These opinions do not represent the opinions of WebMD. Important: The opinions expressed in WebMD Blogs are solely those of the User, who may or may not have medical or scientific training. Interest declared: I love black licorice. Also, licorice may alter the activity of drugs processed by the liver. And the NIH says licorice also may interfere with digoxin, estrogens, furosemide, blood pressure drugs, steroid drugs, and diuretics (water pills). The NIH warns people taking Coumadin (warfarin) never to eat black licorice, as licorice makes the drug less effective. It can interfere with blood pressure during and after your procedure. People with hormone sensitive conditions, such as breast cancer or endometriosis, should avoid licorice.Īnd don’t eat licorice for at least two weeks before planned surgery. The NIH advises women NOT to eat black licorice while they are pregnant or breast feeding. It may also mimic the activity of the female sex hormone estrogen. That’s because licorice - real black licorice, not the phony licorice-flavored stuff flavored with anise oil - causes a drop in potassium levels. It’s been used to treat all kinds of ailments ranging from muscle cramps to prostate cancer, although there’s no solid scientific evidence that it actually works.īut the potential side effects are real enough. Many of those who use licorice as an herbal remedy seek relief of sore throat, cough, infections, arthritis, lupus, or chronic fatigue syndrome. The issue, well known to many forms of traditional medicine, is that licorice root contains a drug: glycyrrhizin. In addition to the FDA’s list of drastic possible too-much-licorice results, the NIH adds paralysis, brain damage, and erectile dysfunction.Īnd if you eat a lot of salt, if you have high blood pressure, or if you have heart or kidney disease, the NIH says as little as a sixth of an ounce of licorice a day could cause these problems. The NIH has warned that it’s “possibly unsafe” to eat just 1 ounce of black licorice a day for several weeks. How much is too much? The FDA warns people age 40 and older not to eat 2 ounces of black licorice a day for two weeks or more.Īnd that’s a conservative warning.
Too much black licorice, the federal agency says, can lead to “abnormal heart rhythms, as well as high blood pressure, edema (swelling), lethargy, and congestive heart failure.” This creepy Halloween warning comes from the FDA. Eat too much black licorice, and you could be dead.
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