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Licorice twists and shouts
Believe it or not, there could be some health benefits to all those black licorice twists you've eaten in your lifetime -- if they were made of real licorice. Here in the United States most licorice candy is made from anise oil flavoring; authentic licorice candy is more popular in Europe.
Licorice root has been used for centuries both as a flavoring and as an expectorant (helps get mucous out of the respiratory system). Much of the sweetness of licorice root comes from glycyrrhizin, which is about 50 times sweeter than sugar. Glycyrrhizin and its derivatives are said to be anti-viral, help treat ulcers, and anti-inflammatory.
Quick Facts About Licorice Root:
- Licorice root has been used in China for about 3,000 years to treat ulcers, sore throats, and coughs
- Large doses of licorice over time can be toxic
- Licorice is often used to mask the flavor of other less tasty herbs
- The name glycyrrhiza (the scientific name for licorice) comes from the Greek, meaning "sweet roots"
- A sample of licorice root from 756 A.D. was analyzed recently and found to have active properties after 1200 years!
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Consult Your Doctor Before Taking Licorice Supplements if You:
- Have heart disease
- Have kidney and/or liver disease
- Are an elderly patient
- Are taking digitalis-type medication
- Are taking thiazide or potassium-sparing diuretics, or MAOIs
- Have high blood pressure, or are on high-blood-pressure medications
- Have edema and/or are taking diuretics
- Are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant in the near future
How Licorice Can Help
- Washing your hair with a licorice shampoo can help reduce seborrheac secretions for up to a week at a time
- Consumption of 30 to 40 grams of licorice a day for extended periods of time could have dangerous side effects, such as upsetting your body's electrolyte balance. It's best not to over-consume licorice
- Some say applying licorice externally or as a mouth gargle may act as an antiviral to treat herpes simplex
- Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) is said to be better to treat peptic ulcers because it is as effective as licorice without having the side-effect-producing components
Product Forms Available:
- Dried root
- Liquid extract
- Capsules
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The sweetness of licorice comes from glycyrrhizic acid; this component is approximately 50 times sweeter than sugar. Glycyrrhizic acid constitutes about 5% to 10% of licorice.
Licorice contains vitamins B-1, B-2, B-3, B-6, E, and folic acid.
Other components of licorice include asparagin, coumarins, sugars, choline, manganese, phosphorus, and protein.
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Unfortunately, licorice candy contains very little, if any, of the licorice herb; eating licorice candy may give you only added pounds and no health benefits.
Licorice has been used to treat a wide range of disorders. As an antiulcer agent, it seems to effectively treat peptic ulcers. It has also been said to possess antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and expectorant properties. Proponents of this herb claim that licorice can help treat constipation and digestive problems as well as allergy problems.
Because of its purported anti-inflammatory property, licorice may even help arthritis sufferers because it may have "cortisol-like" activities. It also may inhibit prostaglandin formation, thus decreasing inflammation.
If you have a cough or sore throat, you may find licorice supplements helpful as cough suppressants. As an expectorant, licorice also helps the flow of mucus in your lungs and bronchial tubes. It can get rid of congestion.
Common Uses
Licorice may be helpful in treating:
- Sore throats and coughs
- Pain from peptic ulcers
- Stomachaches and digestive disorders
- Arthritis symptoms
- Congestion due to colds
- Inflammation
- Addison's Disease
- The bitterness of herbal preparations (by masking the taste)
- Mild cases of constipation
- Seborrhea (scalp secretions)
- Lupus
Remember that no health claims for Licorice have been evaluated by the FDA.
Storage
Store all licorice supplements in a cool, dry place.
Dosage and Administration
You may find licorice in the following forms:
- Dried root
- Liquid extract
- Capsules
- Powder
- Tea
Dried root: You may chew on a dried juice stick if you have indigestion or other such problems.
Tincture: Mix ? teaspoon of the liquid extract with 100 ml of water. Taking this mixture about twice a day may help gastritis.
Capsules: You may take approximately three capsules a day or as directed on the package.
Powder: Applying licorice powder to canker sores is an effective way of getting rid of them. Using licorice as a gargle may help canker sores inside the mouth.
Tea: Add one tablespoon of dried licorice root in one cup of boiling water. Simmer for about 10 minutes. You may drink two cups a day.
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Warnings
Certain people should not take licorice supplements. If you are or have the following conditions, DO NOT consume licorice:
- Pregnant
- High blood pressure
- Edema
- Heart disease
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- History of stroke
- Taking the following medications: digitalis or other high blood pressure medications; thiazide or potassium-sparing diuretics; MAOIs
Children
Talk to your doctor or pediatrician if you are administering licorice to children for more than a week.
Do not take licorice supplements for a long period of time (more than a week). Doing so may lead to high blood pressure and other unwanted side effects.
Side Effects
You may experience some slight side effects from ingesting licorice. These include stomachaches, diarrhea, fluid retention, headache, and lethargy.
If you consume large amounts of licorice, you may experience some serious side effects, including potassium loss, weakness, and paralysis of your body. Do not take more than the recommended dosage of licorice.
If you experience any of these side effects, stop taking the licorice supplements. Inform your doctor about your situation.
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Sources & Further Reading
Books
1. Balch, James, F., P.A. Balch. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Garden City Park, New York: Avery Publishing Group, 1997.
2. Blumenthal, Mark, W.R. Busse, A. Goldberg, J. Gruenwald, T. Hall, C.W. Riggins, R.S. Rister, S. Klein. The Complete German Commission E Monographs, Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Midicines. Boston, Massachusetts: American Botanical Council, 1998.
3. Duke, James A. The Green Pharmacy. New York: St. Martin's Paperbacks, 1997.
4. Facts and Comparisons: The Review of Natural Products. Facts and Comparisons, 1998.
5. Hoffman, David. The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal. New York: Barnes & Noble, Inc, 1996.
6. Murray, Michael. The Healing Power of Herbs. Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing, 1995.
7. Tyler, Varro E. The Honest Herbal. Binghamton, New York: The Haworth Press, 1993.
Find more books on health and wellness at  barnesandnoble.com.
Articles
1. Armanini D; Lewicka S; Pratesi C; Scali M; Zennaro MC; Zovato S; Gottardo C; Simoncini M; Spigariol A; Zampollo V. "Further studies on the mechanism of the mineralocorticoid action of licorice in humans". J Endocrinol Invest. 19(9):624-9. Oct 1996.
2. Biglieri EG. "My engagement with steroids: a review". Steroids. 60(1):52-8. Jan 1995.
3. Chamberlain JJ; Abolnik IZ. "Pulmonary edema following a licorice binge". West J Med. 167(3):184-5. Sep 1997.
4. Craig WJ. "Phytochemicals: guardians of our health". J Am Diet Assoc. 97(10 Suppl 2):S199-204. Oct 1997.
5. Fuhrman B; Buch S; Vaya J; Belinky PA; Coleman R; Hayek T; Aviram M. "Licorice extract and its major polyphenol glabridin protect low-density lipoprotein against lipid peroxidation: in vitro and ex vivo studies in humans and in atherosclerotic apolipoprotein E-deficient mice". Am J Clin Nutr. 66(2):267-75. Aug 1997.
6. Ghosh D; Wawrzak Z; Pletnev V; Erman M; Duax WL; Pangborn W; Zhu DW; Labrie F; Lin SX. "Molecular mechanism of inhibition of steroid dehydrogenases by licorice-derived steroid analogs in modulation of steroid receptor function". Ann N Y Acad Sci. 761:341-3. Jun 12, 1995.
7. Gunnarsdottir S; Johannesson T. "Glycyrrhetic acid in human blood after ingestion of glycyrrhizic acid in licorice". Pharmacol Toxicol. 81(6):300-2. Dec 1997.
8. Kageyama K; Watanobe H; Nishie M; Imamura K; Suda T. "A case of pseudoaldosteronism induced by a mouth refresher containing licorice". Endocr J. 44(4):631-2. Aug 1997.
9. Sato H; Goto W; Yamamura J; Kurokawa M; Kageyama S; Takahara T; Watanabe A; Shiraki K. "Therapeutic basis of glycyrrhizin on chronic hepatitis B". Antiviral Res. 30(2-3):171-7. May 1996.
10. Vaya J; Belinky PA; Aviram M. "Antioxidant constituents from licorice roots: isolation, structure elucidation and antioxidative capacity toward LDL oxidation". Free Radic Biol Med. 23(2):302-13. 1997.
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