The risk to know first: your potassium can drop
Licorice contains a sweet-tasting compound called glycyrrhizin (glycyrrhizic acid). This is what causes problems.
- Glycyrrhizin makes cortisol and aldosterone (hormones that hold on to salt and water) work longer in your body.
- As a result, your blood pressure rises and potassium is flushed out in your urine (hypokalemia, or low potassium).
- When potassium drops a lot, it can cause rhabdomyolysis, where muscle breaks down.
- The broken-down muscle can clog the kidneys and even lead to acute kidney injury.
Real reported cases
- A woman in her 50s drank a tea brewed from 50 g of licorice and balloon flower root for 4 months — hospitalized with low potassium and muscle damage
- A man in his 70s took 280 mg of licorice extract for 7 years — rhabdomyolysis
- A woman in her 20s took large amounts for 4 months — muscle pain, acute liver injury and kidney problems
- A person took 10 times the recommended amount for weight loss — kidney failure in 4 weeks
What they have in common: they took it for a long time, or took a lot. Even brewing it like tea and drinking it every day because you think of it as a healthy herb can be risky.
Especially avoid it if you:
- Have high blood pressure — it may raise your blood pressure further.
- Have kidney problems
- Take heart rhythm medication — low potassium affects how the medication works.
- Take estrogen medication — it may make the medication less effective.
- Take cholesterol medication or antivirals — there may be interactions.
Licorice for fatigue: is long-term use okay?
Licorice is used as an adaptogen (an herb that helps you cope with stress) that supports the adrenal glands (the organs that make stress hormones), so some people feel less tired after taking it.
But this works by keeping cortisol active longer, so taking a lot for a long time can cause side effects similar to steroids, or a rebound when you stop. Long-term use for fatigue isn't recommended.
Regular licorice vs DGL licorice
| Type | What it's like | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Regular licorice concentrate or tea | Still contains glycyrrhizin, so there's a risk of low potassium and high blood pressure | Avoid long-term or high-dose use |
| DGL licorice (deglycyrrhizinated) | Licorice with glycyrrhizin removed. Used to protect the stomach lining. No effect on fatigue | Relatively safe |
If your goal is stomach health, like gastritis or heartburn, choose DGL licorice. See the DGL licorice page for details.
How to find hidden licorice
Licorice is more often mixed into combination products than sold on its own.
- Check herbal blends — Some fatigue and stress products, like those with rhodiola or eleuthero, contain licorice (licorice root).
- Look for "Deglycyrrhizinated" or "DGL" on the label. If it's not there, it's regular licorice.
- Traditional herbal remedies and herbal teas often contain licorice too. If you take blood pressure medication, be sure to tell the doctor who prescribed it.
Medications and conditions to watch
- Check Heart rhythm medications — Lowers potassium, which affects the medication — don't take together
- Check Estrogen medications — May make the medication less effective
- Note Cholesterol medications and antivirals — Possible interactions — talk to your doctor
Frequently asked questions
What are the side effects of licorice root extract?
The glycyrrhizin in licorice can lower potassium and raise blood pressure. In severe cases, it has led to rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) and kidney damage.
Can people with high blood pressure take licorice?
Avoid it. Licorice makes the hormones that hold on to salt and water work longer, which can raise blood pressure.
What's the difference between licorice and DGL licorice?
DGL is licorice with the problem compound, glycyrrhizin, removed. For protecting the stomach lining, DGL is relatively safe. But it has no effect on fatigue.
Can I drink licorice tea every day?
Drinking a lot for a long time isn't recommended. In one case, a person was hospitalized with low potassium after drinking brewed licorice tea for 4 months.
My fatigue supplement contains licorice. Is that okay?
Taking it briefly may not be a big problem, but long-term use can cause steroid-like side effects. If you have high blood pressure, switch to a product without licorice.
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Last updated 2026-10-12