How does licorice cause hypertension

Liquorice extract contains the compound glycyrrhizin. The active metabolites of glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhetic acid, inhibit the metabolism of cortisol and bind to the mineralocorticoid receptor giving liquorice its mineralocorticoid-like activity 1.

Note that some liquorice sweets may be flavoured with anise oil instead of liquorice extract; anise oil does not contain glycyrrhizin. Liquorice extract consumption can reduce blood potassium levels resulting in abnormal heart rhythms, high blood pressure, oedema, lethargy, heart failure and hypokalaemic myopathy manifesting as flaccid paralysis 1—3.

Liquorice overconsumption should be suspected in people presenting with otherwise unexplained hypokalaemia and muscle weakness. Eating more than 57g 2 ounces of black liquorice a day for at least 2 weeks could lead to potentially serious health problems, such as an increase in blood pressure and an irregular heart rhythm arrhythmia.

For most people, liquorice found in foods is safe to eat and safe when consumed in large amounts in medicines for short periods of time. No matter how old you are, you should avoid eating large amounts of black liquorice over a short space of time. If you have been eating a lot of black liquorice and have heart palpitations, muscle weakness or other health-related problems, stop eating it immediately and seek medical advice.

Whether its activity is a common susceptibility factor in hypertension is now under investigation. Sigurjonsdottir, H. Liquorice-induced rise in blood pressure: a linear dose-repsponse relationship. Journal of Human Hypertension 15 , - Download references. You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar. The Blood Pressure Association. Reprints and Permissions. Pearson, H. Liquorice lifts blood pressure. Nature Download citation. Published : 20 August Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:.

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