30 mars 2023
Licorice is often not recommended for patients with cardiovascular disorders. But according to the National Health Security Agency (Anses), high consumption can lead to serious poisoning, even in healthy people.
We knew that the consumption of licorice in all its forms (candies, drinks, etc.) did not go well with cardiovascular disease. Thus, in 2019 in Canada, a man suffering from hypertension had to be hospitalized urgently. The reason: he drank 2 cups of licorice tea every day. At the time, doctors explained that this was not surprising. According to them, “if consumed in excess, products containing licorice root extract can increase blood pressure, cause fluid retention and decrease potassium levels. »
Even in healthy people
But patients with heart problems are not the only ones affected. The National Health Security Agency (ANSES) warns after the registration by the poison control centers between 2012 and 2021 of many cases of poisoning, 64 to be precise. In 42% of cases, the victims presented serious symptoms: high blood pressure, heart problems caused by too high a potassium level in the blood, etc., sometimes going so far as to be life-threatening. ” Regular consumption in large quantities of foods containing licorice can lead to serious poisoning (…) even in healthy people who have never suffered from hypertension », Launches ANSES.
In question, one of the components of licorice root, glycyrrhizin. This one ” is used in many products such as candy, chewing gum, snacks, baked goods, ice cream and sorbets. It is also found in carbonated drinks and syrups, alcoholic drinks made from liquorice extracts (pastis, ouzo, raki, etc.), non-alcoholic pastis, beers and food supplements. »
ANSES therefore advises also limiting the consumption of products containing liquorice. Its presence is generally specified in the composition of foods.