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Licorice root can soothe an irritated throat, and small clinical trials suggest it may ease sore throat and cough for a short time, but it supports your voice rather than curing a problem. The main safety caveat is glycyrrhizin, which can raise blood pressure and disturb heart rhythm with heavy or long-term use. Keep use brief, consider DGL, and put hydration and steam first.
TL;DR:
- In a trial of 100 smokers, licorice lozenges lowered cough after breathing tube removal to 24%, versus 52% among controls; singing performance was not tested.
- For short term throat comfort, gargle according to the label for about 20 seconds, spit it out, and use it roughly five minutes before singing.
- Glycyrrhizin can raise blood pressure and disrupt heart rhythm with heavy or prolonged use; DGL may be safer for up to four months.
- People who are pregnant should avoid swallowed licorice; those with heart or kidney disease or taking blood pressure medicine should consult a clinician first.
- Persistent hoarseness, a shrinking vocal range, or suspected structural injury calls for assessment by an ear, nose, and throat specialist, not more home remedies.
Most of the hard evidence on licorice and the throat comes from surgery clinics, not from stages or studios. That matters. Anesthesia tubes irritate the throat in a predictable way, which makes it easy to compare licorice with a placebo. The results are encouraging, but they describe sore throat and cough after intubation, not vocal fatigue after a performance.
Here is what the trials found:
24% vs. 52%: In a trial of 100 smokers, licorice lozenges cut postextubation cough to 24% compared with 52% in the control group, a reminder that licorice may bring real, if short-lived, throat comfort.
The Herbs for Voice database in the Journal of Voice documents the traditional herbs singers have reached for over the years and notes that many contain compounds with anti-inflammatory properties. That is a map of what singers use, not proof that each herb works on the vocal folds.
Safety guidance is just as clear. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health warns that licorice containing glycyrrhizin can cause serious adverse effects after large or long-term use, and that deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) may be safer for up to four months of use. We cover the details in the safety section below.
Voice clinicians tend to agree on the order of priorities. Water, humidity and steam come first because they act on the vocal folds themselves. Herbs sit in a supporting role. A review commentary on lost voices makes the same point: honey and lemon are mostly harmless but lack evidence as a cure, while humidifiers and steam are more directly useful because inhaled droplets reach the vocal folds.
So the honest summary is this: licorice has a credible, modest evidence base for throat comfort in other settings, a plausible mechanism, and a real safety footnote. It has no trial proving it improves singing performance.
Singers who use licorice may choose gargles, lozenges, or topical drops, with short-term contact as the common thread. The goal is to coat and soothe throat tissue, not to swallow large amounts.
A Chorus America clinician protocol describes singers gargling for roughly 20 seconds, several times a day, and especially about 5 minutes before singing or during an intermission. The timing makes sense: you want the coating effect present when you start, and a quick refresh at the break.
Lozenges are the second option. Pick a gentle formula and use it briefly. UT Southwestern voice-care guidance cautions against menthol or eucalyptus lozenges because they can dry the throat, and prefers glycerin-based lozenges for professional voice users. A licorice lozenge that also leans on menthol undermines its own purpose.
Topical drops and oils are the third route. Singers typically apply them in small amounts, while a gargle or ingested herbal product reaches the body differently. The distinction matters because licorice containing glycyrrhizin can pose cardiovascular risks, particularly with large or long-term use. Avoid swallowing large amounts, and use products cautiously. We explain the safety side more fully below, and our own article on licorice root risks for singers goes deeper on the cardiac angle.
Pro Tip: Test any new throat product on a rehearsal day, never on show night, so you learn how your body reacts before it counts.
One boundary holds across all three forms. If hoarseness lingers, licorice is not the answer. The NIDCD guidance on hoarseness notes that misusing the voice causes hoarseness, that voice rest and speech-language pathology may be needed for persistent problems, and that nodules, polyps or hemorrhage require medical assessment. A soothing gargle can mask a symptom that deserves a proper look.
Licorice is a food ingredient and a candy flavor, which makes it easy to forget that it is also pharmacologically active. The compound behind most of the concern is glycyrrhizin. According to NCCIH, licorice containing glycyrrhizin can cause irregular heartbeat, hypertension and, in some cases, cardiac arrest, and the risk rises with long-term or large-amount consumption.
About 250 grams per week: NCCIH reports that oral licorice extract consumption at roughly this level during pregnancy is unsafe and linked to premature delivery.
Who needs extra care:
Practical steps that keep you on the safer side:
Singers over 40 deserve a particular heads-up, because blood pressure and heart rhythm issues become more common with age and a performance adds adrenaline on top. That is the reasoning behind our dedicated piece on licorice root risks for singers. The thing to remember is that the benefits are modest and temporary, and the downside, though uncommon with sensible use, is not trivial. A cautious approach costs you almost nothing.
If you only change a few habits, change these. They have the strongest backing and the biggest payoff, and licorice works best as a small add-on to them.
NIDCD guidance on taking care of your voice points to hydration, roughly 64 ounces of water a day for adults, and steam or nebulization as among the most reliable methods for vocal recovery. The reason is anatomical. Swallowed liquids travel down the esophagus and never touch the vocal folds directly, while inhaled steam reaches them. Drinking water keeps you hydrated systemically, and steam delivers moisture where it counts. We lay out the method in our guide to steam inhalation for a resilient singing voice and the daily fluid side in hydration and vocal health.
Many voice teams prefer glycerin-based drops because they keep the mouth moist and reduce the urge to clear the throat, which is hard on the folds. UT Southwestern’s voice-care guidance names glycerin-based lozenges as preferred for professional voice users and warns against menthol and eucalyptus for their drying effect. Our overview of evidence-based voice sprays and natural solutions explains how to read those labels.
A vocal hygiene handout for singers from Johns Hopkins lists the measures that prevent most voice problems: stay hydrated, use amplification, warm up and cool down, avoid phonotraumatic behaviors such as shouting, manage reflux and allergies, and protect your sleep. Our step-by-step vocal hygiene checklist turns that into a routine.
Know when to stop self-treating. See an ENT physician or a speech-language pathologist if hoarseness persists, if your range shrinks, or if you suspect structural injury. Waiting it out with herbs can turn a small problem into a bigger one.
Our advice to performers is deliberately unglamorous. Treat licorice as a short-term comfort aid, never as a repair job. If your voice is struggling, hydrate, steam, rest, and get a clinician involved when the problem lingers. Reach for a licorice gargle or a gentle drop when you want soothing for a scratchy throat, follow the label, and avoid taking in high doses day after day. If you take blood pressure medication or have any heart concern, ask your doctor first. That conservative approach is why our guidance centers a singer’s safety and stamina rather than a quick fix, and it is the same standard we hold our own products to.
— Golan
Singers who want a ready-made routine can choose a TMRG product suited to their needs:
Use them alongside the basics: water through the day, steam before you sing, and a gentle warm-up. Follow the directions on each label, and check with a clinician first if you take blood pressure medication or if symptoms stick around. If you want a complete setup, our TMRG Voice Therapy Kits bring a routine together, so pick the product that matches your next show and order it today.
This article is general information, not a substitute for advice from a qualified doctor. Consult a qualified healthcare professional about your own circumstances before acting on anything here.
Daily use of licorice containing glycyrrhizin can raise blood pressure and affect heart rhythm, especially at large amounts or over a long period, according to NCCIH. If you want it in a routine, short-term topical use or DGL is the more cautious path, and your doctor should know about it.
Licorice can bring short-term throat comfort, and trials in surgical patients found it reduced sore throat and cough, as in the thoracic surgery gargle study. It has not been shown to improve singing itself, so treat it as a soothing extra rather than a vocal treatment.
Yes, licorice root has the sweet, slightly earthy flavor that gives licorice candy its character, and it tastes noticeably sweeter than its plain look suggests. Many candies use anise for the same flavor, so a label that says “licorice flavor” does not always mean real root.
Plain water is the reliable base, since steady hydration supports the voice, and NIDCD guidance suggests roughly 64 ounces a day for adults. Drinks do not touch the vocal folds directly, so pair them with steam inhalation for the most direct effect.
