Benefits, Uses, Precautions, and Dosage

Medicinal use of licorice dates again to historical Egypt, the place the basis was made right into a candy drink for pharaohs (1, 2).

It has additionally been utilized in conventional Chinese language, Center Japanese, and Greek medicines to appease an upset abdomen, scale back irritation, and deal with higher respiratory issues (2, 3).

Modern makes use of

Right this moment, many individuals make the most of licorice root to deal with illnesses like heartburn, acid reflux disease, sizzling flashes, coughs, and bacterial and viral infections. It’s frequently out there as a capsule or liquid complement (2).

Moreover, licorice tea is claimed to soothe sore throats, whereas topical gels are claimed to deal with pores and skin situations like zits or eczema (4).

What’s extra, licorice is used to taste some meals and drinks (5).

Surprisingly, many licorice candies are flavored not with licorice root however with anise oil — an important oil from the anise plant (Pimpinella anisum) that has the same style.

Plant compounds

Whereas it incorporates a whole bunch of plant compounds, licorice root’s major energetic compound is glycyrrhizin (1, 3).

Glycyrrhizin is answerable for the basis’s candy style, in addition to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties (1, 3, 6).

Nonetheless, glycyrrhizin can be linked to most of the adversarial results of licorice root. Consequently, some merchandise use deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL), which has had the glycyrrhizin eliminated (1).

abstract

Licorice root is used each as a flavoring agent and medicinal remedy. It is available in many types, together with teas, capsules, liquids, and even topical gels.

Present analysis reveals promise for a number of of licorice root’s medicinal makes use of.

Might help pores and skin situations

Licorice root incorporates over 300 compounds, a few of which display potent anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral results (3, 7, 8).

Specifically, animal and test-tube research hyperlink glycyrrhizin to anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial advantages (1, 3, 5).

Consequently, licorice root extract is used to deal with quite a lot of pores and skin situations, together with zits and eczema.

In a 2-week research in 60 adults, making use of a topical gel containing licorice root extract considerably improved eczema (4).

Although topical licorice gels have additionally been used to treat acne, analysis on its effectiveness is blended and fairly restricted (9).

Might scale back acid reflux disease and indigestion

Licorice root extract is commonly used to alleviate signs of indigestion, comparable to acid reflux, upset abdomen, and heartburn.

In a 30-day research in 50 adults with indigestion, taking a 75-mg licorice capsule twice every day resulted in vital enhancements in signs, in contrast with a placebo (10).

Licorice root extract might also alleviate signs of gastroesophageal reflux illness (GERD), together with acid reflux disease and heartburn.

In an 8-week research in 58 adults with GERD, a low dose of glycyrrhetinic acid together with customary remedy resulted in vital enhancements in signs (11).

One other research in 58 adults with GERD famous that the every day use of licorice root was simpler at lowering signs over a 2-year interval than generally used antacids (12).

Whereas these outcomes are promising, bigger human research are obligatory.

Might assist deal with peptic ulcers

Peptic ulcers are painful sores that develop in your abdomen, decrease esophagus, or small gut. They’re generally brought on by irritation ensuing from H. pylori micro organism (13).

Licorice root extract and its glycyrrhizin might assist treat peptic ulcers.

One research in mice discovered that licorice extract doses of 91 mg per pound (200 mg per kg) of physique weight protected in opposition to these ulcers higher than omeprazole, a typical peptic ulcer remedy (14).

Whereas extra analysis is required in people, a 2-week research in 120 adults confirmed that consuming licorice extract along with a typical remedy considerably diminished the presence of H. pylori (15).

Might have anticancer properties

On account of its content material of quite a few plant compounds with antioxidant and anti inflammatory results, licorice root extract has been studied for its protecting results in opposition to certain types of cancer (16).

Specifically, licorice extract and its compounds have been linked to slowing or stopping cell progress in pores and skin, breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers (16, 17, 18, 19).

As analysis is restricted to check tubes and animals, its results on human cancers are unknown.

But, licorice root extract might assist deal with oral mucositis — very painful mouth sores that folks with most cancers generally expertise as a facet impact of chemotherapy and radiation (20, 21).

A 2-week research in 60 adults with head and neck most cancers revealed {that a} topical licorice movie was simply as efficient as the usual remedy for oral mucositis (20).

Might ease higher respiratory situations

On account of their anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial results, each licorice root extract and tea might help higher respiratory situations.

Specifically, animal research conclude that glycyrrhizin extract from licorice root helps relieve asthma, particularly when added to fashionable bronchial asthma therapies (22, 23, 24).

Whereas restricted human analysis reveals comparable outcomes, extra rigorous, long-term research are wanted (25).

Moreover, restricted test-tube and human research counsel that licorice root tea and extract might defend in opposition to strep throat and forestall sore throat after surgical procedure (26, 27).

Nonetheless, additional analysis is required.

Might defend in opposition to cavities

Licorice root might assist defend in opposition to micro organism that may result in cavities.

A 3-week research gave 66 preschool-aged youngsters sugar-free lollipops containing 15 mg of licorice root twice per day throughout the faculty week. Consuming the lollipops considerably diminished the variety of Streptococcus mutans micro organism, that are the primary cause of cavities (28).

Check-tube research additionally present licorice root extract to be efficient at defending in opposition to micro organism generally linked to cavities and tooth decay (29, 30).

Nonetheless, extra analysis is required on the optimum dose and type of licorice root.

Different potential advantages

Licorice root extract is tied to a number of different potential advantages. It might:

• Help diabetes. In a 60-day research in rats, every day consumption of licorice root extract resulted in vital enhancements in blood sugar ranges and kidney well being. This impact has not been confirmed in people (31).
• Scale back menopause signs. Licorice root extract has been proposed as a treatment for hot flashes throughout menopause. Nonetheless, the proof on its effectiveness for this objective is restricted (32, 33).
• Increase weight reduction. Some research point out that licorice root extract lowers body mass index (BMI) and helps weight reduction. But, different research haven’t discovered any results on weight (34, 35).
• Assist deal with hepatitis C. One test-tube research famous that including glycyrrhizin to a typical hepatitis C remedy considerably diminished the virus’s unfold. Whereas promising, these outcomes haven’t been confirmed in people (36, 37).

abstract

Licorice root might have potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial results. Early analysis means that, because of this, it might ease higher respiratory infections, deal with ulcers, and help digestion, amongst different advantages.

The Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) has deemed licorice root to be usually acknowledged as protected to be used in meals (2).

Nonetheless, the FDA doesn’t presently consider or confirm dietary supplements for purity, effectiveness, or accuracy of ingredient labeling.

Moreover, the short-term use of licorice root dietary supplements and teas is broadly thought-about protected. Nonetheless, massive doses might produce adversarial results, and people with sure well being situations might want to keep away from it.

Licorice root overdose

Each power use and enormous doses of licorice root merchandise might result in glycyrrhizin accumulation in your physique.

Elevated ranges of glycyrrhizin have been proven to trigger an irregular enhance in the stress hormone cortisol, which can trigger imbalances in your fluid and electrolyte ranges (38).

Consequently, power and enormous doses of licorice root merchandise might set off a number of harmful signs, together with (2, 38, 39):

• low potassium ranges
• hypertension
• muscle weak point
• irregular coronary heart rhythms

Whereas uncommon, licorice poisoning can happen. It might lead to kidney failure, congestive coronary heart failure, or extra fluid accumulation within the lungs (pulmonary edema) (2).

Thus, people with hypertension, congestive coronary heart failure, kidney disease, or low potassium ranges are inspired to keep away from glycyrrhizin-containing licorice merchandise altogether.

Being pregnant and breastfeeding

Consuming a number of licorice — and glycyrrhizin specifically — throughout being pregnant might negatively have an effect on your child’s mind growth.

In a single research, kids born to moms who ate massive quantities of glycyrrhizin-containing licorice merchandise throughout being pregnant have been extra more likely to have brain impairments later in life (40).

Subsequently, pregnant women ought to keep away from licorice dietary supplements and restrict their consumption of licorice in meals and drinks.

On account of an absence of analysis, kids and breastfeeding girls must also keep away from licorice merchandise.

Drug interactions

Licorice root has been proven to work together with a number of drugs, together with (2):

• blood strain drugs
• blood thinners
• ldl cholesterol reducing drugs, together with statins
• diuretics
• estrogen-based contraceptives
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs)

Folks taking any of those drugs ought to keep away from licorice root merchandise except their healthcare supplier instructs in any other case.

Abstract

Persistent use and enormous doses of licorice root could cause extreme fluid and electrolyte imbalances. Kids, pregnant and breastfeeding girls, and people with kidney illness, coronary heart illness, or hypertension ought to keep away from licorice merchandise.

As a complement, licorice root extract is available in a number of types, together with capsules, powders, tinctures, topical gels, and teas. The basis itself may also be bought both contemporary or dried.

There’s presently no customary dosage advice. Nonetheless, the World Well being Group (WHO) and European Scientific Committee of Meals (SCF) each advocate limiting glycyrrhizin consumption to not more than 100 mg per day (41).

Notably, those that eat massive quantities of licorice merchandise could also be getting greater than this quantity.

Moreover, as merchandise don’t at all times point out the quantity of glycyrrhizin, it may be troublesome to establish a protected quantity. Consequently, it’s necessary to debate a protected and efficient dose together with your healthcare supplier.

Another choice is to search for deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) powders or capsules.

These dietary supplements are freed from glycyrrhizin, which is answerable for most of licorice’s unwanted effects. Nonetheless, as this compound additionally contributes quite a few advantages, it’s unclear whether or not DGL merchandise have the identical constructive well being results.

Abstract

You may eat licorice root as a tea, tincture, powder, or complement. It may also be utilized topically as a gel. Whereas there’s no customary dosage for licorice root, you must restrict your complete glycyrrhizin consumption not more than 100 grams per day.

Licorice root has been used for hundreds of years to assist deal with quite a lot of illnesses, together with respiratory situations and digestive distress.

Its plant compounds display potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial results. Although it might relieve acid reflux disease, eczema, peptic ulcers, and different well being points, extra complete human research are wanted.

Nonetheless, licorice has adversarial results if it’s overconsumed or eaten regularly. Seek the advice of your healthcare supplier earlier than making an attempt licorice root dietary supplements or teas.