•  
  •  
 

DEBUNKING THE MYTHS OF APPLE CIDER VINEGAR AND ITS ROLE IN EXERCISE

JF Beymer
T Gable

Abstract

J.F. Beymer, T. Gable

Willamette University, Salem, OR

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has arisen as a potential mechanism for elevating energy production prior to exercise. PURPOSE: To assess health claims associated with ACV and determine the extent to which supplementation with ACV could contribute to a greater capacity for aerobic physical activity through alterations in metabolic substrate utilization. METHODS: Changes in blood glucose and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were examined through a case-crossover design with 12 healthy, active college students performing a ten-minute submaximal treadmill protocol. Each participant completed the protocol at 50% maximum heart-rate (HRmax) determined through the Karvonen method following supplementation of either ACV or a placebo. RESULTS: Blood glucose decreased significantly following supplementation with ACV (25.42 ± 12.16 mg/dL) as compared to placebo (15.25 ± 13.23 mg/dL), having an average greater effect of 10 mg/dL (p=0.031). Contrarily, RER was not significantly different following ACV (0.92 ± 0.06) or placebo (0.95 ± 0.06) supplementation (p=0.124). CONCLUSION: Results obtained do not support the use of ACV as an ergogenic aid for aerobic exercise. Thus, although there is minimal evidence supporting ACV as a workout supplement, there is evidence of ACV affecting glycolytic pathways, warranting further examination.

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS