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Experiences with licorice?

Basilico

Florida
Messages
948
I've not used it for that purpose, but it is really good for increasing the stomach mucosal lining; if I get a 'burning stomach' feeling, I take either DGL or actual licorice that I bought oversees and my stomach feels better pretty quickly.
 

Basilico

Florida
Messages
948
Licorice didn't seem to have any effect in terms of cortisol on either me or my husband. He and I both have low blood pressure issues, and it has sometimes helped to normalize that a bit.

Have you tried phosphatidylserine? A few years ago, my husband's holistic doctor suggested that he use that to reverse his screwed up cortisol (too low in morning, too high at night). It didn't do much for my husband, but it seems to help other people.
 

JaimeS

Senior Member
Messages
3,408
Location
Silicon Valley, CA
I use a blend that has licorice sometimes, to block cortisol. Cortisol seems to have a pretty adverse effect on me.

I don't take it regularly, and don't need to. Definitely one of those things where I take it when I get a particular symptom-picture or need a little 'extra' help, rather than something I do every day. If I do try to 'up' it when I'm not feeling those symptoms, it actually makes me feel a little worse.

-j
 
Messages
73
@Basilico yes I have tried that but many years ago. I'm afraid to try things because my symptoms are all over the place. Right now it's mostly profound exhaustion. I might give it a try again if I get the evening cortisol surges again.
 

Chocolove

Tournament of the Phoenix - Rise Again
Messages
548
Guess I'd better research all these effects first.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/522282-licorice-cortisol/

http://www.blueprintfitness.co.uk/bad-reactions-to-licorice-root-the-three-types/

https://academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...etinic-Acid-on-Plasma?redirectedFrom=fulltext

EXCESSIVE ingestion of licorice may result in sodium and water retention, hypertension, hypokalemia, and suppression of the renin-aldosterone system.1 , 2

...He was admitted to our clinic to be evaluated for possible mineralocorticoid excess due to factors other than aldosterone. Further history taking, however, revealed that he had been eating 60 to 100 g of licorice candies, each weighing 2.5 g (Panda, Vaajakoski, Finland), daily for the past four to five years...

Stewart et al.4 have proposed that licorice acts by inhibiting Cortisol oxidase, a component of the widely distributed 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase system that converts Cortisol to cortisone, producing a state of apparent mineralocorticoid excess similar to that in children with 11/3-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency5

Epstein et al.9 studied several subjects with a history of chronic licorice ingestion and found that the renin-aldosterone axis was suppressed while the subjects were taking licorice, but normal function resumed within two to four months after licorice was discontinued.

Licorice-Induced Hypermineralocorticoidism
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199110243251706#t=article
 

Little Bluestem

All Good Things Must Come to an End
Messages
4,930
I rotated licorice root with some other adaptogen-type herbs for several years. Then one day I took it and it made me hyper in just a day or two. I rotated on to the next thing.

The next time licorice root came around, I decided to try it at half the dose. That took 3 or 4 days to be a problem.

Now I only take it when I have the occasional extra-demanding day.
 

Shoshana

Northern USA
Messages
6,035
Location
Northern USA
I tried licorice root tea.

It is not to be used by people with high blood pressure, but can help some of us a little,
who have LOW blood pressure.

It is not the candy at all, and was a pleasant sweet flavor, by itself, though.

I forgot about it.
I cannot remember if I had a reason I stopped, or if I just forgot about it.:thumbdown:
I can't remember,
but now that I see it here, I might consider trying it again.

It didn't cure anything, obviously,
or I WOULD remember that! ;)

Maybe that is why I gave up on it, back a while when I maybe did.
 
Messages
73
@Shoshana I tried some licorice tea today and didn't really notice any difference. I had my blood pressure taken at the doctor today and it was low as usual. Maybe it would have been lower without the tea, I don't know.
 

Shoshana

Northern USA
Messages
6,035
Location
Northern USA
Hi @soundasacrystal

I don't know but are you sure it is "licorice root tea" and not just a licorice-flavored tea, that you had?

I do remember I also did buy a very good brand , for some things , that does make a difference too.

Just ideas. I don't know how it effects different people.
Good to see you around here again!
 

Helen

Senior Member
Messages
2,243
I use a blend that has licorice sometimes, to block cortisol. Cortisol seems to have a pretty adverse effect on me.

I don't take it regularly, and don't need to. Definitely one of those things where I take it when I get a particular symptom-picture or need a little 'extra' help, rather than something I do every day. If I do try to 'up' it when I'm not feeling those symptoms, it actually makes me feel a little wors
I have experimented with licorice to temporarily get some more energy, as I have had low numbers of cortisol in all tests . I did it as licorice blocks the break down of cortisol which makes it last longer in the body.

After having read the study by Wilfred De Vega I`m more careful with the licorice as I would like to better understand how the findings could have an impact on me and others. I surely have some kind of cortisol issue. I have at least one of the SNP´s that they found related to cortisol sensitivity (GSTM1 deletion) among people wiith ME. Did you have a look at the study? It would be interesting to get your thoughts on it.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5324230/

http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...nsitivity-in-myalgic-encephalomyelitis.49460/
 
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JaimeS

Senior Member
Messages
3,408
Location
Silicon Valley, CA
@Helen

I spoke to Will and asked for his input re: that article and he said "get back to me at the end of February" -- but this was when I was working for #MEAction, and now I'm not except on tiny projects. At the IACFS/ME Conference, I heard this team speak about research into glucocorticoids in ME/CFS, and I've had such intense reactions to corticoids (both endogenous and exogenous) that I knew I was sensitive to them before this research. 'Neurotoxic' -- which they used to describe corticoids -- is an accurate reflection of my experience.

That said, the chemicals in licorice may block the receptor temporarily. I don't have an intense (or anything like an intense) reaction from these, even though I have pretty horrific reactions to cortisol. However, caveat emptor. Always be careful with trying new things in this illness!
 

Helen

Senior Member
Messages
2,243
@JaimeS

Thanks for your comments. Agree to cautiousness.
I`m very much interested in this subject as I got sick after, a.o., high doses of cortisone. I´m definitely sensitive to cortisone too. Though we just may be cautious, there are also acute conditions when we could be medicated with corticosteroids.

I´m allergic to wasp stings and I´m prescribed adrenaline and a high dose of cortisone to take immedeatly after a sting. I´m not sure what the implications would be if I belong to the subgroup of PWME that Will et.al. has identified.
I´d very much like to know if I do, or not.
 

Helen

Senior Member
Messages
2,243
If you react badly to cortisol now, then you are likely in the subset.
I´m not quite sure yet as I have the CYP3A4 that slows down the metabolism of 50-60% of all drugs, including cortisone. Having this CYP should be enough to get adverse reactions if you don´t lower the dosage. If I have the SNP´s mentioned in the study as well, then I think I have to be really cautious and to get a doctor´s help with a plan for emergency.

I´ve been in contact with Will before the study was published, and I think I´ll send him another e-mail as I´d like to ask some questions that would include questions about licorice, but also if it´s possible to act based on the results from their study, Until there might be a treatment as they hoped to develop, we probably should be prepared in case of an acute need of corticosteroids.
 

The Chronicals

The '59 Sound
Messages
65
Location
London
I find licorice confusing. Dr Neville at Clymer uses it as part of his standard protocol (along with ACE, Glandulars). I have managed to consume one teabag made licorice tea ..but anything bigger than that sends me hyper and into a crash.

Maybe the key would be a day on and day off? It's something im trying at the moment.

Licorice does affect MNDA receptors I recall which could be part of it. Although strictly not a symptom, when my cortisol is getting very low (shivering, dizzy) a cup of it can bring me out of a potential crash - but to much can send me into an adrenaline crash which is far worse!
 

JaimeS

Senior Member
Messages
3,408
Location
Silicon Valley, CA
We talked about how it is a cortisol blocker. Often, when something fits into the same receptor as something else, it provokes an effect that is similar to that chemical. However, the intensity of that effect may be much decreased.

If your cortisol is low, it may help by filling some cortisol receptors and provoking a gentle effect. Too much may produce the 'adrenaline crash' you're describing, @The Chronicals . ME patients seem quite sensitive to small shifts that wouldn't perturb the system of a healthy person.

All conjecture; while I know that the effect I described is an actual thing re: receptors, I have no idea if that's what's going on here. Just a thought.
 

The Chronicals

The '59 Sound
Messages
65
Location
London
We talked about how it is a cortisol blocker. Often, when something fits into the same receptor as something else, it provokes an effect that is similar to that chemical. However, the intensity of that effect may be much decreased.

If your cortisol is low, it may help by filling some cortisol receptors and provoking a gentle effect. Too much may produce the 'adrenaline crash' you're describing, [B]@The Chronicals[/B] . ME patients seem quite sensitive to small shifts that wouldn't perturb the system of a healthy person.

Ain't that the truth. I cant even handle lemon water most days - too stimulating!

I think the link is with low cortisol and sensitivities, there is no buffer for foreign substances, high inflammation, no anti inflammation - hence why many of us low cortisol people react to simple things like perfume etc...but also with heightened receptors as part of the HPA dysfunction, causes physiological responses without the need for a foreign substance.