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Beware Liquorice / Licorice!

Yithian

Parish Watch
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Joined
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Messages
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East of Suez
Liquorice risk to men's sex life

Men who eat too much liquorice could risk damaging their sex lives, according to a study.
Researchers from Iran have found that liquorice - used in sweets, chewing gum, toothpastes and herbal remedies - can lower testosterone.

Low levels of testosterone can affect libido and mood and may even increase the risks of sexual problems.

Speaking at the British Pharmaceutical conference in Harrogate, researchers urged men to be aware of the risks.

Dr Mahmoud Mosaddegh and colleagues at the Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences based their findings on a study of 20 healthy men.

Key ingredient

They were all given 1.3g of dried liquorice root extract everyday for 10 days.

The extract contained about 400mg of glycyrrhizic acid, which gives liquorice its distinctive taste.

Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences
The extract is used in popular herbal remedies. Manufacturers claim it can relieve cold, flu and allergy symptoms and may even help people with chronic fatigue or ulcers.

It is also found in smaller quantities in confectionery, toothpaste and some herbal teas. Cigarette and drugs manufacturers sometimes use it to improve the taste of their products.

Some brands of chewing gum can contain 24mg of glycyrrhizic acid while some herbal teas can contain up to 450mg per litre.

A report by the European Commission published earlier this year suggested that people should not consume any more than 100mg of glycyrrhizic acid a day.

The Iranian researchers took blood samples from the men involved in their study.

They found that the men all had significantly lower levels of testosterone than they would normally expect.

The findings backs up a previous study published in 1999. It also reported lower testosterone levels in men taking liquorice.

However, other studies have found no such link.

Nevertheless, Dr Mosaddegh said men should avoid consuming large amounts of liquorice and in particular liquorice herbal remedies.

"Liquorice root extract is a popular treatment, traditionally used for treatment of gastrointestinal disorders but until further data are available we would advise caution in use of the extract."

But he added: "More research is needed to assess the hormonal effects of liquorice." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3112606.stm

EDIT: Link to source added.
 
If you eat too much it can act as a laxative, as well.
:D
 
Hahahaha, my ex mother in law used to like Pomfret cakes and I once spotted some half-price and bought them. The shop assistant said, 'They are a laxative, you know!' to which I replied, 'In that case I'll take two boxes!' ;)
 
Where did you source that one from Yithian?
Do you have a link?

My mom wouldn't let me have liquorice as a kid 'cos she always said it would make me pee the bed.

At one time, if you knew the right people, you could buy (usually red) liquorice ropes impregnated with Lysergic Acid, which is the origin of the rather cryptic line in Wayne's World 2 where Garth gets up on stage and announces something like 'Watch out guys, there's some bad red liquorice around'.
 
Ha! A challenge is it? When I've finished off Bertie Bassett with my
mouth, I'm still game for all comers. :p
 
James Whitehead said:
Ha! A challenge is it? When I've finished off Bertie Bassett with my
mouth, I'm still game for all comers. :p

Takes away the taste of the liquorice does it James?
 
Liquorish first and aniseed after. :p

PS: I plead diminished responsibility for both these posts. I seem to have been
temporarily possessed by the spirit of the ritual Lionel Blair joke
on ISIHAC. :rolleyes:
 
Seems like the research isn't that new after all, someone I know on another board has some info on it on their website:

http://gidinfo.home.comcast.net/herbal.htm

Licorice - also has lots of phytoestrogenic compounds but side effects and long term toxicity preclude it's value as a Hormone Replacer. In fact, it is one of the very few plants that has a direct hormonal action in the human body (source). It's generally used short-term as a treatment for Asthma or other bronchial problems in that it acts as an expectorant. It also can cause high blood pressure if used for extended periods.

[following information added 4 January 2002]

Here are some additional cautionary notes on the over-use of Licorice (glycyrrhiza glabra):

Licorice can act as an anti-coagulant, preventing blood clots. This can be a benefit for someone who is prone to thrombosis (a potential risk of taking exogenous estrogen compounds). However, it also leaves the person risk to hemmorraging and hematomas. "Glycyrrhizin prolonged thrombin and fibrinogen clotting times, and inhibited thrombin-induced, but not collagen-, PAF- or convulxin-induced platelet aggregation." Francischetti IM, Monteiro RQ, Guimaraes JA, Francischetti B. Department of Medical Biochemistry, ICB/CCS, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (source)

Licorice acts as a corticosteroid and abuse or long term use has similar effects, one of which can be corticosteroid-induced Cushing's Syndrome. "Urine cortisol excretion more than doubled (33 to 83 microgm) in 10 of 13 people taking 100 or 200 g licorice for 1-4 weeks. Levels typical of Cushing's syndrome were seen in 7 subjects and remained high for a week after licorice stopped." Epstein MT, Espiner EA, Donald RA, Hughes H, Cowles RJ, Lun S. (source)

Lowered potassium levels, increased thirst, increased blood pressure, and a craving for salty foods are also common with Licorice abuse. "Increases in potassium loss, water intake and appetite for salt were found after glycyrrhizic acid blocking of 11 beta-OHSD (EC 1.1.1.146) in rats. Results resembled effect of mineralocorticoid" Cooney AS, Fitzsimons JT. Physiological Laboratory, Cambridge, UK. (source)

ANDROGEN BLOCKERS

Licorice - "Testosterone decreased 35% and 17-hydroxyprogesterone increased 21% in 7 men taking 7 g/d licorice (500 mg glycyrrhizic acid) for a week; returning to normal 4 days later. This indicates inhibition of 17B-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17,20-lyase" Armanini D, Bonanni G, Palermo M.(source)
 
Lordy!

I don't get the impression that today's youngsters are such enthusiastic
licorice eaters as we used to be. Blackjacks and bootlaces, allsorts and
red "Spanish" were all popular pennyworths.

Quite how much actual licorice root these confections actually contain or
contained I don't know.

Are there accounts of children exhibiting symptoms traced to over-use of the
black root?

more details about Cushing's Syndrome here:
http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/endo/pubs/cushings/cushings.htm

:confused:
 
Thank the Gods I hate the stuff! :D I tried some of the root in Zanzibar, but it was all ants...:cross eye
 
The BF's school field had a liquorice tree growing, from which kids would pick a twig to chew. He said it was very nice fresh.

My father gave up his heavy smoking habit some years back and took to sucking dried liquorice sticks which we buy from wholefood shops. I've tried this but as I have teeth unlike Da I tend to chew the stick, leaving a disgusting soggy end. Tastes lovely though.

Where can I get a liquorice plant to grow for myself? I'd love one.
 
... Licorice - also has lots of phytoestrogenic compounds but side effects and long term toxicity preclude it's value as a Hormone Replacer. In fact, it is one of the very few plants that has a direct hormonal action in the human body (source). ... It also can cause high blood pressure if used for extended periods.

Lowered potassium levels, increased thirst, increased blood pressure, and a craving for salty foods are also common with Licorice abuse. ...

Here's an illustration of the blood pressure effects ...
Man Ends Up in the ER After 'Overdosing' on Licorice Tea

A man in Canada "overdosed" on licorice by drinking too much licorice tea, which caused his blood pressure to soar to dangerous levels, according to a new report of the case.

The 84-year-old man went to the emergency room (ER) after he took his blood pressure at home and noticed very high readings. He was also experiencing headache, sensitivity to light, chest pain and fatigue, along with swelling in his calves, according to the report, published today (May 27) in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

At the ER, the man's systolic blood pressure (the "top" number on a blood pressure reading) was nearly 200 mm Hg. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg. Doctors consider any blood pressure measurement above 180 for systolic blood pressure (or above 120 for diastolic blood pressure, the "bottom" number on a reading) to be a hypertensive crisis that requires immediate medical care. ...

Doctors at McGill University in Montreal treated the man with several medications to lower his high blood pressure, and his symptoms improved over the next 24 hours.

Later, the man told doctors that he had been drinking one to two glasses of homemade licorice tea a day for the last two weeks. This type of tea is made from the roots of the licorice plant, Glycyrrhiza glabra. It is a popular drink in Egypt, where it is known as "erk sous," the authors wrote in the study. ...

FULL STORY: https://www.livescience.com/65568-licorice-overdose-high-blood-pressure.html

PUBLISHED REPORT: http://www.cmaj.ca/content/191/21/E581
 
Yithian said:
...the Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences...

...a study of 20 men.

...for 10 days.

l think we’re quite safe.

1175232.jpg


maximus otter
 
I drink Liquorice and mint tea- there is a warning on the box not to drink more than 2 a day.

it is much nicer than it sounds.
 
Prisoners in swedish prisons are not allowed liqourice. Apparently it causes false positives in drug tests.
 
Fortunately the one foodstuff in my life I have hated man and boy is liquorice.

Actually that's not true - add tripe and jellied eels.
 
My sister loves the stuff - liquorice that is, not tripe or jellied eels - but she admits that consuming too much of it can produce unpleasant side effects. Every time I visit her I bring a stash of liquorice as a gift. I'm not a fan so she's welcome to it.
 
It's interesting that the stuff produces such extreme reactions!

It was once a force in the land, as I discovered on a project, some while back!

Spanish! It is many times sweeter than sugar. Pip kept it under his bed, before his bottle was re-purposed
for Magwitch's brandy! :hunger:
 
I've never been a great fan, particularly of licorice allsorts, though at school we used to be able to buy Choo Choo bars which everyone ate and I quite liked. It was quite easy to cement your upper and lower teeth together with these things. Seems you can still buy them too. As for Swedish salted licorice... vile stuff.
choochoo.png
 
I love liquorice, but I'm not allowed to have it.
 
What's the difference between red liquorice and black liquorice? Apart from the colour, obvs. Does the red variety have the same side effects?
 
What's the difference between red liquorice and black liquorice? Apart from the colour, obvs. Does the red variety have the same side effects?
The red stuff isn't actually liquorice (I think).
 
I only discovered the other day that the red colouring in some sweets is made of crushed insects: carmine / E120.

Not the red 'bootlaces' / 'firemen's hoses' mind you.
 
What's the difference between red liquorice and black liquorice? Apart from the colour, obvs. Does the red variety have the same side effects?

By and large, red liquorice is called "liquorice" based solely on appearance and texture rather than the inclusion of liquorice root extract or anise. However, there are red versions that include one or both these hallmark ingredients.

It's therefore reasonably safe to say most red liquorice products don't involve the blood pressure (etc.) risks of consuming too much liquorice plant extract.

... Which is not to say that red liquorice is necessarily 'better fo you'. :evillaugh:
 
The red stuff isn't actually liquorice (I think).

The Wikipedia page supports your view.

I do remember red "Spanish" flat strings and "bootlaces" which certainly tasted of liquorice. A darker red was certainly the colour of aniseed balls, with a related flavour. In those days, when you reached the centre of an aniseed ball, you reached a real seed! Even black liquorice can, it seems, be flavoured with things other than the celebrated root.

I love fennel, aniseed and related tastes so I am curious now to taste some of the salted liquorice which so divides opinion. I'm guessing that I will like it. :hunger:
 
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