Apple cider vinegar has been used as a traditional remedy for treating various conditions for thousands of years due to the different health benefits it offers. Apple cider vinegar has shown itself effective in promoting weight loss, killing harmful bacteria, and treating diabetes.
Thanks to its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, apple cider vinegar has also been shown to help treat skin conditions, such as eczema and dry skin. So, taking an apple cider vinegar bath may help balance the pH of your skin, thereby helping it preserve moisture and protecting it from irritants.
Adding apple cider vinegar to your bath is believed to offer a variety of health benefits, although there are no specific studies that confirm this. So, the question is: Is taking an apple cider vinegar bath good for your health? Read on to find out the answer.
The skin has an acidic barrier that protects it from irritants. When it becomes less acidic, its function is disrupted. This prevents it from preserving moisture, which causes the skin to dry out and inflame.
One study has indicated that those who have atopic dermatitis have a higher pH of their skin, which means that their skin's protective barrier is less acidic. Since apple cider vinegar is mildly acidic, bathing in it may help restore the skin's pH balance (1).
An athlete's foot is a skin infection caused by fungi. Apple cider vinegar has been used as a folk remedy for treating nail fungus for a long time.
Although the effectiveness of apple cider vinegar in the treatment of athlete's foot has not been scientifically proven yet, one study has found that this vinegar has antifungal effects against Candida species (2).
A urinary tract infection is a common condition that occurs when bacteria enter and infect the urinary tract. Since apple cider vinegar possesses antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, it may help combat some bacterial infections. So, taking an apple cider vinegar bath could effectively treat UTIs.
However, it's worth mentioning that urinary tract infections usually affect the urethra and the bladder. So, since water doesn't enter these organs when you take a bath, drinking diluted apple cider vinegar sounds better than adding it to your bath.
Since urinary tract infections can lead to severe complications, it's important to consult your doctor prior to using apple cider vinegar as an additional therapy if you think you suffer from this condition.
As we already mentioned, when the barrier of the skin becomes less acidic, this prevents the skin from retaining moisture, which causes it to dry out.
One study has indicated that skin which has a pH value below 5, i.e. is acidic, is healthier than skin that has a pH value above 5 (3).
If you apply cosmetic products and shower, it will increase the pH value of the skin. So, adding apple cider vinegar to your bath could help the skin preserve its natural acidity, preventing it from drying out.
Thanks to its antibacterial and antifungal properties, apple cider vinegar has been used as a natural remedy for treating skin conditions, such as eczema, atopic dermatitis, and dry skin, including warts and pimples.
Since apple cider vinegar can help kill some bacteria, bathing in it may help prevent the formation of warts and pimples by killing the bacteria that cause them. However, this effect hasn't been scientifically proven yet.
Joint pain can be caused by various conditions. The pain usually occurs as a result of inflammation around the joints.
In Iran, apple cider vinegar has been used as an alternative natural remedy for relieving pain caused by arthritis for a long time. One study has shown that apple cider vinegar has a significant effect on controlling inflammation (4). So, adding this vinegar to your bath could potentially help alleviate joint pain.
Malassezia is a type of fungus that lives on the skin's surface in humans. In some people, this fungus can cause dandruff.
Although the beneficial effect of apple cider vinegar on dandruff has not been scientifically proven yet, this vinegar possesses antifungal and antibacterial properties, which means that it may potentially help kill the fungi that cause dandruff. If your dandruff is mild, dilute half a cup of apple cider vinegar in 360 milliliters of cool water. Apply the solution to your scalp and hair after shampooing, and then rinse it out.
These two conditions lead to an overgrowth of harmful bacteria, such as Candida, in the vagina.
One study, carried out outside the human body, indicated that apple cider vinegar had antimicrobial effects against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and the yeast Candida albicans. The vinegar was also shown to have greater antimicrobial activities against Candida when mixed 1:1 with water (5).
Moreover, one case report indicated that apple cider vinegar was highly effective in treating chronic vaginal candida infection in a 32-year-old woman (6).
When the beneficial bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, living on your skin mix with sweat, this leads to body odor. Luckily, apple cider vinegar has been proven effective in fighting off this bacterium. So, adding vinegar to your bath may help destroy Staphylococcus aureus bacterium or other types of bacteria. Plus, it's a good substitute for deodorants.
Different factors can cause the pH levels of the protective barrier of the skin to become imbalanced. This can commonly happen in people with eczema. Taking an apple cider vinegar bath may restore the balance of this barrier.
Soaking your feet in apple cider vinegar may have potential benefits for them. As we already mentioned, this vinegar may help with warts, athlete's foot, and foot odor.
To make an apple cider vinegar foot soak, you'll need to:
Taking a bath with apple cider vinegar and turmeric, cinnamon, or ginger has recently grown in popularity. It's considered to be a powerful detox remedy and offers the following health benefits:
Considering the fact that apple cider vinegar is mildly acidic, excessive exposure to it can lead to skin irritation. Therefore, you can bathe in this vinegar two to three times a week.
Taking an apple cider vinegar bath could potentially benefit your health by helping treat the following conditions:
Bathing in apple cider vinegar could potentially help fight off some bacteria and reduce body odor as well.
