Why the “Vinegar Test” Doesn’t Work

At one point or another, you’ve probably wondered if your body is actually using the supplements you’re taking on a daily basis. You may have heard about—or even tried—the so-called vinegar test. Popular websites claim that the only way you can tell if your vitamins or supplements are working is by putting them into a glass of vinegar to see if they dissolve. If they don’t dissolve, they say the supplements aren’t getting absorbed by your body.  
 

This test is nothing but a myth! Putting a pill in vinegar in no way shows what that same pill does in your stomach. Is your stomach full of vinegar to digest your food? The answer would be no. It uses hydrochloric acid for digestion. So, it’s not fair to put vinegar up against acid found in the stomach—it’s like comparing apples to oranges. 
   

Vinegar has a pH between 3.0 and 4.5. It’s acidic, but not nearly as acidic as hydrochloric acid, which has a pH of around 1. Plus, hydrochloric acid is a completely different type of acid than vinegar. Gastric juices and enzymes help the stomach with digestion (vinegar doesn’t have any help). Toss in the fact that the temperature of the stomach is a toasty 99 degrees, compared to 72 degree room temperature vinegar, and you can clearly see that a pill isn’t going to behave the same way in the two scenarios.
 

Swanson Health Products puts its products through rigorous testing to ensure they will properly break down in your stomach. The tests expose the pills to a simulated stomach, complete with an acidic environment, temperature and churning. Any supplements that don’t pass the test are thrown out. If you’re having trouble digesting your supplements, you may lack digestive enzymes. Taking a supplement for digestion could help you digest food and supplements.
 

Now you know the facts. The vinegar test is just another rumor that’s not true. You know you can’t believe everything you hear, especially on the web—except on the Swanson Vitamins Blog of course!

 

Posted by Kayla