How much apple cider vinegar should you take a day?

Our label directs two capsules daily with 6-8 oz of water, providing 1,000 mg of organic apple cider vinegar powder per serving. There's no single amount established as "the" dose for apple cider vinegar — capsule labels across the category range from a few hundred milligrams to several grams, and a 2005 lab test found the labeling on tablet products often isn't reliable to begin with.

What our label directs

Two capsules a day, with water, is the whole instruction: 1,000 mg of organic apple cider vinegar powder alongside 200 mg of inulin, a 100 mg digestive enzyme blend, and a small amount of Lactobacillus acidophilus. Electric Tiger Apple Cider Vinegar Capsules run 30 servings a bottle, as low as $12.94 on subscription — $0.43 a serving. We don't have research tying this specific amount to a specific outcome, so we're not going to describe one; this article is about what the number is and how it compares to what else is out there, not what it does.

Why capsule doses vary so much between brands

Search around and you'll find apple cider vinegar capsules labeled anywhere from 300 mg to over 2,000 mg per serving, with no industry-standard amount behind any of them. Part of the reason is that there's no clinical dose-finding trial for a capsule or powder form to standardize against — the human trials that exist almost all used measured liquid vinegar, not a dried, encapsulated version, so there's nothing for a capsule label to be "correct" against in the first place.

The other part of the reason is quality control. A 2005 lab evaluation, prompted by a reported esophageal injury from an apple cider vinegar tablet, tested eight commercial tablet products for pH, acid content and microbial growth. It found considerable variability between brands in tablet size, pH and acid content, and raised real doubt about whether apple cider vinegar was actually present in some of the products tested. A milligram number on a label is only useful if the label is accurate — see how to choose a good apple cider vinegar for what else to check.

If you're taking more than directed

A systematic review of 13 human and 12 animal studies on apple vinegar's safety found the risk of side effects at recommended amounts appears low. That's a reason to stay at label directions, not a reason to exceed them — the same review rated the overall evidence, including on safety at higher or sustained intakes, as too limited for firm conclusions. See apple cider vinegar side effects for what the safety literature specifically covers, including some rarer reported effects at high, long-term intakes.

Questions people ask

How much apple cider vinegar should you take a day?

Our label directs two capsules a day, providing 1,000 mg of organic apple cider vinegar powder. That's our specific product's directions, not a dose research has singled out as optimal — no such dose is established for a capsule or powder form.

How much apple cider vinegar per day is normal?

There's no standard answer, because labels vary so widely across brands and there's no dose-finding trial for capsule or powder forms to standardize against. Following whichever product's own label directions is the most defensible approach.

How much does apple cider vinegar cost?

Our bottle is 30 servings, priced as low as $12.94 on subscription — $0.43 a serving. Other brands vary; per-serving price is one of the checks worth running on any label, covered in how to choose a good apple cider vinegar.

Is more apple cider vinegar better?

Nothing in the research we've reviewed suggests exceeding label directions does more for any outcome; it just moves you further from the amounts a safety review has actually looked at. Stick to label directions unless a doctor advises otherwise.

Why do apple cider vinegar capsules come in so many different doses?

Partly because there's no clinical trial establishing an optimal capsule or powder dose to standardize against, and partly because label accuracy itself varies — a 2005 lab test of eight tablet products found inconsistent acid content and labeling across brands. A milligram number alone doesn't guarantee what's actually in the capsule.