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Printed from https://bottledhope.co/supplements/licorice-root/. Last reviewed 2026-10-07. Check the site for the latest version.

Licorice root

Licorice root comes from a herb grown across Europe, Asia and the Middle East and flavors sweets. It is promoted for digestive and respiratory support.

Explained simply · Last reviewed

What it is

Licorice root is the root of the licorice plant, a perennial herb grown across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. According to NCCIH, the US agency that studies complementary medicine, it is used to flavor sweets, other foods and tobacco. NCCIH traces its use back to ancient Assyrian, Egyptian, Greek, Arab, Chinese, Tibetan and Indian cultures, for coughing, asthma and wound healing, and for diseases of the lungs, liver and arteries.

More about Licorice root

According to NCCIH, the US agency that studies complementary medicine, it is used to flavor sweets, other foods and tobacco. NCCIH traces its use back to ancient Assyrian, Egyptian, Greek, Arab, Chinese, Tibetan and Indian cultures, for coughing, asthma and wound healing, and for diseases of the lungs, liver and arteries.

NCCIH states that licorice root is promoted today as a dietary supplement for digestive, respiratory and energy support. It names three species: Glycyrrhiza glabra, Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Glycyrrhiza inflata. LiverTox, the US National Institutes of Health’s reference on liver injury from medicines and supplements, notes that licorice is not licensed for any medical condition by the US Food and Drug Administration. In the European Union, the medicines agency’s herbal committee lists licorice root only as a traditional herbal medicine, for digestive symptoms and for cough with colds.

LiverTox states that glycyrrhizin, also called glycyrrhizinic acid, makes up 4% to 12% of licorice root. It states that glycyrrhizin’s known toxicities are the reason some licorice extracts have it removed. NCCIH calls oral products without glycyrrhizin deglycyrrhizinated licorice. It also notes that many “licorice” products sold in the United States contain no actual licorice: anise oil, which smells and tastes like licorice, is often used instead.

Some of the uses below concern licorice applied in the mouth or throat, as patches, pastes, rinses and gargles, rather than swallowed. The ratings cover digestive symptoms, H. pylori infection, cough, canker sores, sore throat after surgery, hot flushes and COVID-19.

Also known as: liquorice, licorice, Glycyrrhiza glabra, sweet root, gan cao, deglycyrrhizinated licorice, DGL

At a glance

Safety: known risks, 7 groups who should avoid it or take extra care and 6 documented interactions. See Safety ↓

Claims made about Licorice root, and how strong the evidence is for each:

Each rating follows our published rules and the sources cited for it. We don’t add our own medical judgment. How we rate

Safety

Read this before the ratings below.

Risks

  • NCCIH, the US agency that studies complementary medicine, states that licorice root is generally considered safe as a food ingredient. It states that licorice contains a component called glycyrrhizin, or glycyrrhizic acid, that “can cause serious adverse effects, such as irregular heartbeat and cardiac arrest, especially when consumed in large amounts or in the long term.”
  • LiverTox, the US National Institutes of Health’s reference on liver injury from medicines and supplements, states that licorice extracts in high doses “can cause serious adverse effects” resulting in high blood pressure, low potassium (hypokalemia), sodium and water retention, muscle weakness, paralysis and irregular heart rhythms. It states that deaths have been reported in people taking high doses of oral licorice in teas or as extracts in capsules or tablets.
  • Europe’s medicines agency, EMA, states in its licorice root monograph: “Cases of overdose have been reported with prolonged use (more than 4 weeks) and/or intake of high amount of liquorice, with symptoms such as water retention, hypokalaemia, hypertension, cardiac rhythm disorders, and hypertensive encephalopathy.”
  • A 2024 review of randomized trials found that products in which glycyrrhizic acid was the main component raised both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The reviewers counted licorice itself in this group, apart from alcohol extracts. Products based on licorice flavonoids showed no significant change in blood pressure, but their results varied widely between trials.
  • LiverTox states that licorice “has not been reported to cause serum aminotransferase elevations or clinically apparent liver injury”, and rates it an unlikely cause of clinically apparent liver injury.
  • NCCIH states that oral licorice products that do not contain glycyrrhizin (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) “might be safe for up to 4 months.” It states that licorice applied to the skin may be safe in the short term, but may cause skin irritation in some people.

Who should avoid it or take extra care

  • High blood pressure, heart or kidney conditions, or a lot of salt in the diet: NCCIH states that “even small amounts of glycyrrhizin from licorice root products have been linked to severe adverse effects in people who consume a lot of salt, in people with hypertension, and in people with heart or kidney conditions.” EMA does not recommend licorice root medicines for people with “hypertension, kidney diseases, liver or cardiovascular disorders or hypokalaemia, as they are more sensitive to the adverse effects of liquorice.”
  • High blood pressure: the authors of the 2024 blood pressure review suggest that people with high blood pressure, or prone to it, “exercise caution when consuming GA-containing functional foods”, GA being glycyrrhizic acid.
  • Pregnancy: NCCIH states that “consuming oral licorice extract in large amounts (about 250 grams of licorice per week) during pregnancy is unsafe and can increase the risk of delivery before gestational age of 38 weeks.” LiverTox states that licorice is “an abortifacient and has estrogenic and corticosteroid effects that can result in fetal toxicity or loss and should not be used during pregnancy.” EMA does not recommend its use during pregnancy or in women of childbearing potential not using contraception.
  • Breastfeeding: NCCIH states that little is known about whether it is safe to use licorice while breastfeeding. EMA does not recommend its use during breastfeeding. It notes that glycyrrhizin is detectable in the breast milk of some women taking licorice, and that the effect on newborns and infants is unknown.
  • Children and teenagers: EMA does not recommend licorice root medicines under 18 years of age, stating that their use “has not been established due to lack of adequate data.”
  • Length of use and other licorice products: for digestive symptoms, EMA’s monograph states that licorice root medicines are “not to be used for more than 4 weeks.” It states that people taking them “should not take other liquorice containing products as serious adverse events may occur”.
  • People taking medicines: NCCIH advises anyone who takes any type of medicine to talk with a health care provider before using licorice or other herbal products, because “some herbs and medicines interact in harmful ways.”

Documented interactions

  • Corticosteroids: NCCIH states that interactions between licorice and corticosteroids have been reported. EMA states that licorice root is not to be used together with corticosteroids, or with other medicines that may worsen an imbalance of body salts (electrolytes). Source [1]Source [2]
  • Diuretics: EMA states that licorice root is “not to be used concomitantly with diuretics, cardiac glycosides, corticosteroids, stimulant laxatives or other medications which may aggravate electrolyte imbalance.” Source [1]
  • Cardiac glycosides: EMA states that licorice root is not to be used together with cardiac glycosides, which it lists among medicines that may worsen an electrolyte imbalance. Source [1]
  • Stimulant laxatives: EMA states that licorice root is not to be used together with stimulant laxatives, which it lists among medicines that may worsen an electrolyte imbalance. Source [1]
  • Blood pressure medicines: EMA states that “liquorice root may counteract antihypertensive action of prescribed medications.” Source [1]
  • Medicines broken down by the enzyme CYP3A4: EMA states that licorice root preparations “might affect the activity of CYP3A4”. It states that clinical studies have shown glycyrrhizin taken by mouth daily for 14 days can modestly lower the body’s exposure to medicines broken down by CYP3A4, such as midazolam and omeprazole, and advises caution with all such medicines. Source [1]

Safety sources: Source [1]Source [2]Source [3]Source [4]

What the evidence says

Each claim is rated on its own evidence. Ratings follow the scale on our methodology page.

  • Relieves indigestion and other digestive symptoms Evidence rating: Insufficient

    People take licorice root hoping it will settle indigestion, a burning feeling in the stomach or other digestive upsets.

    NCCIH states it is unclear whether licorice on its own affects digestive symptoms; Europe’s medicines agency accepts the use on long-standing use alone.

    NCCIH, the US agency that studies complementary medicine, states: “It’s unclear whether products containing licorice alone (excluding herbal blends with licorice) have an effect on digestive symptoms.” It adds that some studies of licorice in people have been completed, “but there isn’t enough high-quality evidence to clearly support its use for any health condition.”

    Europe’s medicines agency, EMA, takes a different route. Its herbal committee accepts licorice root as a “traditional herbal medicinal product for the relief of digestive symptoms including burning sensation and dyspepsia”. It states that this use is “exclusively based upon long-standing use”. Its monograph lists no well-established use.

    LiverTox, the US National Institutes of Health’s reference on liver injury from medicines and supplements, notes that licorice extracts are promoted for gastrointestinal health, among other uses. It states: “None of these claims, however, has been demonstrated in properly designed and adequately powered prospective studies.” This page rates the claim on these authority statements.

    Sources: Source [1]Source [2]Source [3]

  • Helps clear Helicobacter pylori infection Evidence rating: Insufficient

    People with an H. pylori stomach infection take licorice hoping it will help get rid of the infection.

    A 2023 review of four small licorice trials found no statistically significant difference in clearing the infection, though raw clearance rates were higher with licorice.

    H. pylori is a bacterium that lives in the stomach lining. A 2023 meta-analysis pooled 12 randomized trials of five plant products, four of them licorice. Three of the licorice trials gave licorice as part of antibiotic treatment. The fourth compared a licorice product called GutGard with a placebo. The review’s table counts 310 people across the four.

    In those trials, 64.9% of people given licorice cleared the infection, against 39.1% of those without it. The pooled result for licorice was not statistically significant.

    Across all five products, the review concludes that they “can improve eradication rates”, naming licorice among them, although its own licorice result was not significant. It found no significant difference in side effects, which only three of the 12 trials reported. The authors call the quality of the trials low and say the results “should be interpreted with caution”. The review did not rate how sure it is (certainty). This page rates the claim insufficient because the review’s pooled licorice result was not statistically significant and its certainty was not rated.

    Sources: Source [1]

  • Eases a cough that comes with a cold Evidence rating: Insufficient

    People drink licorice root tea hoping it will loosen a cough that comes with a cold.

    Europe’s medicines agency accepts licorice root for cough with colds on long-standing use alone; NCCIH states there isn’t enough high-quality evidence for any health condition.

    Europe’s medicines agency, EMA, accepts licorice root as a “traditional herbal medicinal product used as an expectorant in cough associated with cold”. EMA states that this use is “exclusively based upon long-standing use”, and its monograph lists no well-established use.

    NCCIH, the US agency that studies complementary medicine, lists coughing among licorice root’s traditional uses. It states that some studies of licorice in people have been completed, “but there isn’t enough high-quality evidence to clearly support its use for any health condition.” This page rates the claim insufficient on these authority statements.

    Sources: Source [1]Source [2]

  • Eases canker sores when used in the mouth Evidence rating: Limited

    People with recurring canker sores use licorice patches, pastes or mouth rinses hoping the sores will hurt less and heal sooner.

    NCCIH states that licorice used in the mouth might reduce the size of canker sores, and as a rinse their pain; a 2023 review of six small trials reports faster healing.

    This claim is about licorice applied in the mouth, not swallowed as a supplement. NCCIH, the US agency that studies complementary medicine, states: “Licorice mouth rinse or gargle might reduce ulcer size and pain in people with recurrent canker sores, while topical licorice might reduce ulcer size only.”

    A 2023 systematic review found six small randomized trials, with 314 people in all, of licorice patches, pastes and a rinse used for five to eight days. Five of them included a placebo group. The reviewers did not pool the results or rate certainty. They conclude that licorice “significantly promotes healing, pain reduction, healing time, and size of the inflammation zone without side effects.”

    The review also reports mixed results. It reports that in one trial, patches with licorice were “almost equally effective” as patches without it, and that its authors suggested the patch’s protective covering plays an essential role. Pain fell significantly with licorice in five of the six trials. The review searched only English-language papers, and some trials left out people with high blood pressure, diabetes, pregnancy or breastfeeding. This page rates the claim on the NCCIH statement.

    Sources: Source [1]Source [2]

  • Lowers the risk of sore throat after surgery with a breathing tube Evidence rating: Limited

    People facing surgery under general anesthesia hope a licorice gargle will spare them a sore throat afterwards.

    With certainty from moderate to very low, a 2021 review found fewer sore throats with licorice than with placebo; NCCIH says it might help.

    This claim is about licorice used before surgery as a gargle or lozenge, as NCCIH describes it, not taken as a supplement. A 2021 network meta-analysis brought together 62 randomized trials of six kinds of topical treatment, used to prevent sore throat after a breathing tube. Five of the trials tested licorice, and 324 people received it.

    The review reports a lower risk of sore throat with licorice than with placebo at each of four times, from the first hour to 24 hours after surgery. How sure the reviewers are (certainty) differs by time: moderate at up to 1 hour and at 4 to 6 hours, low at 2 to 3 hours, and very low at 24 hours. The reviewers’ certainty tables give, among their reasons for marking it down, that licorice “is a singly connected node and hence evaluation of transitivity is unclear”.

    The reviewers caution that licorice’s high place in their ranking of the treatments “is not sufficient to promote the intervention”. They add that short-term side effects of licorice used this way “remain unclear”.

    NCCIH, the US agency that studies complementary medicine, states that a licorice gargle or lozenges before surgery “might help to prevent or lessen the severity of sore throat following intubation.” This page rates the claim on the lowest certainty, very low.

    Sources: Source [1]Source [2]

  • Eases menopausal hot flushes Evidence rating: Limited

    Women going through menopause take licorice hoping it will make their hot flushes fewer and milder.

    A 2016 review of Iranian herbal medicines found two small placebo trials of licorice, its text and table disagreeing on one; LiverTox states such claims have not been shown.

    A 2016 systematic review of Iranian herbal medicines for hot flushes found 19 randomized trials; the heading of its table says 22. Three tested licorice taken by mouth, and two of those compared it with a placebo.

    In one, the review reports that hot flushes were less frequent and less severe after eight weeks of licorice than with placebo. In the other, lasting 12 weeks, the review’s text says hot flushes fell more with licorice than with placebo, but its table says the difference between the groups was not statistically significant. This page does not choose between them. The third trial did not use a placebo.

    The reviewers conclude that licorice “has alleviating effect on hot flashes, though further studies are needed”. They describe weak methods in many of the trials they found: small samples and unclear randomization and blinding. The review did not rate certainty.

    LiverTox, the US National Institutes of Health’s reference on liver injury from medicines and supplements, notes that licorice extracts are promoted for menopausal symptoms, among other uses. It states: “None of these claims, however, has been demonstrated in properly designed and adequately powered prospective studies.” This page rates the claim on the review.

    Sources: Source [1]Source [2]

  • Helps with COVID-19 Evidence rating: Insufficient

    People take licorice hoping it will help them fight off COVID-19.

    NCCIH states that there’s no good evidence to support the use of licorice for COVID-19.

    NCCIH, the US agency that studies complementary medicine, states: “There’s no good evidence to support the use of licorice for COVID-19.”

    It adds that some studies of licorice in people have been completed, “but there isn’t enough high-quality evidence to clearly support its use for any health condition.” This page rates the claim insufficient on that statement.

    Sources: Source [1]

Sources

  1. Licorice Root
    National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, NIH, 2025 · Health authority summary · Primary source
  2. European Union herbal monograph on Glycyrrhiza glabra L.; Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat.; Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., radix – Final – Revision 1
    European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC), 2026 · Health authority summary · Primary source
  3. Licorice
    LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 2023 · Health authority summary · Primary source
  4. Effect of polyphenol compounds on Helicobacter pylori eradication: a systematic review with meta-analysis
    BMJ Open, 2023 · Meta-analysis · Primary source
  5. Topical Licorice for Aphthous: A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials
    Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences, 2023 · Systematic review · Primary source
  6. Comparative Efficacy of 6 Topical Pharmacological Agents for Preventive Interventions of Postoperative Sore Throat After Tracheal Intubation: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis
    Anesthesia & Analgesia, 2021 · Meta-analysis · Primary source · Certainty: very low
  7. The efficacy of Iranian herbal medicines in alleviating hot flashes: A systematic review
    International Journal of Reproductive Biomedicine, 2016 · Systematic review · Primary source
  8. Effects of Licorice Functional Components Intakes on Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis and NETWORK Toxicology
    Nutrients, 2024 · Meta-analysis · Primary source

Page history

Show all 2 changes to this page
  • — Published.
  • — Drafted. Easing canker sores, lowering the risk of sore throat after surgery and easing hot flushes rated limited; relieving digestive symptoms, clearing H. pylori, easing cough and helping with COVID-19 rated insufficient.