Drug & supplement interaction

Apple Cider Vinegar + Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen brand names: Motrin, Children's Motrin, Advil, Children's Advil, Fenbid Forte Gel, and others.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Apple Cider Vinegar and Ibuprofen in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first.

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Interaction report

Apple Cider Vinegar and Ibuprofen

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Ibuprofen and Apple Cider Vinegar in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Apple Cider Vinegar safety at a glance

Apple Cider Vinega... overall Use caution Generally safe in food amounts but undiluted or large doses can cause harm.
Pregnancy Use caution Amounts used in food are likely fine, but avoid large medicinal or unpasteurized amounts unless your doctor approves.
Breastfeeding Use caution Food amounts are likely fine, but there is little safety data on large or supplement doses.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Pharmacist analysis

The use of apple cider vinegar or the amounts of ACV in supplements is unlikely to cause clinically significant drug interactions at recommended dosages.

However, it is important to be aware of potential interactions, especially with medications that lower blood glucose levels, as these interactions have been theoretically proposed, but as I've written in my analysis on individual interaction detail pages, even this interaction is unlikely to be clinically significant for most.

In terms of side effects, it is uncommon for individuals to experience any adverse effects from taking ACV, but some mild side effects, such as nausea and indigestion, have been reported. It is important to consider that these side effects could be additive if taken with other medications that cause similar symptoms.

As always, it is important to consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, including ACV, to ensure its safe and appropriate use for your specific medical situation.

—

Still wondering about combining Ibuprofen and Apple Cider Vinegar? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Ibuprofen

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Ibuprofen is filed under 10 classifications — including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nsaids), cytochrome p450 2c9 (cyp2c9) substrates, anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs. Apple Cider Vinegar has documented interactions with 4 drug classes — the most serious being digoxin (lanoxin) (moderate), diuretic drugs (moderate) and insulin (moderate) — and none of Ibuprofen’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Apple Cider Vinegar Does Interact With Other Medications

Apple Cider Vinegar has 89 moderate, 73 minor known drug interactions in our database — Ibuprofen isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 89 Minor 73 No known interaction 2,668 (incl. Ibuprofen)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Apple Cider Vinegar

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Apple Cider Vinegar. Pick one to open its full report.

What to actually watch for

What Apple Cider Vinegar Itself Has Been Linked To

This is not an interaction — nothing below involves Ibuprofen. It is the side-effect record for Apple Cider Vinegar on its own, from the licensed Natural Medicines monograph. If something new turns up after you add Apple Cider Vinegar, this list is the first place to look. 2 entries are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Bone thinning / Low potassium Worth acting on Additional detail

    “In food amounts, apple cider vinegar is well tolerated. It seems to be well tolerated when used orally, short-term for medicinal purposes. However, in larger amounts, long-term use may be unsafe.

    Topically, apple cider vinegar may be unsafe.

    Serious Adverse Effects (Rare):

    Orally: Hypokalemia, hyperreninemia, and osteoporosis have been reported with long-term use.

    Topically: Chemical burns, skin irritation.”

    Apple Cider Vinegar · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in bone loss.

    “There is one published report of an individual who developed hypokalemia, elevated renin levels, high positive urinary anion gap, and osteoporosis after ingesting apple cider vinegar 250 mL per day for 6 years. The osteoporosis was attributed to buffering of the acute acid load by bone, and the other effects were attributed to significant bicarbonate excretion.”

    Apple Cider Vinegar · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in bone loss.

    1 source cited
    1. 31730. Lhotta, K., Hofle, G., Gasser, R., and Finkenstedt, G. Hypokalemia, hyperreninemia and osteoporosis in a patient ingesting large amounts of cider vinegar. Nephron 1998;80(2):242-243. PubMed
  • Trouble swallowing Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Topically, apple cider vinegar may cause chemical burns. There is one published report of an individual who developed a chemical burn caused by a single topical application of apple cider vinegar containing 5% acetic acid to the skin. Another case of chemical burn has been reported for a 14-year-old patient who applied apple cider vinegar to the skin for 3 days to remove a nevi.”

    Apple Cider Vinegar · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in burns.

    4 sources cited
    1. 91662. Bunick CG, Lott JP, Warren CB, et al. Chemical burn from topical apple cider vinegar. J Am Acad Dermatol 2012;67(4):e143-4. PubMed
    2. 93074. Feldstein S, Afshar M, Krakowski AC. Chemical Burn from Vinegar Following an Internet-based Protocol for Self-removal of Nevi. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2015 Jun;8(6):50.
    3. 101172. Luu LA, Flowers RH, Kellams AL, et al. Apple cider vinegar soaks [0.5%] as a treatment for atopic dermatitis do not improve skin barrier integrity. Pediatr Dermatol. 2019;36(5):634-639. PubMed
    4. 13183. Hill LL, Woodruff LH, Foote JC, Barreto-Alcoba M. Esophageal injury by apple cider vinegar tablets and subsequent evaluation of products. J Am Diet Assoc 2005;105:1141-4. PubMed
  • A skin rash Additional detail

    Recorded for Apple Cider Vinegar in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Trouble swallowing above.

Everything above comes from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record for Apple Cider Vinegar — expand a row for the licensed statement it rests on. We read the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Ibuprofen’s FDA label too, and the two lists don’t meaningfully overlap — which is why no Ibuprofen column appears here.

Overlapping uses

What Ibuprofen Is Prescribed For, and What Apple Cider Vinegar Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Ibuprofen is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Apple Cider Vinegar is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Ibuprofen is prescribed for: Oral ibuprofen products (tablets, coated tablets, and liquid-filled capsules) are used to temporarily relieve minor aches and pains from headache, backache, toothache, muscular aches, menstrual cramps, minor arthritis pain, and the common cold, and to temporarily reduce fever. The oral prescription tablet (Ibu) is also indicated for the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, mild to moderate pain, and primary dysmenorrhea (painful periods). Caldolor, an intravenous (IV) form, is approved for adults and children 3 months and older to manage mild to moderate pain, to manage moderate to severe pain alongside opioid pain medicines, and to reduce fever. A separate intravenous solution, Ibuprofen Lysine, is used specifically in premature infants to close a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) — an abnormal blood vessel connection near the heart — when standard medical management has not worked.

Apple Cider Vinegar has been studied for:

  • Osteoarthritis studied, not established Apple Cider Vinegar has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Apple Cider Vinegar for osteoarthritis

    Although there has been interest in using oral apple cider vinegar for osteoarthritis, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of apple cider vinegar for this condition.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Ibuprofen on your own; if you are taking Apple Cider Vinegar for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Apple Cider Vinegar or Ibuprofen

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Apple Cider Vinegar or Ibuprofen, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Ibuprofen

This page covers Apple Cider Vinegar only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ibuprofen page lists 286 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Danshen (major) and Piracetam (major).

By severity: 7 major · 243 moderate · 36 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ibuprofen page

“Most people treat ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) as an everyday pain reliever, which is exactly why this list of 286 interacting supplements deserves real attention rather than a shrug. The dominant pattern by far is bleeding: 202 of these ingredients can add to the bleeding and stomach irritation ibuprofen already causes, and the seven maj…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ibuprofen interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Apple Cider Vinegar as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 1,329 real supplement products containing Apple Cider Vinegar, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Apple Cider Vinegar. Even though Apple Cider Vinegar itself has no known interaction with Ibuprofen, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Apple Cider Vinegar and Ibuprofen Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Apple Cider Vinegar
Top 10%

#119 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Ibuprofen
Top 1%

#19 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Apple Cider Vinegar reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Apple Cider Vinegar and Ibuprofen records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Apple Cider Vinegar

What is Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Blood sugar support
  • Weight management
  • Digestive upset
  • Appetite control
  • Skin and hair care

Apple cider vinegar is a fermented apple product that many people use hoping to help with blood sugar, weight, or digestion. The evidence for most of these uses is limited and mixed, and the modest effects seen in small studies are not a substitute for proven treatments. When diluted and used in small amounts it is generally safe for most people, but undiluted vinegar can harm teeth and the throat.

Fermented juice of apples (Malus domestica) · Liquid vinegar, capsules, tablets, gummies, powders

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Apple Cider Vinegar is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Apple Cider Vinegar record says about it on its own.

Apple Cider Vinegar: dosing

There is no official or proven dose of apple cider vinegar for any health condition. In small studies, people often diluted a small amount (such as a tablespoon or two) of liquid ACV in a large glass of water taken with meals.If you choose to use ACV, always dilute it well in water to protect your teeth and throat, and consider rinsing your mouth afterward.

From our Apple Cider Vinegar monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Apple Cider Vinegar monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Ibuprofen

What Is Ibuprofen Used For?

Brand names: Motrin, Children's Motrin, Advil, Children's Advil, Fenbid Forte Gel, Ibugel Forte, Arthrofen, Ebufac, Rimafen, Calprofen, Fenpaed, Galprofen, Nurofen for Children, Orbifen for Children, Brufen, Brufen Retard, Fenbid, Tab-Profen, Ibuprofen, Calodor

Oral ibuprofen products (tablets, coated tablets, and liquid-filled capsules) are used to temporarily relieve minor aches and pains from headache, backache, toothache, muscular aches, menstrual cramps, minor arthritis pain, and the common cold, and to temporarily reduce fever. The oral prescription tablet (Ibu) is also indicated for the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, mild to moderate pain, and primary dysmenorrhea (painful periods).

Caldolor, an intravenous (IV) form, is approved for adults and children 3 months and older to manage mild to moderate pain, to manage moderate to severe pain alongside opioid pain medicines, and to reduce fever. A separate intravenous solution, Ibuprofen Lysine, is used specifically in premature infants to close a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) — an abnormal blood vessel connection near the heart — when standard medical management has not worked.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Ibuprofen

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (283,500 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 18,755 reports
Nausea 18,290 reports
Headache 16,566 reports
Arthralgia 13,469 reports
Dyspnea 13,139 reports
See full Ibuprofen drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Apple Cider Vinegar

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Apple Cider Vinegar — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
89Moderate
73Minor
2,667No known interaction
89 Moderate 73 Minor 2,667 No interaction
Moderate

89 interactions

Showing 60 of 89 moderate interactions — see all 89 on the Apple Cider Vinegar page.

Minor

73 interactions

Showing 60 of 73 minor interactions — see all 73 on the Apple Cider Vinegar page.

No interaction 2,667 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Apple Cider Vinegar against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,667 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Apple Cider Vinegar list.

See the full Apple Cider Vinegar interactions page
See every supplement checked against Ibuprofen, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Apple Cider Vinegar References

The 11 references that drive our Apple Cider Vinegar monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Lhotta K, Hofle G, Gasser R, Finkenstedt G. Hypokalemia, hyperreninemia, and osteoporosis in a patient ingesting large amounts of cider vinegar. Nephron 1998;80:242-3. PubMed
  2. Hill LL, Woodruff LH, Foote JC, Barreto-Alcoba M. Esophageal injury by apple cider vinegar tablets and subsequent evaluation of products. J Am Diet Assoc 2005;105:1141-4. PubMed
  3. Hlebowicz J, Darwiche G, Björgell O, Almér LO. Effect of apple cider vinegar on delayed gastric emptying in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a pilot study. BMC Gastroenterol 2007;7:46. PubMed
  4. Johnston CS, Kim CM, Buller AJ. Vinegar improves insulin sensitivity to a high-carbohydrate meal in subjects with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2004;27:281-2. PubMed
  5. Lhotta, K., Hofle, G., Gasser, R., and Finkenstedt, G. Hypokalemia, hyperreninemia and osteoporosis in a patient ingesting large amounts of cider vinegar. Nephron 1998;80(2):242-243. PubMed
  6. Bunick CG, Lott JP, Warren CB, et al. Chemical burn from topical apple cider vinegar. J Am Acad Dermatol 2012;67(4):e143-4. PubMed
  7. Feldstein S, Afshar M, Krakowski AC. Chemical Burn from Vinegar Following an Internet-based Protocol for Self-removal of Nevi. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2015 Jun;8(6):50.
  8. Luu LA, Flowers RH, Kellams AL, et al. Apple cider vinegar soaks [0.5%] as a treatment for atopic dermatitis do not improve skin barrier integrity. Pediatr Dermatol. 2019;36(5):634-639. PubMed
  9. Hadi A, Pourmasoumi M, Najafgholizadeh A, Clark CCT, Esmaillzadeh A. The effect of apple cider vinegar on lipid profiles and glycemic parameters: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. BMC Complement Med Ther 2021;21(1):179. PubMed
  10. Feise NK, Johnston CS. Commercial vinegar tablets do not display the same physiological benefits for managing postprandial glucose concentrations as liquid vinegar. J Nutr Metab 2020;2020:9098739. PubMed
  11. Gheflati A, Bashiri R, Ghadiri-Anari A, Reza JZ, Kord MT, Nadjarzadeh A. The effect of apple vinegar consumption on glycemic indices, blood pressure, oxidative stress, and homocysteine in patients with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia: A randomized contro

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Apple Cider Vinegar and Ibuprofen Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Apple Cider Vinegar with Ibuprofen?
We do not list a known interaction between Apple Cider Vinegar and Ibuprofen. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Are Apple Cider Vinegar and Ibuprofen used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Apple Cider Vinegar in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Ibuprofen is being adjusted to a target.
How was the Apple Cider Vinegar and Ibuprofen combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Ibuprofen is filed under 10 classifications, and Apple Cider Vinegar has documented interactions with 4 drug classes — none of Ibuprofen's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Apple Cider Vinegar interact with any other medications?
Yes. Apple Cider Vinegar has 162 documented drug interactions in our database — Ibuprofen is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Ibuprofen interact with any supplements?
Yes. Ibuprofen has documented interactions with 286 supplements in our database — Apple Cider Vinegar is not one of them. The Ibuprofen interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Apple Cider Vinegar monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Ibuprofen drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Ibuprofen supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Ibuprofen, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 11 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Ibuprofen and Apple Cider Vinegar?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.