Licorice root extract is an ingredient in pills, capsules, candies, teas and liquids. The product can increase your risk of experiencing side effects when combined with certain other supplements. It has health risks of its own, so talk with your doctor if you plan to take licorice root extract regularly. Some candies taste as though they contain licorice extract, but they are actually flavored with anise oil, which tastes similar to licorice. Read the ingredients label to find out whether your product contains licorice.
Licorice Root Extract
Licorice root extract’s active ingredient, glycyrrhizen, appears to cause side effects that can be intensified by other herbs. Glycyrrhizen increases your body’s levels of aldosterone, a hormone in charge of sodium regulation. Symptoms of too much aldosterone include high blood pressure, headaches and heart problems. Another version of licorice root extract is available on the market without glycyrrhizen, called DGL, for deglycyrrhizinated licorice. New York University Langone Medical Center cautions that the safety of DGL has not been verified.