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"What can cause a strong craving to drink vinegar? "

ZocdocAnswersWhat can cause a strong craving to drink vinegar?


For the past 2 weeks I have felt a strong need to drink vinegar and I don't know why. Could I be lacking some sort of vitamin or mineral? I don't know what is causing it.


Cravings for unusual or specific foods can occur for a number of reasons. Most stereotypically, of course, are cravings induced by pregnancy. The physiological changes brought about during pregnancy - including the action of the pregnancy hormones on certain parts of the brain that govern appetite - play a role here. Similar cravings can also be caused by some nutritional deficiencies. For example, iron deficiency often causes unusual food cravings or the need to chew ice. Therefore, you should see your primary care doctor about this issue, especially if it persists. If there is any chance you could be pregnant, then that would be the first thing to rule out. If not, then potentially investigating for a nutritional disorder might be a good idea, depending on what your doctor finds when they examine you. If an underlying cause for the cravings can be identified, then fixing it should make the cravings go away. For example, if it turns out that you have an iron deficiency, then boosting your body's iron stores with supplements should take care of things. Contact your primary care doctor's office today to make an appointment!

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