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The Willner Window Product Reference Catalog, Summer 2017
Since 1911
•
Willner Chemists: The Nutritional Supplement Professionals
Licorice: The Good And The Bad
A
lmost everyone knows about licorice as a
food and candy. What many people do
not know, however, is that licorice is also a
potent and valuable herbal medicine, widely
used as a therapeutic agent.
According to Natural Medicines database,
licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) can be used for
the following conditions: “Orally, licorice is
used for gastric and duodenal ulcers, sore
throat, bronchitis, chronic gastritis, dyspepsia,
colic, menopausal symptoms, Addison’s
disease, cough, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis,
systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and for
bacterial and viral infections. It is also used
orally for cholestatic liver disorders,
nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, hyperkalemia,
hypertonia, malaria, tuberculosis, abscesses,
food poisoning, diabetes insipidus, chronic
fatigue syndrome (CFS), postoperative
recovery, contact dermatitis, and
hypercholesterolemia.” And, in Traditional
Chinese Medicine, licorice is included in
nearly all herbal formulas for the purpose of
“harmonizing” the various herbs incorporated
in the mixture.
That’s the good news.
The bad news is that any substance, herbal or
otherwise, that exerts a therapeutic (or
pharmacologic) action, will also exhibit the
potential for adverse effects as well.
If you suffer from low blood pressure, a
natural substance that increases blood
pressure can be considered beneficial, but if
you suffer from high blood pressure, that
same natural substance’s hypertensive action
can be considered an “adverse effect.”
Whole licorice, whether from food or in
supplements, can theoretically raise blood
pressure. It contains a substance called
glycyrrhizin which, when taken in large
enough quantities, exerts an action in the
body similar to the hormone aldosterone. This
hormone causes fluid retention, loss of
potassium, and increased blood pressure.
How concerned should you be
about this?
The answer, for most people, is less
concerned than you might initially think. For
one thing, much of the food or candy we buy
it not really licorice at all - it contains anise oil,
which imparts the characteristic smell and
taste we call “black licorice.”
In addition, much of the licorice used in
supplements has had the glycyrrhizin
removed. This results in a product called
“DGL,” which stands for deglycyrrhizinated
licorice. Supplements containing DGL, for
example, are widely used for treating gastric
and duodenal ulcers.
Does that mean there are no products that
contain “whole” licorice? No, not at all.
Whole licorice is still used in various products.
It may still be found, for example, in liquid
cough and asthma remedies, functioning as
an expectorant. As mentioned above, it is
widely used in Chinese herbal remedies. And,
licorice root is in the supplement,
Phyto-
Tech™ Mushroom Extract Complex
.
The question, then, is how much
whole licorice is too much?
Dosages of whole licorice in the range of 5
to 15 grams per day is generally thought to be
acceptable for no more than a few weeks. For
long-term use, about 0.3 grams (300 mg) of
licorice root daily should be safe for most
adults.
“Current evidence indicates that individuals
who wish to take whole licorice on a long-
term basis without any risk of these side
effects should not consume more than 0.2 mg
of glycyrrhizin per kilogram of body weight
daily. For a person who weighs 130 pounds,
this works out to 12 mg of glycyrrhizin daily.
Based on a typical 4% glycyrrhizin content,
this is the equivalent of 0.3 grams of licorice
root.” (reference: ConsumerLab.com) For a
person weighing 184 lbs, the safe amount of
whole licorice, or licorice root, would be 427
mg.
It is understood that “small amounts” of
licorice is not a problem for those with high
blood pressure. The question, of course, is
what does “small amount” mean. Based on
the above calculation, we can say that for an
adult, levels below 300 to 427 mg per day
should not be a problem.
Another reference source,
Natural Medicine
,
presents the following information: “. . . long-
term use (months to years) or intake of large
amounts (up to 20-30 grams) can increase the
risk of adverse effects such as hypertension
and hypokalemia. In people with
hypertension, cardiovascular or kidney
conditions, or a high salt intake, intake of as
little as 5 grams [per] day can cause these
problems.” They also point out that “. . .
when used orally in amounts commonly
found in foods. Licorice has Generally
Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status in the US “
(Note: 5 grams is equal to 5,000 mg.)
How much is in
PhytoTech™ Mushroom
Extract Complex
? The label states the content
is 44 mg per serving of licorice root, and the
recommended dose is 2-3 servings per day–
well within the safe range.
It is noteworthy, by the way, to point out
that the
PhytoTech™ Mushroom Extract
Complex
label provides the actual
quantitative information of all five herbal
ingredients. Not all products provide this
information, often presenting only qualitative
listings, under the heading “proprietary
blend.”
In summary, for those concerned about
licorice and hypertension, small amount of
whole licorice, or licorice root, even when
used long term, should not be a problem.
Small amounts can be defined as less than
500 mg per day. The amount in products such
as
PhytoTech™ Mushroom Extract Complex
(44 mg, 2-3 times a day), is only one-tenth
that level.
Additional References:
(1) Comments from Dr. Alan Gaby, published
in his book: Gaby, Alan R., M.D.. Nutritional
Medicine (Second Edition). Alan R. Gaby,
M.D., 04/2017
“. . . Compounds present in Glycyrrhiza
glabra (licorice root) potentiate the effects of
glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids by
slowing the rate of their catabolism.4–8 Thus,
in non-adrenalectomized patients,
glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid activity
can be increased by administering licorice
root extracts. Prior to the introduction of
synthetic steroids, licorice root was one of the
standard treatments for Addison’s disease.9
Licorice root is also a viable alternative to
cortisol in patients with mild hypoadrenalism.
I have seen about 15 patients with a clinical
picture suggestive of mild hypoadrenalism in
whom treatment with a licorice tincture led to
improvements in symptoms such as fatigue,
hypotension, and poor stress tolerance. The
usual dosage was 2–6 drops twice a day of a
1:1 or 1:2 tincture, or 6–10 drops 2–3 times
per day of a 1:3 tincture.
Potential adverse effects of licorice root
include hypokalemia and hypertension. These
side effects are extremely unlikely with the
low doses I have used. Nevertheless, I advise
patients taking licorice root to consume
abundant amounts of fruits and vegetables (or
to supplement with 200–300 mg/day of
potassium) and to monitor their blood
pressure. Patients taking glucocorticoids or
mineralocorticoids should, in most cases, not
take licorice root. The dosages of licorice I
have used are unlikely to interact with
dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), although a
much larger dose of licorice (100 g/day for 9
weeks) was found to decrease serum DHEA-
sulfate levels in healthy men but not in
women.”
(2) Selected references from Natural Medicines
database:
Mechanism of Action
“General: The applicable part of licorice is
the root. Although licorice contains saponins,
flavonoids, isoflavonoids, flavones, and
chalcones, the main active constituent is
considered to be glycyrrhizin, otherwise
known as glycyrrhizic acid or glycyrrhizinic
acid (59755, 59773, 59806, 59854, 59891).
Glycyrrhizic acid content of licorice
preparations is typically around 2-3 mg/gram
(0.2% to 0.3% w/w), but can vary from 0.026-
98 mg/gram (15598, 15600). . . .
“Anti-cancer effects: Licorice is used in
combination with other herbs to treat prostate
cancer. In human research, a combination
product including licorice was used to reduce
prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels (6286).
Licorice may also be useful for other types of
cancer. In an animal model, licorice extract
inhibited colon cancer growth (59763). A
mechanism of action is not clear. However,
the metabolite glycyrrhetinic acid has been
shown to reduce cellular adhesion and induce
cell death in tumor cells in laboratory research
(59804). Also, the licorice flavonoid glabridin
has been shown to inhibit cellular migration,
invasion, and angiogenesis in laboratory
research (59813). . . .
“Immunomodulatory effects: In human
research, consumption of a licorice herbal
tincture stimulated immune cells, as
quantified by CD69 expression on CD4 and
CD8 T cells (32825). In animal research, an
herbal product containing licorice increased
the number of leukocytes in the spleen and
liver and increased splenic natural killer
toxicity. However, in this study, the product
did not affect the production of inflammatory
cytokines or other agents (59710).
Furthermore, in laboratory research, the
aglycone derivative of glycyrrhizin, beta-
glycyrrhetinic acid, inhibited human
complement activity (59904). . . .”
(Natural Medicines, Somerville, MA 02144
USA)
(This article was originally published on Don Goldberg’s
Blog (
) on April 19, 2017)
Phyto-Tech™ Mushroom
Extract Complex
Dual Extraction Blend; A powerful
combination of immune
enhancing, adaptogenic
mushroom extracts.
Liquid Extract: 1 fl oz
Product Code: 57002
Ingredients:
Phyto-Tech™ Mushroom Extract Complex
contains: Shiitake Mushroom, Reishi
Mushroom, Maitake Mushroom, Fresh
Ashwagandha Root, Licorice Root,
Deionized Water, Pure Grain Alcohol.
Many claims are made concerning the
immune enhancing activity of various
herbs and nutrients. Few such claims are
as well documented and supported by
clinical evidence as are those surrounding
the mushrooms and their constituents. For
those in need of immune support, and
those suffering from serious health
conditions, a mushroom extract should
definitely be at the top of the list when it
comes to herbal and nutritional support.
Mushroom Extract Complex is indicated
for immune deficiency and is considered
especially valuable as a long-term tonic. It
can be used as a preventative when one
either wants to avoid or one already finds
they are getting weaker and becoming
more prone to getting sick and fatigued.
This is especially true when stress is great
and immune inundation is heavy. This
formula helps when one has debility and
lethargy of body, mind and spirit.
These organic mushrooms are a
glucoaminoglycan extracts (GAG)
whereby the immuno-modulating
polysaccharides are first extracted in a
water extraction process. The herb then
goes through an alcohol extraction
process to remove other immuno-
modulating compounds that the water
cannot extract. The two liquids are
combined to create a full spectrum
mushroom extract.
Dosage:
General usage: 20-60 drops, 2-3 times
per day or as needed in juice or water.
More severe immune deficiency: 60-120
drops 2 times per day in juice or water.
