Well-known is the saying, “Let food be thy medicine”. Commonly known is the fact that any medicine can be good or bad for a given person. Together, these statements add up to the fact that foods can also have positive or negative effects on a person’s health. Hopefully, you already realize that the highly processed diet for the average American is killing us slowly (not always slowly) and that eating a healthy, whole foods diet goes a long way in promoting a longer and higher quality life. However, in some cases, what is good for one person may be bad for another. In this case, you should be aware of the effects of licorice on your blood pressure.
Functional medicine providers are probably all aware of the potential benefits of licorice root, especially in those with low cortisol levels or low blood pressure. Many different conditions from inflammation to toxicities to life stress can lead to a lower production of cortisol hormone by the adrenal glands. This can lead to fatigue and other annoying, even disabling symptoms like low blood pressure or POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome). For the patients suffering from these conditions, 250mg to 500mg of licorice root supplement in the earlier half of the day can relieve those symptoms to some degree.
They are also likely aware of the benefits of deglycyrrhizinated licorice, in which the cortisol affecting chemical has been removed. This deglycyrrhizinated form provides coating for the upper GI tract for many with reflux or gastritis. For the patients suffering from these GI conditions, taking 1-2 capsules of DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) 2 to 3 times a day can coat the esophagus or the stomach to decrease pain and help heal the inflammation.
In the focus study for today, researchers wanted to know if lower levels of licorice and its active ingredient might raise blood pressure in those eating the candy rather than taking a supplement. By comparing two groups of young adults in Sweden, they determined that 100mg of glycyrrhizic acid daily for two weeks raised the test subjects’ blood pressure by 3 points on average.
Previously, most scientists did not think this low level of glycyrrhizic acid found in licorice sticks could raise blood pressure. To confirm that this is a real effect, they also measured two hormones, renin and aldosterone, related to blood pressure and found alterations there. In one more step, they found that a hormone released by the heart when stress is placed upon it also went up a little. This indicates a likely causal relationship rather than just correlation.
Having years ago seen a patient whose blood pressure shot up 20 to 30 points after taking licorice root prescribed by another provider, this study does not surprise me. I have seen it raise blood pressure by 5 to 10 points in a number of my own patients. For those with hypotension (low blood pressure) causing dizziness or fatigue, this 5 to 10 point elevation often made them feel a lot better. Conversely, I try to avoid giving this to someone who already has high blood pressure or a tendency to retain fluid and swell. Thankfully for such cases, the DGL form exerts no effects on a patient’s blood pressure, focusing its benefits solely in the upper GI tract.
Helping our patients live healthier, more abundant lives requires carefully choosing the right therapy for the right condition and guiding our patients to the correct dosing. With licorice, it also means educating you on the fact that you might want to limit or even avoid licorice root if you have high blood pressure already.
Original Article:
Peder af Geijerstam, Annelie Joelsson, Karin Rådholm, Fredrik H Nyström. A low dose of daily licorice intake affects renin, aldosterone, and home blood pressure in a randomized crossover trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2024; 119 (3): 682 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.01.011
Thanks to Science Daily:
Linköping University. “Small amounts of licorice raise blood pressure, study finds.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 14 March 2024. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240314122145.htm>.
Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.
