Blood Pressure Medication Interaction Calculator
Licorice Interaction Risk Assessment
Enter your medication type and licorice consumption to see if you're at risk of dangerous blood pressure interaction.
Many people take licorice root supplements thinking they’re just helping with digestion or soothing a sore throat. But if you’re on blood pressure medication, that little chewy candy or herbal tea could be quietly sabotaging your treatment. It’s not a myth. It’s not a rumor. It’s science-and it’s happening right now to people who have no idea.
What’s Really in Licorice Root?
Licorice root comes from the plant Glycyrrhiza glabra, and its sweetness isn’t just for taste. The real culprit is a compound called glycyrrhizin. This substance is about 50 times sweeter than sugar, but it doesn’t just make things taste good-it messes with your body’s salt and water balance in a way that directly fights your blood pressure meds.When you consume licorice root, glycyrrhizin breaks down into glycyrrhetic acid, which blocks an enzyme called 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2. Normally, this enzyme keeps cortisol (a stress hormone) from acting like aldosterone (a hormone that tells your kidneys to hold onto salt and water). When that enzyme is blocked, cortisol starts behaving like aldosterone. Result? Your body holds onto more sodium, loses potassium, and retains extra fluid. That’s a recipe for higher blood pressure.
How Much Is Too Much?
You don’t need to eat a whole bag of licorice to trigger this. Studies show that consuming more than 100 mg of glycyrrhizin per day for two weeks or longer can start causing problems. That’s roughly 50 grams of real licorice candy-about the size of a small bar. But here’s the catch: not all licorice products are created equal.Some brands contain as little as 2% glycyrrhizin. Others pack in 24%. A 2020 study found that two licorice teas labeled the same way had glycyrrhizin levels that differed by nearly 10 times. And in the U.S., most licorice-flavored candies don’t even contain real licorice root-they use anise oil instead. So if you’re just eating black licorice candy, you might be fine. But if you’re drinking licorice tea, taking herbal capsules, or using a cough syrup with “licorice extract” on the label, you could be in danger.
Which Blood Pressure Medications Are Affected?
It’s not just one type of medication. Licorice root reduces the effectiveness of nearly every major class of antihypertensive drugs:- ACE inhibitors (like lisinopril): Effectiveness drops by 30-50%. Your body holds onto salt, so the drug can’t lower blood pressure properly.
- ARBs (like losartan): Effectiveness decreases by about 25%. The same fluid retention mechanism overrides the drug’s action.
- Calcium channel blockers (like amlodipine): Blood pressure control worsens by 15-20%. Studies show patients needing higher doses after starting licorice.
- Potassium-sparing diuretics (like spironolactone): This is the worst combo. Licorice causes potassium loss, while these drugs try to keep potassium high. They cancel each other out completely-sometimes within 7-10 days.
A 2020 case report described a patient on spironolactone whose blood pressure shot up to 210/115 mmHg after starting licorice tea. He ended up in the ER. That’s not rare. Over 150 such cases have been documented worldwide since the 1960s.
Real People, Real Consequences
You don’t have to take my word for it. Look at what patients are reporting:- A 68-year-old man on lisinopril saw his blood pressure jump from 130/80 to 185/105 in just 10 days after drinking licorice tea daily.
- A Reddit user on r/HighBloodPressure noticed his systolic pressure climb 22 points after eating licorice candy he thought was “just flavoring.”
- One patient in New Zealand developed panic attacks and dangerously high blood pressure after starting a herbal supplement labeled “licorice root.”
On PatientsLikeMe, 92% of users who reported licorice use while on blood pressure meds said their condition got worse. Seventeen needed emergency care. Only two out of 147 WebMD reviews mentioned any benefit-and both were from people who stopped their meds and switched to licorice. That’s not a cure. That’s a disaster.
Why Do Doctors Miss This?
Many patients don’t think of licorice as a “drug.” They see it as a snack, a tea, or a natural remedy. But it’s a potent bioactive compound with measurable effects on your physiology.Here’s another problem: supplement labels lie. A 2021 survey found only 37% of licorice root supplements in the U.S. warn about blood pressure risks. The European Union requires warning labels if a product contains more than 10 mg of glycyrrhizin per serving. The U.S. does not. And the FDA still classifies licorice as “Generally Recognized As Safe” (GRAS)-but only for flavoring, not for daily medicinal use.
Even pharmacists sometimes don’t know. A 2018 study found that 30% of herbal laxatives and 25% of traditional Chinese medicine formulas contain licorice root. If you’re taking any herbal supplement for digestion, inflammation, or “detox,” check the label. It might be hiding in plain sight.
What Should You Do?
If you’re on blood pressure medication, here’s what you need to do:- Check every product label. Look for “Glycyrrhiza glabra,” “licorice root,” or “licorice extract.” If you see “anise oil,” “fennel,” or “natural flavor,” you’re likely safe.
- Avoid all licorice supplements. Even “daily doses” of 5-10 grams of root can be risky over time.
- Ask your pharmacist. They can check your herbal products and cough syrups for hidden licorice.
- Get your potassium checked. If you’ve been consuming licorice, your potassium may have dropped below 3.0 mmol/L (normal is 3.5-5.0). Low potassium can cause muscle weakness, irregular heartbeat, and even cardiac arrest.
- Switch to DGL. Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) removes the glycyrrhizin. It’s safe for stomach issues and won’t interfere with your meds.
There’s no safe amount of real licorice root if you’re on blood pressure medication. The American Heart Association says: avoid it entirely. The Merck Manual calls it a “known risk.” The evidence isn’t just strong-it’s overwhelming.
What About Natural Remedies?
Some people turn to licorice root because they think “natural” means “safe.” But natural doesn’t mean harmless. Willow bark is natural, but it’s aspirin. Foxglove is natural, but it’s digitalis. Licorice root is a powerful pharmacological agent. It’s not a tea you can sip casually while on medication.If you want natural ways to support blood pressure, focus on proven options: reducing sodium, eating more potassium-rich foods like bananas and spinach, walking daily, and managing stress. Those don’t come with hidden ingredients or unpredictable interactions.
What’s Changing?
There’s hope. The FDA proposed the Dietary Supplement Listing Act of 2023, which would require manufacturers to list active compound levels-including glycyrrhizin-on supplement labels. If passed, this could finally make it easier for patients and doctors to spot dangerous products.For now, though, the burden is on you. Don’t assume a product is safe because it’s labeled “herbal,” “natural,” or “traditional.” Always read the fine print. Your blood pressure-and your health-depend on it.
Comments
bharath vinay
23 December 2025This is just another FDA scare tactic wrapped in pseudoscience. Licorice has been used for thousands of years in Ayurveda and TCM. If your blood pressure meds are that fragile, maybe you should be on fewer drugs, not blaming a plant. The real conspiracy? Pharma wants you dependent on pills that cost $200 a month while natural remedies are unpatentable.
They banned ephedra but let Big Pharma keep selling beta-blockers that cause depression and erectile dysfunction. Who’s really putting people at risk?
And don’t even get me started on how they classify ‘natural flavor’ as safe but glycyrrhizin as dangerous. That’s not science. That’s corporate lobbying.