Licorice, Digestion, & Hormones

Let’s Take A Look At Licorice…

Licorice, as a confectionary, is mostly sugar and is useless for medicinal purposes.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza sp., most often Glycyrrhiza glabra), in the form of either the root extract (which can be taken as a supplement, or used topically) or the whole root (which can be taken as a powder/capsule, or used to make tea), is a medicinal plant with a long history of use.

How well-evidenced is it for its popular uses?

Licorice for digestion

In this case, it is more accurate to say that it combats indigestion, including acid reflux and ulcerative colitis:

Systematic Review on Herbal Preparations for Controlling Visceral Hypersensitivity in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders ← licorice was a top-tier performer in this review

Network pharmacology mechanisms and experimental verification of licorice in the treatment of ulcerative colitis ← looking at the mechanism of action; ultimately they concluded that “licorice improves ulcerative colitis, which may be related to the activation of the Nrf2/PINK1 signaling pathway that regulates autophagy.“

Licorice vs menopause symptoms

This one, while a popular use, isn’t so clear. Here’s a study that examines the compounds in licorice (in this case, Glycyrrhiza uralensis) that interact with estrogen receptors, notes that the bioavailability is poor, and proposes, tests, and recommends a way to make it more bioavailable:

Development of an Improved Menopausal Symptom-Alleviating Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) by Biotransformation Using Monascus albidulus

On the other hand, it is established that it will lower serum testosterone levels, which may make it beneficial for menopause and/or PCOS:

Polycystic ovaries and herbal remedies: A systematic review

Licorice for men

You may be wondering: what about for men? Well, the jury is out on whether it meaningfully reduces free testosterone levels:

Licorice consumption and serum testosterone in healthy men

See also:

Liquorice in moderate doses does not affect sex steroid hormones of biological importance although the effect differs between the genders

And finally, it may (notwithstanding its disputed effect on testosterone itself) be useful as a safer alternative to finasteride (an antiandrogen mostly commonly used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia, also used to as a hair loss remedy), since it (like finasteride) modulates 5α-reductase activity (this enzyme converts testosterone to the more potent dihydrogen testosterone, DHT), without lowering sperm count:

Therapeutic role of Glycyrrhiza Uralensis fisher on benign prostatic hyperplasia through 5 alpha reductase regulation and apoptosis

Licorice for the skin

As well as its potentially estrogenic activity, its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant powers make it comparable to hydrocortisone cream for treating eczema, psoriasis, and other such skin conditions:

New Herbal Biomedicines for the Topical Treatment of Dermatological Disorders

Is it safe?

It is “generally recognized as safe”, as the classification goes.

However, consumed in excess it can cause/worsen hypertension, and other contraindications include if you’re on blood thinners, or have kidney problems.

As ever, this is a non-exhaustive list, so do speak with your doctor/pharmacist to be sure.

Want to try some?

We don’t sell it, but here for your convenience is an example product on Amazon

Enjoy!