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Licorice root is not safe in large or frequent amounts for some adults, especially those over 40 or with cardiovascular risk factors or for singers with cardiovascular risk factors, because the compound glycyrrhizin can trigger low potassium, high blood pressure, and irregular heartbeat. If you notice heart palpitations, swelling, or unusual weakness after eating black licorice, stop immediately and check with a clinician or pharmacist before performing or continuing use.
TL;DR:
- Adults over 40, especially with cardiovascular issues or on certain medications, risk blood pressure and heart rhythm problems from glycyrrhizin in licorice.
- Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) offers a lower-risk alternative, but checking labels is essential as glycyrrhizin content varies across products.
- Short-term, topical remedies like saline sprays or honey tea are safer options for vocal relief and do not carry systemic risks.
- Anyone with symptoms like palpitations or weakness should stop licorice immediately and seek medical evaluation before resuming use.
- Regular intake of licorice root without medical oversight can subtly impair performance, especially in performers over 40 or with preexisting health conditions.
Glycyrrhizin itself is not the direct problem. Once absorbed, the body converts it into glycyrrhetic acid, which inhibits an enzyme called 11β-HSD2. According to a pharmacology review in the Journal of Medicinal Food, this inhibition lets cortisol act on receptors meant for a different hormone, producing effects that mimic excess aldosterone: the body holds onto sodium and water while flushing out potassium.
Even modest daily exposure to glycyrrhizin has been linked to low potassium and elevated blood pressure in people with existing cardiovascular risk, according to clinical guidance from NCCIH, a pattern with direct consequences for performers.
Age raises the stakes. Adults over 40 are more likely to already have borderline blood pressure, reduced kidney function, or be on medications that interact with glycyrrhizin, so the same dose that a healthy 25-year-old shrugs off can push an older adult into symptomatic territory.
Some singers simply should not experiment with licorice root, regardless of the form. If any of the following apply to you, treat licorice with caution and discuss with a clinician before use.
Not every licorice product carries the same risk, and understanding the differences matters more than avoiding the plant entirely.
Deglycyrrhizinated licorice, usually labeled DGL, has most of the glycyrrhizin removed during processing, which the NCCIH safety overview notes may make it a lower-risk option for limited periods. Labeling is inconsistent across brands, though, so “DGL” on a package does not guarantee a glycyrrhizin-free product; check the ingredient list or contact the manufacturer if you have a cardiac condition.
Natural licorice root, teas, and concentrated extracts tend to carry the highest glycyrrhizin potential. Anise-flavored black candies, common in the U.S., frequently contain none at all, according to the MSD Manual’s professional summary. Supplements fall somewhere in between, with content that varies widely by brand.
For short-term vocal comfort without the systemic risk, consider:
Pro Tip: Read the ingredient panel every time, even on a brand you have used before; glycyrrhizin content can differ batch to batch, especially in extracts and teas.
Before you reach for a licorice-based remedy ahead of a show, run through a short mental checklist. It takes a minute and can prevent a preventable problem onstage.
Pro Tip: If you are unsure whether a product contains real licorice or anise flavoring, treat it as if it does until you confirm the ingredient list; caution costs nothing, a mid-show arrhythmia costs everything.
For a deeper look at testing new herbal products before you rely on them professionally, our guide on testing herbal remedies before performances walks through a practical 48 to 72 hour trial window.
We built this guidance around publicly available clinical sources rather than guesswork, cross-referencing the pharmacology and the performance context together.
The conventional wisdom treats licorice root the way it treats honey or tea: a folk remedy with no real downside. That framing has quietly persisted for decades, and it is wrong for a meaningful slice of the population, particularly singers over 40 who already carry some cardiovascular risk and who need stable blood pressure and steady breath support to work.
What gets underestimated is not the extreme case, the rare cardiac arrest headline, but the subtler one: a performer who feels slightly weak, slightly short of breath, or a little lightheaded during a set and blames nerves or fatigue instead of a sodium and potassium shift building over two weeks of daily lozenges. That is the scenario the FDA’s warning was actually describing.
Our priority for any singer considering licorice is simple: read the label before you worry about the dose, and track cumulative intake across every product you use, not just the obvious ones. A remedy that soothes your throat today is not worth a rhythm problem on opening night.
— Golan
Given the real risks tied to glycyrrhizin, we built our product line around targeted, short-term vocal support rather than a one-size-fits-all herbal remedy.
These products are formulated for topical, short-term vocal relief and are not a substitute for medical care if you experience systemic symptoms like palpitations or swelling. For a full regimen built around recovery and routine care, explore our TMRG Voice Therapy Kits or browse individual drops and sprays on our product pages linked above.
Licorice root has traditional use for soothing digestive discomfort and throat irritation, and some reviews note anti-inflammatory properties in its bioactive compounds. These potential benefits come with the same glycyrrhizin-related risks described above, so benefits and risks need to be weighed together rather than considered separately, according to a broader pharmacology review.
Licorice root contains compounds that can interact with hormone pathways, though its clearly documented clinical effects center on mineralocorticoid-like activity rather than estrogen. If you have a hormone-sensitive condition or are pregnant, discuss licorice use with a clinician before continuing it, per NCCIH’s guidance on herb-drug interactions.
Deglycyrrhizinated licorice, or DGL, removes most of the glycyrrhizin responsible for licorice’s cardiovascular risks, making it a generally lower-risk option for limited use. Always confirm the label, since DGL products vary in how completely the glycyrrhizin has been removed.
Adults over 40 with high blood pressure, heart disease, or kidney disease, along with pregnant or breastfeeding people and anyone on diuretics, digoxin, corticosteroids, or blood pressure medications, should avoid licorice root or use it only under clinical supervision. These groups face the highest documented risk of low potassium and heart rhythm problems from glycyrrhizin.
The warning most people have heard traces back to a consumer advisory from the FDA, which noted that eating sustained daily servings of black licorice above small occasional amounts for a couple of weeks may raise the risk of irregular heart rhythm in some adults, especially those over 40 or with cardiovascular risk factors. This is a population-level caution, not a guaranteed personal limit. Some people react to far less, especially those with existing heart, kidney, or blood pressure conditions; others tolerate occasional servings without issue.
The confusion deepens because of labeling. In the United States, much of the candy sold as “black licorice” is actually anise-flavored and contains little or no glycyrrhizin, the compound responsible for the risk. Real licorice root extract, teas, and some supplements can carry meaningfully higher amounts.
What this means in practice:
