Evidence: Very High Possible Benefits: Reasonable Safety: Low
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is licorice?
Licorice, also known as Liquorice, Yashtimadhu, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and Glycyrrhiza glabra, is an adaptogenic herb with a long history of use as a traditional medicine. This herb is often used as a supplement for improving heart health but for most people, it is not a good idea to take the supplement as the negative effects usually outweigh the benefits. This article is about the main benefits of licorice, its potential side effects, the best time to take it, and more.
Possible benefits
All of the potential benefits mentioned below are dose-dependent. As with other adaptogenic herbs, there is a sweet-spot dose that allows you to get most of the benefits without causing meaningful side effects or tolerance buildup in the body. We will discuss the best dosing protocol later in this article.
Major benefits
Reduced LDL oxidation – Licorice can reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol by over 20%. This reduction seems to be higher than with any other supplement we know of except for olive leaf extract and possibly ginkgo biloba in some people.
Minor benefits
Antiviral effects – A few studies support the usage of licorice supplements with glycyrrhizin for reducing viral load in multiple viral infections.
Reduced canker sores – This effect may only apply to the topical application of licorice.
Possible side effects
The side effects below are dose-dependent. The risk for them increases (often linearly but sometimes exponentially) as you increase the dose. Some of the side effects only apply to very high doses.
Increased cortisol – Doses below 500 mg don’t seem to impact cortisol levels at all. Doses above this amount can increase cortisol levels because of the glycyrrhizin content. This side effect can be prevented by taking a deglycyrrhizinated form of licorice.
Lower potassium levels – Licorice supplementation can deplete the body of potassium.
Increased blood pressure – This side effect is related to the increase in cortisol and a decrease in potassium. It can be very problematic for people with hypertension. This is why people with already high blood pressure should avoid licorice.
Reduced testosterone levels – 500 mg or more of licorice root can reduce testosterone. The magnitude of this side effect is highly variable but it can be a concern, especially for those who already have low testosterone.
Allergic reaction – Some people are allergic to this herb and may experience an allergic reaction after they start taking it. Unlike the “initial adverse reaction,” allergic reactions typically don’t go away until one stops taking the herb.
Tiredness
Nausea – This side effect is most common when people take the herb on an empty stomach.
Diarrhea – You can usually prevent diarrhea or stomach discomfort by taking this herb with a meal.
Toxicity – As an adaptogen, licorice acts as a mild stressor on the body. That is usually a great thing as it allows your body to adapt to specific forms of stress and become more resilient. However, stressing the body too much can be counter-productive and cause multiple side effects, including toxicity. While acute toxicity is extremely rare, taking very high amounts of this herb could lead to chronic toxicity and cause health problems over time. To prevent chronic toxicity or the buildup of tolerance, staying below 500 mg of dry herb a day is best unless you have a great reason to take more.
Added sugar – Most candies made from licorice contain other potentially problematic ingredients, such as white sugar.
Contamination – If growing or storing conditions are not adequately controlled, licorice can be contaminated with bacteria, molds, and other potentially harmful microorganisms. Some growers also use pesticides and herbicides that can be unsafe. Another issue is that herbal supplements can get contaminated with other supplements and chemicals during the manufacturing process. Choose the brand you get herbs and herbal supplements from wisely. It is often best to use websites like Amazon, where thousands of users have reviewed and rated the products. You are less likely to buy something of lower quality there.
Who should not take licorice?
You should probably avoid taking licorice if you:
have low testosterone or wish to increase testosterone levels or keep them high
have high blood pressure
experience stress and anxiety related to high levels of cortisol
don’t have a good reason to take licorice
are allergic to this herb
experience a severe adverse reaction after taking the herb (though a mild adverse reaction is usually a great thing as it is a sign that the supplement is working and causing a hormetic response that allows the body to adapt and become more resilient)
are pregnant or breastfeeding (while it can be safe to take this adaptogen during pregnancy or breastfeeding, it acts as a mild stressor and can cause some unnecessary risk to the child)
Who will benefit the most?
The negative effects of licorice almost always outweigh any benefits related to this herb.
Supplementation might make sense in cases of viral load. Another good reason to take it would be to reduce the oxidation of LDL but there are far safer supplements to do so, such as olive leaf extract and ginkgo biloba. This is why it almost never makes sense to take the supplement.
How much licorice should you take?
The best daily dose to take for most people is probably 0 mg. The negatives almost always outweigh the benefits in most cases.
If you have a great reason to take this herb, take no more than 500 mg/d to prevent the side effects related to increased cortisol and blood pressure or lowered testosterone.
Best time to take licorice
You can take this herb with or without food. Each of these options has its benefits. The main bioactive compounds in the herb should absorb well either way.
If you experience nausea or stomach discomfort when you take this herb, taking it with food should prevent these unpleasant effects or at least make them less intense.
If you take this herb on an empty stomach, the short-term effects will kick in faster and they will be more pronounced but will not last as long.
Whether you take this herb in the morning or the evening typically does not make much difference.
Interactions
Lycopene Licorice appears synergistic with lycopene for reducing the oxidation of LDL. However, neither of these supplements is great overall so this combination is usually not worth it anyway.
Cranberries Cranberry polyphenolics and Licochalcone A from Licorice appear to be synergistic for anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects.
Where to buy licorice?
Think twice before you buy licorice supplements. Only buy them if you have a great reason to do so.
Amazon is the best option for ordering licorice and other herbs and herbal supplements in most countries. They offer some very affordable products backed by many positive reviews. Also, you can choose from a wide range of brands without having to search through other markets on the internet.
Some brands display the dosage per serving instead of per pill or capsule. Therefore, you may accidentally buy something less potent than you intended. Do not fall for this marketing trick.
FAQ
As with most other herbs and herbal supplements, it is best to cycle licorice and stay off of it for about 2 days per week to reset your tolerance back to baseline. This will keep your body sensitive to the herb and allow you to keep getting the benefits in the long term.
All of these options are fine. The two most important things to consider are the price and dosing. Powders are almost always the cheapest form. However, you may need a highly accurate scale to dose them correctly (preferably 0.001g). You can get one for as little as $20 from Amazon. Dosing the powders also takes some time that can add up over months or years. The disadvantage of capsules is that they are often made of bovine gelatine, which rarely comes from ethical sources.
Yes, you can. This herb should not impact your sleep in any negative way. Whether you take it in the morning or the evening typically doesn’t make much of a difference. Both options are fine so feel free to experiment.
This herb should not become harmful once it exceeds the expiration date but it can lose potency over time. Keep the herb or the herbal supplement in a cold, dark, and dry place, and it should remain just as potent for many months or even years.
As an adaptogen, licorice acts as a mild stressor on the body. This is usually a great thing as it allows your body to adapt to specific forms of stress and become more resilient. However, putting too much stress on the body can be counter-productive and cause multiple side effects, including toxicity. While acute toxicity is extremely rare, taking very high amounts of this herb could lead to chronic toxicity and cause health problems over time. Very high doses can also make you develop tolerance much faster than lower doses so they may be less effective in the long term.
While you could safely take higher doses, there is usually no point in taking more than 500 mg of a dry herb daily. This amount should give you most of the benefits without meaningful side effects. Paradoxically, taking a higher dose would likely lead to fewer benefits as the body would quickly become accustomed to the herb.
The half-life of licorice in the body is about 6-12 hours. This herb should be processed in your body within 2 days of consuming it.
The effects of this herb are cumulative. Therefore, you must take it for at least 2-4 weeks to notice most of the benefits. But again, cycling the herb and not taking it at least twice a week is necessary to prevent tolerance in the long term.
Yes, licorice is vegan-friendly. If you buy this herb in a capsulated form, beware that the capsules often contain animal-based gelatin. Instead, find a brand that puts its products into cellulose capsules.
No, it doesn’t. The herb does not interfere with fasting in any significant way.
References
Most of the information in this guide is based on scientific research that can be found and verified in the PubMed medical library. We highly encourage you to use the library to verify anything you read in this article. We excluded from consideration studies that are either confounded or have a high conflict of interest.
