Cross-referencing clinical data
StrongLicorice
Licorice.
A potent anti-inflammatory root that soothes the gut and supports adrenal function. Powerful but needs respect. Full-strength: anti-inflammatory via extending cortisol half-life, supports adrenal function, soothes respiratory tract.
StrongResearch strength450mgDaily amount
Reviewed March 2026
What Licorice is, and what it does.
- Does it work
- Well-proven for gut issues (DGL) and as an anti-inflammatory. Strong evidence, centuries of use. Just respect the blood pressure caution with full-strength versions.
- How much to take
- 200-600 mg full-strength extract (limit 4-6 weeks) or 380-760 mg DGL before meals (safe long-term).
- The first dose
- DGL: may notice reduced heartburn or stomach discomfort after first dose. Full-strength: subtle energy from cortisol modulation.
- With regular use
- DGL is excellent for ongoing GI support. Full-strength should be limited to 4-6 weeks due to blood pressure effects.
- How well tolerated
- DGL is well tolerated long-term. Full-strength licorice can raise blood pressure, cause potassium depletion, and edema if overused.
- How it feels
- DGL: soothing stomach relief. Full-strength: mild energy boost and anti-inflammatory sense of wellbeing. Neither is dramatic.
About 450mg a day is the studied dose.
How much to take a dayMedium confidence
Up to 200mgA supporting amount. Helps a little, not the studied dose.
200mg to 450mgEnough for most people, and where a lot of good products land.
450mg
The doseThe daily amount the trials actually used. A product at this figure is dosed right where the research is.
Above 450mgMore capsules, not more effect. Rarely in a serving anyway.
Source: Armanini D et al. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. 2002;110(6):257-261
The proof, claim by claim.
These words describe the research, not the molecule's worth. Research strength is how much work stands behind one claim, and it is never a product score.
- DGL heals stomach ulcers
- Full-strength raises blood pressure
- Anti-inflammatory comparable to cortisone
PubMedCochraneClinicalTrials.govNIH ODSSUPP.AILabs test. IngredientMD verifies.PubMedCochraneClinicalTrials.govNIH ODSSUPP.AILabs test. IngredientMD verifies.
Questions people ask about Licorice.
- What's the difference between DGL and regular licorice?
- DGL has the glycyrrhizin removed. That's the compound responsible for both the anti-inflammatory power AND the blood pressure side effects. DGL keeps the gut-soothing compounds without the cardiovascular risk.
- Can licorice really raise my blood pressure?
- Yes. Full-strength licorice containing glycyrrhizin can significantly raise blood pressure with regular use. This is well-documented and the reason DGL was developed.
- How long can I take full-strength licorice?
- 4-6 weeks maximum, then take a break. Monitor your blood pressure during use. If you need ongoing support, switch to DGL for the gut benefits.
- Is American licorice candy the same thing?
- No. Most American 'licorice' (like Twizzlers) is flavored with anise or artificial flavoring, not actual licorice root. European and Australian licorice is more likely to contain real glycyrrhizin.
- Can I use DGL for acid reflux?
- Yes. DGL chewable tablets taken 20 minutes before meals are a well-established natural approach for acid reflux and heartburn. Many integrative doctors recommend it.
- Does licorice root tea count as full-strength?
- Yes. Licorice root tea contains glycyrrhizin. One cup occasionally is fine, but daily consumption of strong licorice tea should follow the same precautions as full-strength supplements.
Nothing to show here, and the reason why.
A pairing appears on this page only when a trial gave both ingredients together and measured the result. Licorice has none that clears that bar.
No pairing for Licorice has cleared review yet.
Stitching two separate single-ingredient studies into a pairing is the one thing this engine will not do. When a study of the combination itself holds up at source, it lands here with its citation.
No invented synergy. Where actives were studied on their own rather than together, the record shows each on its own evidence, never a combined effect no trial measured.
Research strength. Research strength says how much work stands behind the combination. It is never a product score.
Independent record. Every finding is cited to a named trial, dated, and never written by the brand.
20 pairings are live across the library today. Checked 20 July 2026.
Plays well withEstablished knowledge, not a trial
No study gave these as a pair, so they are not in the card above. But the reason they belong together is settled biochemistry, not a guess, so it is worth knowing.
Licorice + Potassiumsettled pharmacology of glycyrrhizin on 11-beta-HSD2
Glycyrrhizin in licorice inhibits 11-beta-HSD2 in the kidney, so cortisol lingers on the mineralocorticoid receptor and the kidney holds sodium while excreting more potassium. Regular licorice intake therefore pulls potassium in one direction, which is why potassium status is worth tracking alongside it.
Licorice + Marshmallow Rootdemulcent formulation practice, mechanism established separately for each
Marshmallow root polysaccharides form a viscous layer over the mucosal surface, while licorice constituents act on the mucus and bicarbonate the stomach lining secretes itself. The two work on different parts of the same barrier, which is why deglycyrrhizinated licorice and mucilage herbs sit in the same digestive blends.
Licorice + Slippery Elmdemulcent formulation practice, mechanism established separately for each
Slippery elm mucilage coats and hydrates the gut lining physically, and licorice acts on the mucosal secretions underneath it. Pairing a physical demulcent with a secretory one is the standard way these soothing formulas are built.
Licorice + Magnesiummineral loss from the mineralocorticoid-like effect
Glycyrrhetinic acid inhibits 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2, so cortisol acts on the mineralocorticoid receptor and the kidney sheds more potassium and magnesium. Holding magnesium intake up offsets that loss.
Licorice + Saltadditive sodium retention
The same mineralocorticoid-like effect promotes sodium and water retention. Added sodium pushes normal fluid balance in the same direction.
Licorice + Dandelion Rootadditive urinary potassium loss
Diuretic herbs increase urine flow and with it potassium excretion. Layered on licorice, which already drives potassium out of the kidney, the two losses add.
Licorice + Ashwagandhaopposing directions on cortisol handling
Licorice slows the local breakdown of cortisol to cortisone, extending its tissue action, while ashwagandha is used to lower circulating cortisol. The two act on the same hormone from opposite ends.
Licorice + Aloe Vera Inner Leafdemulcent layering for gastric mucosa
Licorice flavonoids support mucus and bicarbonate output from the gastric lining while aloe polysaccharides add a physical demulcent film. The two act on the same protective layer by different means.
Licorice + Steviaformulation sweetness and bitterness masking
Glycyrrhizin is intensely sweet with a slow onset and long tail, and steviol glycosides are sweet with a fast onset. Combining them rounds the sweetness curve and masks botanical bitterness at a low total dose.
Licorice + Glabridinconstituent of the same root
Glabridin is a prenylated flavonoid found in Glycyrrhiza glabra root, so a standardised glabridin extract and whole licorice supply the same molecule. Dosing both stacks that one constituent rather than adding a new mechanism.
Licorice + ChamomileLong-standing traditional co-use in gastrointestinal preparations
Chamomile and licorice appear together in traditional digestive teas and formulas, both contributing flavonoids with reported mucosal soothing activity in laboratory work. The pairing rests on traditional practice and mechanism, not on a combination trial. Deglycyrrhizinated licorice is the form usually chosen for repeated daily use in this context.
Licorice + GingerTraditional formulary pairing across Chinese and Ayurvedic digestive formulas
Licorice root is one of the most frequently combined herbs in classical formulas, and ginger is among its usual partners in the digestive category. Both act on gastric comfort by different reported routes. No controlled trial isolates what the combination contributes.
Licorice + Peppermint oilFormulation practice in upper gastrointestinal comfort products
Enteric peppermint oil relaxes smooth muscle while licorice preparations are used for mucosal comfort, so the two occupy different roles in a digestive formula. The combination is common in commerce and thin in the literature. Peppermint oil can worsen reflux in some people, which matters when the two are taken for upper gastrointestinal complaints.
Licorice + L-glutamineEstablished substrate biology of the intestinal epithelium plus formulation practice
Glutamine is a primary fuel for enterocytes, and licorice flavonoids are used alongside it in mucosal-support formulas. The rationale is that one supplies substrate for the epithelium while the other contributes flavonoids studied for mucosal effects. The combination itself has not been separated out in controlled human work.
Licorice + Zinc carnosineEstablished mucosal role of zinc plus shared formulation category
Zinc is required for epithelial repair enzymes and zinc carnosine is used specifically for gastric mucosal support, the same category where deglycyrrhizinated licorice sits. Two different inputs to the same tissue rather than one amplifying the other. Evidence for each is stronger than evidence for the pair.
Licorice + Electrolyte complexEstablished endocrine pharmacology of glycyrrhetinic acid
Glycyrrhetinic acid inhibits 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2, which lets cortisol act at the mineralocorticoid receptor and drives renal sodium retention with potassium and magnesium loss. Full-strength licorice therefore works against the electrolyte position an electrolyte product is trying to hold. Deglycyrrhizinated licorice does not carry this effect, which is the reason that form exists.
Licorice + CaffeineEstablished additive pressor physiology
Glycyrrhizin-containing licorice raises blood pressure through mineralocorticoid-like sodium retention, and caffeine produces an acute pressor response of its own. Taken together the two push the same measurement in the same direction. Anyone tracking blood pressure should regard this as an additive load rather than a benefit.
Licorice + AstragalusClassical Chinese formulary pairing where licorice is the harmonising herb
Licorice, called gan cao, appears in a very large share of classical formulas as a harmonising and taste-modifying component, and astragalus is one of its most frequent partners in tonic formulas. The basis is documented traditional use and monograph description. It is not a measured pharmacological synergy.
Licorice + Milk thistle (silymarin)Shared hepatic formulation category, limited combination data
Both are used in liver-support formulas and both are described as antioxidant flavonoid sources in laboratory work. The pairing is a formulation convention. Nothing controlled separates the combination from either component.
Who should be cautious
Talk to a doctor before taking Licorice if any of these apply to you: Full-strength licorice can raise blood pressure significantly, Don't use for more than 4-6 weeks continuously, Avoid with hypertension, heart disease, or kidney disease. These are flags to check first, not effects Licorice is known to cause.
Not medical advice. Show the label to your pharmacist.Getting Licorice from food.
The whole-food sources on file. A supplement closes the gap, it does not replace dinner.
Licorice root teaLicorice candy (real)
A gram-for-gram figure (how much of each you would eat to match a dose) will appear here once it is sourced and reviewed. This page will not print a number it cannot cite.
The forms it comes in.
DGLRoot extract processed to remove the large majority of glycyrrhizin, leaving flavonoids, chalcones and polysaccharidesFits Situations where the mineralocorticoid-like effect of glycyrrhizin is not wanted, including repeated daily use and use by anyone tracking blood pressure or potassiumTrade-off Removing glycyrrhizin also removes the constituent most of the older pharmacology was written about, and DGL products vary in how much residual glycyrrhizin remains
Glycyrrhizin-standardised root extractExtract with declared glycyrrhizic acid content, often present as the ammoniated or potassium salt in food useFits Short defined courses where a declared glycyrrhizin figure lets total intake and duration be tracked against published intake limitsTrade-off Glycyrrhetinic acid inhibits 11-beta-HSD2, so sodium retention, potassium loss and blood pressure have to be monitored and duration limited
Licorice rootUnfractionated root material carrying the full constituent profile including undeclared glycyrrhizinFits Traditional teas, decoctions and classical multi-herb formulas where the root also serves as sweetener and flavour modifierTrade-off Glycyrrhizin content is not declared and varies with species, root age and origin, so intake cannot be quantified from the labelActive and formulation aid
Hydrophobic flavonoid fractionSolvent-partitioned flavonoid fraction of Glycyrrhiza glabra in which glycyrrhizin is largely absentFits Formulations keyed specifically to the flavonoids, including topical and cosmetic useTrade-off Human oral data on the isolated fraction is sparse compared with whole extract and DGL
What the strongest studies found
The essence, in one line each.
- Across 8 randomised trials in 541 adults, preparations dominated by glycyrrhizic acid raised systolic blood pressure by about 3.5 mmHg and diastolic by about 1.3 mmHg, while flavonoid-dominant preparations showed no detectable change.Meta-analysis. Wu et al., 2024 (Nutrients). PMID 39519602 ↗
- In a single-arm study of 15 normal-weight young adults taking 3.5 g of licorice daily for two months at a steady calorie intake, measured body fat fell from about 12.0 to 10.8 percent in men and 24.9 to 22.1 percent in women with no change in body mass index, alongside suppressed aldosterone and more extracellular water.Cohort study. Armanini et al., 2003 (Journal of Endocrinological Investigation). PMID 14594116 ↗
- In a single-arm study of nine healthy young women taking 3.5 g of licorice daily, total serum testosterone fell from about 28 to 19 ng/dL after one cycle and returned to starting levels once they stopped.Cohort study. Armanini et al., 2004 (Steroids). PMID 15579328 ↗
- Added to a reduced-calorie diet, licorice extract improved body weight and waist measures along with blood sugar and blood lipid readings in women with excess body weight, compared with the diet alone.Randomised trial. Hooshmandi et al., 2024 (Journal of ovarian research). PMID 39080737 ↗
- A randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial of a fermented deglycyrrhizinated licorice preparation; cited here for its design and its endocrine endpoint set, with the effect direction reported in the paper itself.Randomised trial. Massoud AMA et al., 2026 (Endocrine). PMID 41627541 ↗
- Trial of licorice extract added to a reduced-calorie diet, reporting sex hormone measures, sleep quality and mood scores; hormone values are markers and the diet is a co-intervention that cannot be separated from the extract.Randomised trial. Hooshmandi H et al., 2026 (International Journal of Reproductive Biomedicine). PMID 41952865 ↗
- A single case of licorice-induced pseudoaldosteronism following a licorice-containing herbal preparation; a case report, so it establishes that the mineralocorticoid-like effect can occur, not how often.Case report. Nakayama T et al., 2026 (Pediatrics International). PMID 41983628 ↗
- Licorice supplementation altered cardiac biomarkers and tissue appearance in rats; an animal signal on markers with no human read-across.Animal study. Yuzhu L et al., 2025 (Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine). PMID 40967600 ↗
- Licorice crude extract changed serum biochemistry, antioxidant capacity measures and rumen fermentation in a ruminant model; the gut compartment studied has no human equivalent.Animal study. Yang S et al., 2026 (Frontiers in Microbiology). PMID 42416012 ↗
- Review of isoliquiritigenin, a licorice chalcone, describing its reported anti-inflammatory signalling in preclinical models; mechanism-level and mentions-only for whole-root licorice.Narrative review. Qi F et al., 2026 (Endocrine, Metabolic and Immune Disorders Drug Targets). PMID 41863469 ↗
- Fermentation process and flavour characterisation of a licorice-containing beverage; relevant to processing and flavour chemistry, not to any physiological effect.Narrative review. Luo X et al., 2026 (Journal of Food Science). PMID 42240000 ↗
These are the studies our verdict leans on, chosen from the 10,174 we read for Licorice. The full linked list is below.
The studies, linked.
6 sources behind our Licorice verdict: peer-reviewed studies and registered clinical trials. Every one links straight to PubMed, the journal, or ClinicalTrials.gov. Read them yourself.
- Clinical trialThe Efficacy and Safety of Different Doses of Fermented Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice (FDGL) in the Management of Diabetic Neuropathy: A Randomized Controlled TrialClinicalTrials.gov ↗PHASE2 · 485 participants · Completed
- Clinical trialClinical Observation of Qingwei Huazhuo Decoction (Product: Jinsaiyu) in Improving Children With Precocious Puberty of Phlegm-Dampness Internal Accumulation TypeClinicalTrials.gov ↗NA · 94 participants · Terminated
- Clinical trialAssessment of Licorice Extract as an Adjunctive Therapy to Mechanical Debridement in Stage II Periodontitis Clinical and Laboratory StudyClinicalTrials.gov ↗NA · 50 participants · Completed
- Clinical trialA Phase II Trial of Licorice Root and Docetaxel in Patients With Hormone Refractory Prostate CancerClinicalTrials.gov ↗PHASE2 · 10 participants · Terminated
- Clinical trialA Randomized Controlled Trial of Low-Dose Amoxicillin Dual-Therapy Combined with Licorice and Lotus Root Powder for the Treatment of Helicobacter Pylori InfectionClinicalTrials.gov ↗NA · 374 participants · Not yet recruiting
- Clinical trialEvaluation the Efficacy of a Herbal Licorice on Reducing Salivary Streptococcus Mutans Levels (A Randomized Clinical Trial)ClinicalTrials.gov ↗NA · 52 participants · Unknown
Evidence surfaced via Semantic Scholar (Allen Institute for AI) and ClinicalTrials.gov. Ranked by study type and citation weight, not cherry-picked.
Problems people have reported.
Read this carefully. These are 12,933 voluntary, unverified reactions reported to the FDA (openFDA). The number mostly reflects how popular Licorice is, not how risky it is. A report is not proof Licorice caused anything. It is a signal of what to watch for, nothing more.
Drug Ineffective
659
Macular Degeneration
589
Constipation
441
Pain
418
Off Label Use
372
Nausea
343
Source: openFDA adverse-event reports. Voluntary reporting, not an incidence rate.
FDA Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement regimen.
