In most cases, eliminating licorice from your diet can resolve pseudohyperaldosteronism within a few weeks or months. This leads more cortisol to bind to its receptor and exert its effects in the body that lead to pseudohyperaldosteronism. Your body converts glycyrrhizic acid to glycyrrhetinic acid, which medical specialists agree is relatively harmless in small amounts ( 1).īut in large amounts, glycyrrhetinic acid and its digestive by-products inhibit an enzyme that helps your body from converting active cortisol into inactive cortisone ( 4). Glycyrrhizic acid is reported to be 50 times sweeter than sucrose, or table sugar ( 3). This acid gives licorice candy its sweetness. Licorice contains a compound called glycyrrhizic acid. How do the compounds in black licorice affect your body? Several case reports have linked excessive daily black licorice consumption to a condition called pseudohyperaldosteronism, which can be deadly. She followed the doctor’s orders and several months later, her blood pressure was managed and her lab results - including potassium - were all within normal limits. She was instructed to eliminate licorice from her diet and eat a potassium-rich diet and take potassium supplements to treat her low potassium levels. She reported eating 1–2 packages of black licorice daily for 4 years after she stopped smoking.Īfter further medical workup, the doctor diagnosed her with pseudohyperaldosteronism related to excessive black licorice consumption. She proved unresponsive to blood pressure-lowering medications ( 3). He was also eating 1–2 large packages per day.Īn earlier case report from 2008 discussed a similar incident in which a 55-year-old woman arrived at a clinic with low potassium levels and high blood pressure. Pseudohyperaldosteronism is a condition characterized by high blood pressure, low potassium blood levels, a disturbance in your body’s blood acid-base balance, and low levels of renin, an enzyme that regulates blood pressure ( 2).Ī discussion with the man’s family revealed that 3 weeks prior, he had switched from snacking on fruit-flavored soft candy to black licorice. This suggests that excess black licorice intake had triggered ventricular fibrillation. The doctor concluded the patient died of pseudohyperaldosteronism, a medical condition wherein your body mimics the effects of elevated aldosterone with high blood pressure. The man was rushed to the hospital but died 32 hours later after experiencing electrolyte imbalances and multiorgan failure. 23, 2020 - involved a 54-year-old man who had been in a fast-food restaurant when he suddenly lost consciousness ( 1).Įmergency medical personnel arrived at the restaurant and identified that the man was experiencing ventricular fibrillation, a serious type of irregular heartbeat. The most recent report - published on Sept. Several case reports show that daily black licorice consumption leads to a condition called pseudohyperaldosteronism, which can be lethal if untreated. It does not store any personal data.Reports of people dying from eating too much black licorice are few and far between, but they do exist. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly.
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