of glycation, where excess glucose leads to inflammation and plaque buildup in the arteries.

Why is it important to lower A1c levels?

Lower A1c levels indicate less inflammation and plaque, which can help prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular issues.

What are the mechanisms by which apple cider vinegar lowers A1c?

Apple cider vinegar decreases gastric emptying and reduces the body's ability to turn starches into sugars, both of which can help lower A1c.

How can one determine if they have plaque buildup in their arteries?

Three better methods include carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), calcium score, and CT angiogram, which can reveal the presence and type of plaque.

What precautions should be taken when consuming apple cider vinegar?

It's recommended to mix apple cider vinegar with water or use it in a dressing to avoid potential enamel erosion from the acetic acid.

How should apple cider vinegar be incorporated into one's diet?

It can be mixed with water or used in a dressing with extra virgin olive oil and lime juice, serving as a healthier alternative to store-bought salad dressings.

What is the primary advice for reducing A1c levels beyond using apple cider vinegar?

The best way to reduce A1c is through lifestyle changes, particularly a low-carb diet that minimizes the intake of highly processed carbohydrates.

Outlines

00:00

🍎 Apple Cider Vinegar: From Skepticism to Belief

Dr. Ford Brewer, a preventive medicine doctor with 40 years of experience, initially skeptical about apple cider vinegar, changed his perspective after reviewing the evidence. He discusses the vinegar's potential benefits, including weight reduction, cholesterol decrease, and blood sugar lowering, attributed to its acetic acid. Brewer highlights apple cider vinegar's improvement of cardio-metabolic markers such as cholesterol, triglycerides, body weight, blood pressure, and hemoglobin A1c. He emphasizes A1c as a key indicator of arterial health, linking higher A1c levels to arterial plaque buildup. Brewer suggests that apple cider vinegar can help clean arteries by lowering A1c, but stresses that lifestyle and diet are paramount for heart health.

05:01

🧬 Understanding Hemoglobin A1c and Its Impact on Health

Dr. Brewer delves into the science behind hemoglobin A1c, explaining how it forms when excess sugar binds permanently to proteins, leading to a 'plasticized' effect in the body. He clarifies that A1c is a biomarker for glucose and insulin levels, which when high, can cause cardiovascular inflammation and plaque buildup. The doctor also discusses the role of genetics, body fat, and age in contributing to insulin resistance and diabetes. He explains that high insulin levels prevent the body from burning fat, leading to a cycle of hunger and overeating, which can exacerbate plaque formation and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Brewer then turns to the potential of apple cider vinegar in managing A1c levels, hinting at its mechanisms of action.

10:01

🍽️ Mechanisms of Apple Cider Vinegar in Reducing A1c

The paragraph explores how apple cider vinegar might lower A1c levels. Two primary mechanisms are discussed: slowing down gastric emptying, which reduces the rapid glucose spike after meals, and inhibiting the action of alpha-amylase, an enzyme that converts starches into sugars. By targeting these processes, apple cider vinegar could potentially help manage blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of plaque formation. Dr. Brewer also addresses methods for detecting plaque, advising against stress tests and recommending carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), calcium score, and CT angiogram as more effective diagnostic tools. He suggests that while apple cider vinegar can be beneficial, it should be part of a broader lifestyle and dietary approach to heart health.

15:03

🚫 Avoiding Pitfalls in Plaque Detection and the Role of Diet

In this section, Dr. Brewer warns against relying on stress tests for plaque detection, advocating for more accurate methods like CIMT, calcium score, and CT angiograms. He provides practical advice on how to consume apple cider vinegar, recommending a mixture with extra virgin olive oil and lime juice as a healthy salad dressing alternative. Brewer emphasizes the importance of a low-carb diet, urging individuals to avoid processed cereals and embrace a lifestyle that promotes overall health and reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords

💡Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a type of vinegar made from fermented apple juice. It is widely recognized for its potential health benefits, such as aiding in weight loss, reducing cholesterol, and stabilizing blood sugar levels. In the video script, Dr. Ford Brewer discusses how apple cider vinegar can improve multiple cardio-metabolic markers, including decreasing cholesterol, body weight, blood pressure, fasting sugar, and most importantly, hemoglobin A1C, which is associated with arterial plaque buildup and a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases [^1^] [^2^].

💡Hemoglobin A1C

Hemoglobin A1C, often referred to as A1C, is a form of hemoglobin that is measured primarily to identify the three-month average plasma glucose concentration. It is used in the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and to monitor the effectiveness of treatment. The video emphasizes that higher levels of A1C are associated with increased plaque buildup in arteries, and apple cider vinegar has been shown to help lower A1C levels, which may contribute to cleaner arteries and reduced cardiovascular risks [^2^].

💡Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs)

Cardiovascular diseases refer to a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. In the context of the video, Dr. Brewer explains that metabolic syndrome, often linked with high A1C levels, is a significant contributor to CVDs. He suggests that apple cider vinegar can play a role in reducing the risk of CVDs by improving certain metabolic markers [^2^].

💡Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions — increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels — that occur together, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. The video script mentions metabolic syndrome in relation to the discussion of A1C and how apple cider vinegar may help mitigate the risks associated with it [^2^].

💡Acetic Acid

Acetic acid is the main component of apple cider vinegar, responsible for its sour taste and many of its health benefits. It is mentioned in the video as a key factor that contributes to the various health benefits of apple cider vinegar, including its potential to lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels [^1^].

💡Fasting Plasma Glucose

Fasting plasma glucose is a measure of the glucose concentration in the blood after an overnight fast. It is an indicator of how effectively the body is processing glucose. The video discusses how apple cider vinegar can help lower fasting plasma glucose levels, which is beneficial for individuals with diabetes or at risk of developing diabetes [^2^].

💡Triglycerides

Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood and are an important source of energy for the body. High levels of triglycerides can be a risk factor for heart disease. The video script notes that apple cider vinegar has been shown to decrease triglyceride levels, which can contribute to a healthier heart and reduced risk of cardiovascular issues [^2^].

💡LDL Cholesterol

LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, is often referred to as 'bad' cholesterol because high levels can lead to plaque buildup in the arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. While the video does not directly discuss LDL cholesterol, it does mention the broader impact of apple cider vinegar on cholesterol levels, suggesting a potential positive effect that could include LDL [^1^].

💡Dietary Lifestyle

A dietary lifestyle refers to the regular habits of food consumption, which significantly impact health. The video emphasizes that while apple cider vinegar can be beneficial, a healthy dietary lifestyle is crucial for overall health and the prevention of diseases. It suggests that a low-carb diet and the avoidance of highly processed carbs are particularly important for managing metabolic health [^1^].

Highlights

Apple cider vinegar is claimed to have various health benefits such as weight reduction, cholesterol decrease, and blood sugar lowering.

Dr. Ford Brewer, a preventive medicine doctor with 40 years of experience, initially skeptical about apple cider vinegar, changed his opinion after reviewing the evidence.

Apple cider vinegar can improve multiple cardio-metabolic markers, including decreasing cholesterol, triglycerides, body weight, blood pressure, fasting sugar, and hemoglobin A1c.

Hemoglobin A1c is a significant marker associated with arterial plaque buildup, and apple cider vinegar can help lower A1c levels.

Lifestyle and diet are more critical than any superfood, supplement, or medication for cardiovascular health.

Apple cider vinegar can be a significant part of a healthy lifestyle, especially when taken daily.

The impact of LDL cholesterol on heart health might be overestimated, with metabolic disease being a more significant issue.

Hemoglobin A1c is an advanced glycation end product, indicating the binding of sugar to proteins, which can lead to plaque buildup.

High levels of insulin can prevent the body from burning fat, leading to a vicious cycle of hunger and weight gain.

Apple cider vinegar may lower A1c by decreasing gastric emptying and reducing the body's ability to convert starches into sugars.

There are better methods than stress tests to determine plaque, such as carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), calcium score, and CT angiogram.

Apple cider vinegar can be taken with water or mixed with extra virgin olive oil and lime juice as a healthier salad dressing alternative.

The best way to reduce A1c is not through apple cider vinegar alone but by adopting a low-carb diet and avoiding highly processed carbs.

The transcript emphasizes the importance of lifestyle changes, such as diet, over reliance on pharmaceuticals or supplements for heart health.

Transcripts

apple cider vinegar the fans say apple

cider vinegar has many benefits like

reducing weight decreasing cholesterol

and decreasing blood sugar they say it

even kills germs due to its acetic acid

but is apple cider vinegar really that

good or is it just another overhyped

superfood well I used to be much more

skeptical I had planned to do a video on

apple cider vinegar and I was going to

provide a lot of criticism but as I

continued to look through the

evidence I changed my opinion

changed I've got a different perspective

on apple cider vinegar and let me tell

you a little bit about myself I'm Dr

Ford Brewer I'm a preventive medicine

doctor I've been doing preventive

medicine for 40 years preventing heart

attacks and strokes now back to Apple

CID vinegar it's one of the three common

types of vinegar you make it by

fermenting

apples it does improve multiple cardio

metabolic markers now what are those

things we'll get into those in just a

second and it's got a lot of uh

antioxidants and micronutrients and

maybe those are what's helping but uh

let's just talk about those metabolic

markers the first one and you might hear

about it is that it can decrease

cholesterol maybe not much but a little

bit but here are the ones that I'm

interested in it decreases triglycerides

body weight blood pressure fasting sugar

and most of all hemoglobin

A1c let's focus on

A1C because it is the bridge to

understanding how ACV or apple cider

vinegar helps to keep our Aries clean

multiple papers show that

A1C higher levels of A1C are clearly

associated with arterial plaque

buildup so obviously in terms of logic

that means the lower the A1C the less

plaque gets developed and that means

longterm fewer clogged arteries now

let's go back and connect the dots a

little bit further lowering A1C can help

keep arteries clean appleid

vinegar helps lower A1C so apple cider

vinegar can help clean arteries let's

consider a couple of other things let's

get a little bit deeper first of all how

is that even possible and let me get

this straight first as well we're not

selling apple cider vinegar we're not

saying apple cider vinegar alone cleans

your arteries well lifestyle is King

better than any SuperFood any supplement

any

medication any stint or bypass lifestyle

is king and the biggest part of

Lifestyle for cardiovascular disease is

your

diet but what I am saying is this apple

cider vinegar daily can be a significant

help and a part of your of a healthy

lifestyle now let's be pragmatic and

let's talk about

facts the first question to answer is

why A1 C why not LDL cholesterol well

that's an interesting question and if

you're watching you may have seen me

roll my eyes we've been there a lot I

think that the impact of LDL is way

overestimated people think they can take

a Statin or one of the other three

classes of drugs that decrease LDL and

that's going to fix their problem what

they don't know is that there's a a a

giant a leithan a killer that's right in

front of us and we're not seeing it over

half of Americans alone 18 years and

older have pre-diabetes

90% don't know it so metabolic disease

is killing us and our medical community

does not know how to diagnose it so

let's go back and talk a little bit

further about

A1C why why is A1C such an important

marker and how does it work okay here's

a little bit of a geek alert hemoglobin

A1c is called AG an AG advanced

glycation in product now the key word in

there is

glycation glycation is a process where

sugar gets bound permanently to a

protein so the higher your sugar the

longer your sugar is high the higher

your

A1C your hemoglobin A1c so it starts out

with this sort of mucousy slick coating

and then that hardens and you get more

of a plastic coating so I used to have a

40 years ago way back when I went to

medical school I used to have a

Endocrinology Professor who carried

around a little piece of plastic that

was built to look like muscle tissue and

he would pull that out of his pocket and

say

this is your muscles your proteins your

body on diabetes and people would sort

of look at him for a minute and he would

say no you're not getting it I'm being

serious you get

plasticized and this is what he was

talking

about glycation of the proteins in your

body now let's talk about hemoglobin

hemoglobin usually transports oxygen it

holds that iron and the iron holds the

oxygen and then that hemoglobin and iron

takes the oxygen to the tissues of your

body so you can use the oxygen but when

that hemoglobin which is a protein gets

combined with excess sugar it transforms

into hemoglobin A1c now research has

shown time and time again that a1c's

higher than

5.6% are closely related to increased

plaque buildup now what is it about A1C

that causes

plaque well it's not the A1C the A1C is

what we would call a biomarker it's a

biological

marker of this

process it's excess glucose and Insulin

excessive carbohydrates cause

cardiovascular

inflammation they wreck your glyco Alix

the the intima the lining of your artery

wall too much glucose too much insulin

for too long causes damage to the

glycocalix damage to the entima and

therefore plaque so it's not the

A1C it's the high glucose and the high

insulin and again as we said

cardiovascular inflammation is what's

causing the plaque remember excess

glucose results in increased insulin

secretion by the

pancreas as you continue this process

many people feel that that's one of the

major drivers for insulin resistance too

much insulin too long your insulin

receptors get used to it and get

resistant to it I don't really think

that that's the major risk factor I

don't think that it's constantly eating

uh carbs that causes it except maybe

through another mechanism and that is

getting fat from carbs you know there

are three major drivers of

cardiovascular inflammation or insulin

resistance one is genetics and many

people tell us yes insulin resistance or

diabetes runs in my family number two

body fat many people think that the

diabetes epidemic is being driven by the

Obesity epidemic and here's the third

age how many people have a grand or an

uncle that's aging and getting diabetic

in reality when you look at the

epidemiology you look at the science the

evidence it's aging that's driving this

more than anything else so let's go back

at this from a different perspective

first you can't burn glucose you're

getting insulin resistant from aging you

get excess glucose excess glycation

excess plaque you also stop burning

burning your fat most people don't know

this but high levels of insulin keep you

from burning fat let me repeat that most

people don't know this but high levels

of insulin keep you from burning fat so

what happens if you can't burn carbs and

you can't burn fats you're hungry you

eat more so this becomes a vicious

spiral that leads to plaque heart attack

stroke death and disability you

understand why decreasing A1C is

important A1C is a reflection of insulin

resistance less A1C means or lower A1C

means less inflammation less plaque

that's why I got excited when I started

doing the research on apple cider

vinegar now you may be asking like I did

what is it about apple cider vinegar

that lowers

A1C what's the mechanism well it turns

out there are a couple of mechanisms the

first is it decreases gastric emptying

and if you slow down your stomach

emptying food into your intestines

you're going to slow down that hit of

glucose that goes into your bloodstream

after a meal here's another mechanism

Alpha amas that sounds like a maybe a

big technical complicated word but

here's what it does

it takes starches and turns them into

sugars so again not only does apple

cider vinegar decrease your gastric

emptying it also decreases your body's

ability to

turn starches into sugars you might be

thinking at this point okay doc you

convince me about the apple cider

vinegar and plaque but how do I know if

I have plaque well I'm going to briefly

explain three three ways to do that and

maybe a couple of ways not to First a

couple of ways not to think twice about

getting a stress test the leadership in

Internal Medicine and Cardiology all

admit that over half of stress tests

shouldn't be done it's even worse to go

to the cath lab and again that's all I'm

going to say about those right now let

me talk about three ways that are better

cimt calcium score and CT angiogram cimt

has a bad rep with a lot of uh

cardiologists because they they hear

about arterial age well arterial age is

not the key point about cimt cimt is

hard to access hard to do right but it's

easy to find out if you have soft plaque

that's the advantage to

cimt calcium score you can get in most

places most of us live within half an

hour of getting an easy relatively good

quality calcium score so why isn't that

the best way to look the problem with

calcium score is this it only shows you

calcified plaque the calcified plaque is

very safe it's stable and it's only got

a tiny bit more risk than having no

plaque at all so that's the problem with

the calcium score the Third thir one CT

angiogram it's got major advantages over

both of the other two all of the other

types of evaluation it shows us the

anatomy the exact amount of mix between

soft and calcified or stable

plaque but here are the disadvantages it

costs thousands of dollars it has more

radiation and it takes a while it's not

just a quick five minute procedure one

major question still needs to be

answered okay how do you take it do you

just get a bottle of it and turn it up

most people don't do that I do have some

friends and family who put a tablespoon

in a cup of water and drink it before a

meal that works some people are

concerned about taking especially taking

apple cider vinegar straight because

they worry about again that acetic acid

in the enamel of the teeth I think it is

better to take it with water or another

way I don't usually take it with water I

recommend taking it with a

dressing take a tablespoon of extra

virgin olive oil and 1 to two

tablespoons of apple cider

vinegar put in the juice of one or two

limes and you can put some other things

in there too like Cayenne if you like

some heat or some of the other spices

and supplements it's a great substitute

for unhealthy dressings remember many of

us are very concerned about seed oils

and if you're worried about seed oils

one of the biggest places that you find

seed oils is in the salad dressing

counter at your grocery store this is a

way to bypass that counter and that seed

oil danger now that you know why apple

cider vinegar can help keep arteries

clean and you know how to take it you

need to know that this the best way to

reduce

A1C is not apple cider vinegar we've

already said this it can help but

lifestyle is King and diet is the

critical part of Lifestyle cut your

carbs get on a low carb diet and a

critical step is stopping eating

seral highly processed ultr processed

carbs you know big food's been pushing

cereal to clog arteries for decades and

they've been very successful at it to

the tune of billions of dollars of

profit don't let Tony the Tiger take

over your dinner and if he's already

taking over your breakfast get him out

of there you know there are problems

with big Pharma and big medicine as well

uh we talk about that in some of our

other videos you need to learn how to

take care of your own body now to learn

more about that and the cholesterol lie

associated with big Pharma Big Medicine

big food check out this video right here