The Dangers of Eating Too Much Licorice

How Eating a Lot of Licorice can Cause High Blood Pressure

Mar 22, 2009 Roberta Goli

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a serious concern, especially for the elderly. Ingestion of too much licorice can induce high blood pressure in some people.

Hypertension is the term used to describe an elevated blood pressure in a patient. High blood pressure can lead to heart attack, stroke, renal (kidney) failure, aneurysms or heart failure.

Perhaps not common knowledge, however, still a potential risk for anyone who enjoys licorice, is pseudohyperaldosteronism.

What is Pseudohyperaldosteronism?

In licorice-induced hypertension, aldosterone secretion is suppressed and this is termed ‘pseudohyperaldosternism (pseudo = false, hyper = high / over stimulated, aldosteronism = abnormality of body’s electrolyte balance).

What is Licorice?

Licorice is derived from the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra. It is a tall shrub from the family Leguminosae and is native to Asia and the Mediterranean regions. There are approximately fourteen (14) known species, however most licorice for commercial use comes from plants grown in southern and central Europe, Russia, Iran and Iraq.

Licorice is obtained from the root system of the plant by crushing the roots once they have been dried, then boiling the pulp to create the extract. This is then made into blocks or stick, or into a powder. Most commercial use for licorice is as a sweet treat as Glycyrrhiza, derived from the Greek words ‘glykos’ and ‘rhiza’ meaning sweet and root, respectively, is fifty (50) times sweeter then refined sugar.

Medicinal Uses of Licorice

In Europe, Japan and USA, medical practitioners use licorice root or licorice supplements to prevent and treat gastric ulcers. The licorice supplement has had the active ingredient of licorice (glycyrrhizin) removed, which is the component that can cause hypertension.

Recent studies have shown that licorice may help in the treatment of heart disease, by reducing high cholesterol levels. In some cases it has actually reduced systolic (contracting of the heart) blood pressure.

So How Much Licorice Can I Eat?

The amount of licorice ingested to cause hypertension varies from person to person. It would depend on the amount of Glycyrrhetnic acid in the licorice. This can be anywhere from 0.026mg/g licorice to 98mg/g licorice.

Licorice is often used in tea, laxatives, Chinese medicines and cough lollies in addition to as sweets. Case studies have shown that as little as 50g a day of licorice can cause clinical effects, although most people could consume up to 100g a day without adverse effects.

Further studies are needed to diffuse the ongoing debate about whether licorice is harmful or helpful. If you enjoy licorice on occasion, you may not need to be overly concerned, (unless you already have a medical condition like high blood pressure), however, you should be aware if you tend to consume licorice regularly or in large amounts.

Further information about licorice and hypertension and the risk and safety of licorice can be found.