Apple cider vinegar is a popular home remedy that has been used in a wide array of functions, from treating sunburn to assisting with weight loss and even as a salad vinaigrette. Apple cider vinegar is made from crushed apple juice that has been fermented into a cider and then allowed to go sour. The main component of apple cider vinegar is acetic acid [1], which gives it a weakly acidic pH of 4.3. It should be noted that regular vinegar is also composed of acetic acid and is also a weak acid with a pH of 4.3.
In addition to all the other wondrous things apple cider vinegar is supposed to do, it is supposed to help you pass a drug test. We will take a look at the various ways in which apple cider vinegar has been recommended to be used, and we will evaluate whether or not apple cider vinegar can help you pass your next drug test.
The Apple Cider Vinegar Detox
All drug tests work in the same way. When you use a drug, it is metabolized into various compounds, which can then be detected in your urine, blood, and even hair follicles. Drug tests look for these compounds to determine whether or not you’ve been using drugs. Some tests, like hair follicle tests, can detect drug use from three months in the past, so just stopping drug use for a couple of days before the test is not always enough to pass the test.
The most common apple vinegar detox method is quite simple. Add two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water and drink. Then drink approximately a gallon of water on the day before the test and pee as much as possible.
The logic behind this method is that you will excrete up to 20% of THC as an acidic metabolite. You can speed up this process by making your body an acidic medium, drinking apple cider vinegar. You then drink the gallon of water to help your kidneys excrete this metabolite as soon as possible.
So the question is, does this method work? Unfortunately, the answer is most likely no. There isn’t any scientific evidence that the technique works, and the logic behind the approach is shaky at best. The reason this method sometimes works is likely due to the dilution effect granted by drinking a gallon of water. However, it is important to note that most urine drug tests check for the dilution of your urine, and if it is too diluted, the lab will automatically classify your test as a fail.
Adding Apple Cider Vinegar to Your Urine Sample
Another way that you can cheat your drug test using apple cider vinegar is to add it to your urine sample only. The pH of acetic acid is low enough to alter the pH of your urine sample, which can mask certain drug metabolites [2]. The acid may also be enough to denature the antibodies that are used in the immunoassay test.
The good news is that this method is scientifically sound and will work. Scientific studies have shown that the use of any acetic acid can be useful in creating false-negative results in urine tests. The primary pitfall of this method is that drug testing companies are aware of this method and will always check the pH of any sample they receive. If it is below a physiologically possible level – which it will be if you add apple cider vinegar to your sample – the test is automatically rejected.
Using Apple Cider Vinegar to Pass a Hair Follicle Test
As hair follicle tests become the norm, apple cider vinegar has become a popular method of stripping drug metabolites from hair follicles. Hair follicle tests work by looking for drug metabolites that were deposited into the follicle by blood vessels when the hair was growing. It is an accurate and sensitive method that can detect long-term drug use.
The apple cider vinegar method is again, straightforward. Simply add vinegar to your hair and let it sit for a while. Then add salicylic acid [3] in the form of shampoo and let that sit for a while longer. Finally, apply liquid detergent and wash your hair thoroughly. You can repeat this process a couple of times to remove all traces of metabolites from the hair.
While this method has some scientific validity, it is essential to note that apple cider vinegar only forms a small component of this method. It is likely that only using apple cider vinegar on its own won’t give you the results you’re looking for.
Using Apple Cider Vinegar to Pass a Mouth Swab Test
While rare, some drug tests use oral fluid samples to look for drug metabolites. The method relies on diluting a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and then using this as a mouth rinse. This process is supposed to help you produce more saliva, which will then dilute the drug metabolites enough to fool the drug test.
Unfortunately, there’s no basis for this method working, and there is no evidence that washing your mouth with apple cider vinegar is enough to pass a mouth swab test. While it can be used as a precursor to something like a proven saliva detox mouthwash, on its own, it won’t do anything.
Can Apple Cider Vinegar Help You Pass a Drug Test?
Apple cider vinegar is widely hailed as a multi-purpose liquid that can solve all your household problems. Unfortunately, many of the claims made by apple cider vinegar enthusiasts aren’t backed up by any credible science or evidence, and this includes the claim that apple cider vinegar can be used to pass a drug test.
There is no credibility to the claims that apple cider vinegar can help you pass any drug test, and you will be wiser to rely on more proven and reliable methods that are available.
Resources
1. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Acetic-acid
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/drug-metabolite
3. https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=25386
