A widely circulated study suggesting that daily doses of apple cider vinegar could help people shed weight has been pulled from publication after investigators uncovered serious flaws.
The research, published last year in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, had been cited in countless online articles promoting apple cider vinegar as a quick health fix. But concerns from outside experts pushed the journal’s publisher to re-examine the findings.
The BMJ Group confirmed that the study contained statistical mistakes and that its results could not be reproduced, prompting its retraction. The authors, based in Lebanon, admitted the issues were “honest mistakes” and said they accepted the decision.
Australian nutritionist Rosemary Stanton, who was among the first to raise doubts about the study, welcomed the move. “We should have a healthy degree of scepticism to something that sounds too good to be true,” she told AFP.
The trend around apple cider vinegar gained further traction after Netflix released a docuseries in January about Australian wellness influencers. Stanton, however, stressed that many of the claims surrounding the product lack evidence.
Assertions that it provides nutrients like potassium, calcium, or magnesium are “false,” she said. Stanton also warned that vinegar can erode tooth enamel, advising: “If you do use it, always rinse your mouth thoroughly with water.”
She added that it was troubling how many people now rely on influencers rather than qualified health professionals for dietary guidance, noting that such promotions often come with profit motives rather than science.
