Harm people for using licorice for a long time

Licorice is a popular medicine in both traditional medicine and western medicine and in the food industry, with a lot of food and drinks with licorice ingredients. However, if we use it improperly, not in the right amount, licorice can cause some side effects, which are dangerous to health.

Licorice.

Use of licorice

Orange licorice sweet, average. There are beneficial effects of gas, detoxification, tonic nourishment, lax waste, chemical talks. In oriental medicine, in addition to the beneficial effects of gas and licorice, it is often used to reduce the toxicity of some drugs or regulate the absorption of drugs, especially those with toxic, cold or hot drugs.

Reduces cold symptoms and respiratory diseases

Licorice is an herbal remedy for some common diseases such as colds, sore throats and bronchitis. Licorice is an expectorant, it helps expectorant and dilutes mucus in the respiratory tract and therefore easily expels them. It also has similar effects in the treatment of allergies, bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis. Licorice extract can also be used to reduce fever and relieve headache.

Heals stomach ulcers

For gastric ulcers, licorice has the ability to inhibit secretion of gastric acid and histamine, helping to heal sores.

Health experts believe licorice can protect the stomach lining by promoting the activity of cells that increase gastric mucus secretion. It can help protect the stomach lining from stomach acid and thereby speed up the healing of ulcers. Flavonoids found in licorice extract can help inhibit the growth of Hellicobacter pylori - a bacterium that causes stomach ulcers in most patients.

Licorice powder is widely used in foods

Prevent virus infection

Licorice helps strengthen the immune system by activating interferons in the body - Interferon is a protein produced by body cells when attacked by viruses to prevent the virus from developing. Therefore, licorice can enhance the immune system and increase the ability to prevent viral diseases, especially herpes and genital herpes, caused by the herpes simplex virus. In Europe, licorice is widely used to treat hepatitis mainly in hepatitis B and C.

Relieve menopausal symptoms

Licorice contains flavonoid and estrogen or female hormones. The female hormones found in licorice work to relieve menopausal discomfort and premenstrual symptoms. Licorice can also relieve pain before menstruation.

Protect the heart

Licorice has the ability to help control cholesterol levels by increasing bile volume in the body. Bile acid is considered a factor to remove excess cholesterol from the body. Moreover, licorice can prevent oxidation of cholesterol harmful LDL - a major factor causing cardiovascular disease.

Improve the function of the adrenal glands

The glycyrhizic acid compound found in licorice root has the effect of strengthening the function of the adrenal glands. Glycyrhizic acid slows down the breakdown of cortisol hormones and thus ensures long-term stability - Cortisol has anti-inflammatory properties, cortisol deficiency can lead to depression, chronic fatigue and anxiety. . So licorice root is very beneficial for patients with depression and nervous stress.

Softens and soothes skin

Licorice has a soothing and soothing effect so it is used to treat some skin diseases. This herb is also known to have anti-inflammatory properties, so it is used in the following cases of eczema: eczema or atopic dermatitis, common dermatitis, psoriasis, itching and dry skin.

Licorice is commonly known as a spice in food and beverages.(Illustration)

Detoxify

Licorice has a very high sweetness, 50 times sweeter than sugarcane. Therefore, this herb is also widely used in confectionery technology. In folklore, many people use licorice to coordinate with some other herbs such as vetch buds, herbicides, lilies . replace daily drinking tea, help refreshments, heat or benefit gas, detoxify.

Some side effects of licorice

Recently, American scientists have discovered that glycyrrhizic acid in licorice can cause some side effects .

Most interesting is the symptoms of increased excretion of potassium, water retention, and hypertension . Many experiments show that long-term use (over two weeks) of products containing glycyrrhizic acid at a dose of about 500mg per day (equivalent to about 10g of licorice) can cause these reactions. There is also a document that using up to 50g of licorice per day for two weeks leads to significant high blood pressure. Another view is that most cases of water retention and hypertension fall into people who eat too much licorice candy.

Further research, scientists noted that glycyrrhizic acid in licorice also reduced testosterone levels in men, by inhibiting the enzyme that helps synthesize this hormone. Most notable is an Italian study that suggests that daily doses of 500mg of glycyrrhizic acid significantly reduce testosterone levels in healthy men. From here, scientists recommend not to use licorice for men with hypogonadism.

However, a two-fold repeat study of another group of scientists found that the reduction was negligible! Later, an independent trial was conducted by Iranian scientists on 20 healthy men. Participants take 1.3g of licorice extract dried daily (equivalent to 400mg to 500mg of glycyrrhizic acid or about 10g of licorice) for ten consecutive days. Results, blood samples taken before the test and 20 days later showed that using licorice reduced about 35% of testosterone.

Pregnant women and nursing mothers should not use licorice

Who should not use licorice?

Licorice associated with the ceiling may cause less milk or loss of milk in pregnant women , in addition, because the core is diuretic, it will cause a lot of waste, nutrients and frequent waste water will be lost. nutrients to feed the brass, causing the fetus to be malnourished, prone to premature birth and fetal malformations.

For men, if using licorice at a dose over 8g / day for extended periods of time will cause impotence, reduced immunity, increased blood pressure and stomach ulcers.

Cases of nephritis, hypertension, unstable blood pressure should not be used for licorice. People with long-term constipation, the elderly, bronchitis, and coughing are also best not to use licorice.

In other cases, only one package of licorice tea should be used every day, not the licorice teas such as Bao Bao tea, filtered water and filtered water.

How to use it for safety?

According to the recommendation of the European Commission (the European Commission's legal affairs department), each person should not take more than 100mg of glycyrrhizic acid per day. According to Japanese scientists, this number is 200mg. Based on 500mg of glycyrrhizic acid per 10g of licorice, the dose corresponds to about 2g or 4g of licorice per day.

In fact, except for a few cases of short-term high doses, for some acute diseases, the average licorice dose in many oriental medicine is usually from 4g to 6g. For some medicinal teas, there are licorice, each contains only 1g to 2g. In a medicine ladder, licorice is structured in the relationship of 'enchantresses' to both improve the overall therapeutic effect and reduce the side effects of the drugs. With this approach, the side effects of licorice will be minimized.

However, given the above warning, especially in the situation of increasing cardiovascular and high blood pressure in the community, physicians and users, it should be noted not to use long term licorice. While waiting for further research, in the immediate future, if using more than 4g / day, should only use each short course from 5-7 days, take a few days off before continuing.

Drugs should not be combined with licorice: