What are the health problems associated with excessive consumption of licorice?
Licorice is a shrub whose root is used to flavor candies, drinks, teas, and many other products. Glycyrrhizin, or glycyrrhinizic acid, is the principal active component of licorice root. A 2008 European Commission report suggested that “people should not consume any more than 100mg of glycyrrhizinic acid a day, for it can raise blood pressure or cause muscle weakness, chronic fatigue, headaches or swelling, and lower testosterone levels in men.” Some of these effects are due to the fact that glycyrrhizin decreases potassium levels. Although 100mg is the recommended upper daily limit, persons with certain preexisting health conditions (e.g., hypertension, glaucoma, hypokalemia, slow intestinal transit) may be sensitive at much lower levels of consumption. Studies have found that licorice candies contain between .29 and 7.9mg of glycyrrhizinic acid per gram of candy; the mean is 1.7mg/g. Antesite contains 3g/100cl. French Feast products containing licorice are Cachou Lajaunie, grains de
