Research review
Does apple cider vinegar detox or cleanse the body?
No published study has tested apple cider vinegar for detoxing the body, cleansing the liver, or killing parasites. The one clinical report connecting vinegar to the liver describes injury from heavy use, not a cleansing benefit.
No published human study has tested apple cider vinegar as a way to detox, cleanse or flush the liver, or to kill intestinal parasites. The broader research on detox diets as a category has also found very little clinical evidence behind the idea, and no randomized trial of any commercial detox program in humans at all.
What the evidence doesn't support
Apple cider vinegar hasn't been studied for eliminating toxins, cleansing the liver, resetting digestion, or killing parasites in the body. The one published clinical link between vinegar and the liver is a case of harm, not benefit, described below. No study we found tested a "7-day cleanse," a foot soak, a scalp rinse, or any other apple cider vinegar "detox" format for anything measurable.
What the trials found
A 2015 critical review in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics examined the evidence behind detox diets generally — not apple cider vinegar specifically, since it wasn't one of the substances the review evaluated. The authors found "very little clinical evidence" supporting commercial detox diets, and stated that, to their knowledge, no randomized controlled trial had tested a commercial detox diet's effectiveness in humans at all. A handful of small, methodologically flawed studies suggested some detox approaches could measure changes in liver enzyme activity or pollutant levels, and a few individual foods (coriander, nori, olestra) had preliminary evidence — almost entirely from animal studies, not people. The review's conclusion was that the detox industry has outpaced the evidence behind it.
The only published clinical report connecting apple cider vinegar to the liver found harm, not a cleansing effect: a case report described a 60-year-old man who developed vinegar-induced liver injury after a long history of heavy vinegar consumption. His liver values improved after he stopped drinking vinegar — the opposite direction of a "liver cleanse" claim.
A separate case report described a patient who developed low blood potassium, elevated renin and bone loss after ingesting large amounts of cider vinegar over time — another documented harm from heavy, prolonged intake, not a benefit.
No study identified in this search tested apple cider vinegar against intestinal parasites in a human. The body's liver and kidneys continuously filter and process what a person eats and drinks regardless of diet; no study reviewed here found that any food or supplement additive changes or speeds up that process in a way a "cleanse" implies.
Questions people ask
Can apple cider vinegar kill parasites?
No human study has tested this. A parasitic infection is diagnosed with a lab test and treated with a specific prescription antiparasitic medication matched to the parasite found — not a home remedy.
Does apple cider vinegar detox or cleanse the liver?
The only published clinical report connecting vinegar to the liver describes injury from years of heavy use, with improvement only after stopping — not a cleansing benefit from taking it.
Can apple cider vinegar cleanse your body, skin, scalp or feet?
No research identified tested any of these specific claims — body cleanse, skin detox, scalp detox or a foot soak "detox." None of them have a study behind them either way.
What about a 7-day apple cider vinegar cleanse?
No clinical trial has tested a multi-day apple cider vinegar cleanse program, so there's no research basis for evaluating what a specific book or plan claims it does. Restrictive short-term diets carry their own risks and are worth discussing with a doctor or dietitian before starting, regardless of what ingredient they're built around.
When to talk to a doctor
A suspected parasitic infection, or a concern about liver function, is diagnosed with specific tests a doctor can order — apple cider vinegar is not a treatment or a diagnostic tool for either. If you're considering a restrictive cleanse or detox diet, especially for more than a few days, a doctor or registered dietitian can weigh the actual risks against a claimed benefit that, for apple cider vinegar, the research doesn't support.
Related reading: apple cider vinegar side effects, who should not take apple cider vinegar, and apple cider vinegar: what the research does and doesn't show.
Sources
- Detox diets for toxin elimination and weight management: a critical review of the evidence A 2015 review found very little clinical evidence for detox diets generally, and no randomized controlled trial testing a commercial detox diet's effectiveness in humans; apple cider vinegar itself wasn't part of this review.
- Apple Cider Vinegar-Induced Hepatotoxicity: A Rare Case Report A case report described a 60-year-old man who developed liver injury after a long history of vinegar consumption; his liver values improved after he stopped.
- Hypokalemia, hyperreninemia and osteoporosis in a patient ingesting large amounts of cider vinegar A published case report described a patient who developed low blood potassium, elevated renin and osteoporosis after drinking large amounts of cider vinegar.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.