The Case for Vinegar Ingestion

Acetate is emerging as an influencer of wellbeing. The interest in acetate parallels the mounting reports of preclinical and small-scale clinical investigations over the past two decades suggesting the health benefits of vinegar, a dietary source of acetic acid along with fermented and pickled foods. Additionally, acetic acid is generated during fermentation by the gut microbiome and is considered a main benefit of the gut microbiome. However, numerous factors adversely impact acetic acid production by gut microbiota such as medications, disease states, and low fiber intakes. Since acetic acid rapidly deprotonates when entering the blood stream, it is a source of systemic acetate. A third source of acetate is endogenous production by various tissues via deacetylation reactions, and endogenous acetate production is 2-fold that generated by microbiota fermentation. This narrative review highlights acetate metabolism and impacts on health parameters as well as the role of vinegar in health promotion as an exogenous source of acetic acid.