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Is 20mg of Licorice Root a Safe Dosage?
The root of the licorice plant is used in complementary and alternative medicine 3. There are two types of licorice supplements -- those made with the whole licorice root and those made with deglycyrrhizinated licorice, or DGL, which has had the substance glycyrrhiza removed to minimize side effects from using licorice.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
Use
Licorice may help to soothe sore throats and may help to expel mucous and phlegm. It also may help reduce the symptoms of peptic ulcers, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center 1. Topical applications of licorice may help relieve eczema symptoms. However, the evidence to support the use of licorice for these and other uses is preliminary and contradictory.
- Licorice may help to soothe sore throats and may help to expel mucous and phlegm.
- Topical applications of licorice may help relieve eczema symptoms.
Dosage
Side Effects of Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice
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The highest safe dosage for long-term use of licorice is .3 g per day, according to Baptist Health Systems. Higher doses should only be used for one week unless you are under the supervision of a doctor. For treatment of ulcers, the usual dose for adults is between two and four 380 mg tablets of DGL taken in the morning and at bedtime or .4 to 1.6 g of DGL extract taken three times per day.
- The highest safe dosage for long-term use of licorice is .3 g per day, according to Baptist Health Systems.
- For treatment of ulcers, the usual dose for adults is between two and four 380 mg tablets of DGL taken in the morning and at bedtime or .4 to 1.6 g of DGL extract taken three times per day.
Side Effects
Whole licorice can cause:
- side effects including fatigue
- high blood pressure
- headaches
- water retention
- numbness
- muscle pain
- low levels of potassium
- heart attacks
Side effects are more common at high doses or with long term use. Whole licorice also lowers testosterone levels in men and may decrease blood sugar levels. DGL is less likely to cause side effects.
Safety
Dosage of DGL Licorice
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Pregnant women shouldn't take licorice supplements because it may increase preterm labor risk. If you have heart, liver or kidney problems, diabetes, high blood pressure or problems with fluid retention you should also avoid taking these supplements.
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References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Licorice; Steven D. Ehrlich, NMD; March 2010
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Licorice; October 2010
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Licorice Root; July 2010
- NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Licorice root. Updated December 1, 2016.
- Raveendra KR, Jayachandra, Srinivasa V, et al. An extract of glycyrrhiza glabra (GutGard)alleviates symptoms of functional dyspepsia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2012;2012:1-9. doi:10.1155/2012/216970
- Messier C, Epifano F, Genovese S, Grenier D. Licorice and its potential beneficial effects in common oro-dental diseases. Oral Dis. 2012;18(1):32-39. doi:10.1111/j.1601-0825.2011.01842.x
- Shi Q, Hou Y, Yang Y, Bai G. Protective effects of glycyrrhizin against β2-adrenergic receptor agonist-induced receptor internalization and cell apoptosis. Biol. Pharm. Bull. 2011;34(5):609-617. doi:10.1248/bpb.34.609
- Tsao S, Yin M. Antioxidative and antiinflammatory activities of asiatic acid, glycyrrhizic Acid, and oleanolic acid in human bronchial epithelial cells. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2015;63(12):3196-3204.
- Zhao H, Zhang X, Chen X, et al. Isoliquiritigenin, a flavonoid from licorice, blocks M2 macrophage polarization in colitis-associated tumorigenesis through downregulating PGE2 and IL-6. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. 2014;279(3):311-321. doi:10.1016/j.taap.2014.07.001
- Nahidi F, Zare E, Mojab F, Alavi-Majd H. Effects of licorice on relief and recurrence of menopausal hot flashes. Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research: IJPR. 2012;11(2):541-8.
- Hajiaghamohammadi AA, Zargar A, Oveisi S, Samimi R, Reisian S. To evaluate of the effect of adding licorice to the standard treatment regimen of helicobacter pylori. The Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2016;20(6):534-538. doi: 10.1016/j.bjid.2016.07.015
- Irani M, Sarmadi M, Bernard F, Ebrahimi Pour GH, Shaker Bazarnov H. Leaves antimicrobial activity of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research: IJPR. 2010;9(4):425-8.
- Penn State Hershey Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Licorice.
- Omar HR, Komarova I, El-Ghonemi M, et al. Licorice abuse: time to send a warning message. Therapeutic Advances in Endocrinology. 2012;3(4):125-138. doi:10.1177/2042018812454322
- Räikkönen K, Martikainen S, Pesonen A, et al. Maternal licorice consumption during pregnancy and pubertal, cognitive, and psychiatric outcomes in children. Am J Epidemiol. 2017;185(5):317-328. doi:10.1093/aje/kww172
- Consumer Reports. Food and drug interactions you need to know about. Updated November 4, 2018.
- Winchester Hospital. Library. Updated April 11, 2011.
- Consumer Reports. How to choose supplements wisely. Updated October 30, 2019.
- FDA. Black licorice: Trick or treat? Updated November 6, 2017.
Writer Bio
Based in Massachusetts, Jessica Bruso has been writing since 2008. She holds a master of science degree in food policy and applied nutrition and a bachelor of arts degree in international relations, both from Tufts University.