Apple Cider Vinegar May Not Really Help Lose Weight: Key Study Retracted

In recent years, apple cider vinegar has transcended the kitchen shelf to become a darling of wellness marketing, particularly in India, where influencers, diet fads, and television adverts endorse it as a natural, accessible route to weight loss. From celebrity endorsements to Instagram reels touting morning detox shots, the message is simple: a tablespoon of ACV can melt fat. Among the research claims lending legitimacy to this narrative was a 2024 small clinical trial published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, which asserted that daily consumption of diluted ACV could significantly reduce body weight and BMI in overweight individuals, claims that made headlines globally, and have been cited repeatedly in media and health-lifestyle blogs.

But on 24 September 2025, BMJ announced that it has retracted that study. The decision followed a rigorous review by independent statisticians, which found that the results could not be replicated, that there were implausible statistical values, irregularities in raw datasets, insufficient reporting of methodology, and lack of prior trial registration. The retraction is a sharp reminder that even health studies that gain popular traction may conceal critical weaknesses, and that consumers should view sensational weight-loss claims with caution.

In the Indian context, where the supplement and wellness product market draws avid consumers, the retracted study's popularity means the fallout may reach far beyond academia, affecting public perception, marketing practices, and regulatory scrutiny.

Let's take a look at the now-retracted trial, probe the weaknesses that led to its withdrawal, assess how this affects the evidence base around ACV and weight loss, and explore what this means for consumers in India and globally who have been sold the "ACV miracle" narrative.

The Retracted Study: Key Claims And What Went Wrong

The retracted trial, authored by Rony Abou-Khalil and colleagues, was conducted on 120 participants aged 12 to 25 years who were classified as overweight or obese. Participants were randomized into groups receiving different doses of ACV diluted in water, and the researchers claimed weight loss of 6-8 kg over 12 weeks, along with reductions in BMI (2.7 to 3.0 points) and improvements in metabolic parameters. The magnitude of weight loss was exceptional: some critics pointed out that if the results were valid, ACV would rival modern pharmacological agents like GLP-1 agonists, an assertion viewed as biologically implausible.

Concerns were raised soon after publication. Critics flagged that the trial had no prospective registration, violating common norms for clinical trials and editorial policy. Questions also surfaced about how statistical analyses were carried out, and about the implausible uniformity of participant characteristics (e.g., extremely similar age and BMI distributions across groups) that seemed unlikely in a real randomized sample.

In response, BMJ's content integrity team engaged independent statisticians to attempt replication and to check the authenticity of raw data. Their findings were critical: they could not replicate the published results, found multiple analytical errors, noted irregularities in the data sets, and judged that the data from participants warranted further external scrutiny. While the authors contended that mistakes were "honest" and accepted the retraction decision, they also published a "comprehensive clarification" defending their methodology and arguing for the biological plausibility of ACV's metabolic effects.

The retraction notice warns:

"Tempting though it is to alert readers to an ostensibly simple and apparently helpful weight loss aid, at present the results of the study are unreliable, and journalists and others should no longer reference or use the results of this study in any future reporting."

What The Retraction Means For ACV-Weight Loss Evidence

While the retracted trial had been a high-visibility piece of evidence often cited in media and wellness content, it was by no means the only study. A body of research, mostly small, short-term trials, has explored ACV's effects on weight, BMI, waist circumference, glycaemic control, lipid parameters, and appetite.

A 2025 meta-analysis published in Nutrients pooled 10 randomized controlled trials and reported modest yet statistically significant reductions in body weight, BMI, and waist circumference, especially at a dose of 30 mL/day over 12 weeks. However, that same analysis noted high heterogeneity, variable study quality, and reliance on short durations, and in sensitivity analyses excluding high-bias studies, the waist circumference benefit lost significance.

Other studies suggest ACV may help with glycaemic control for diabetes: a meta-analysis of seven trials showed reductions in fasting blood sugar and HbA1c, though effects on insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were inconsistent. But metabolic effects do not necessarily translate into substantial or sustained weight loss, particularly in free-living humans over longer periods.

In summary: while ACV might offer modest adjunct benefits, the retraction removes one of its most striking claims and reinforces that the weight loss effects, if any, are likely small, context-dependent, and far from proven.

Implications For ACV Use In India

Given these recent developments, perhaps it is time for Indians and Indian authorities to take another look at how and why ACV is being marketed, along with spreading more awareness about weight management beyond "miracle" ingredients.

Marketing Claims Must Be Reined In

In India, ACV products are increasingly advertised with "weight loss", "slimming," "detox," or "fat-melting" slogans. The retraction should prompt regulatory scrutiny (by bodies like FSSAI, ASCI) to ensure that health claims are evidence-based, and that exaggerated or misleading claims are regulated with ample warnings.

Consumers Need Critical Literacy

Many users may self-administer ACV based on social media hype or celebrity endorsements. The retraction highlights the need for public education: one study, however sensational, is not proof. ACV should not replace balanced diet, calorie control, exercise, and medical oversight.

Caution With Dosage And Acidity

Even if ACV has modest benefits, its high acidity poses risks: erosion of tooth enamel, throat irritation, gastrointestinal discomfort, potential hypokalaemia, and interactions with medications (e.g. diuretics, insulin). Any use must be diluted, cautious, and ideally guided by medical advice.

Need For Long-Term, Well-Designed Trials In Indian Populations

Given India's high burden of obesity and metabolic disease, local clinical trials over longer durations, with rigorous design and registration, are needed to test ACV's real potential, both for efficacy and safety, in Indian adults.

Dial Back The Hype, Focus On Proven Strategies

Weight loss is complex and multifactorial. The retraction should serve as a reset: instead of chasing "miracle" ingredients, emphasis should return to controlled diets, physical activity, behavioural interventions, and, when needed, medically supervised therapies.

The retraction of the 2024 BMJ Nutrition trial dealing with apple cider vinegar's dramatic weight loss effects is a sobering reminder that not all published research, no matter how headlining, is reliable. For ACV's weight-loss story, it represents a pivot point. While there still remains modest evidence for small benefits when paired with diet and lifestyle changes, the "miracle vinegar" narrative now lacks its most potent backing.

In India and globally, this means consumers and marketers alike should adopt a more tempered, evidence-based posture. ACV, if used, must be an adjunct, not a substitute, and always within safe, diluted doses. And policymakers should ensure that marketing claims are accurate, not predatory. Ultimately, sustainable weight loss still rests on tried-and-tested foundations: calorie balance, physical activity, behavioural support, and, where appropriate, medical or nutritional guidance.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

References:

BMJ Group. BMJ pulls widely cited apple cider vinegar research. News-Medical, 24 September 2025.

Abou-Khalil R, El-Hayek E, et al. Apple cider vinegar for weight management in Lebanese adolescents and young adults with overweight and obesity: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. BMJ Nutr Prev Health, 2024.

Abou-Khalil R. Comprehensive clarification of statistical and data concerns on the effects of apple cider vinegar on weight loss. PMC, 2024.

Castagna A, Ferro Y, et al. Effect of Apple Cider Vinegar Intake on Body Composition in Humans with Type 2 Diabetes and/or Overweight: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients, 2025.

Arjmandfard D, et al. Effects of apple cider vinegar on glycemic control and other metabolic parameters: a meta-analysis. Frontiers in Nutrition, 2025.

Shmerling RH. Apple cider vinegar for weight loss: Does it really work? Harvard Health Publishing.