How to Take Licorice for Health
Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is also known as sweet root. It is a perennial legume that grows 3 to 7 feet high. It is native to southern Europe and Asia. The roots are used medicinally. The following steps will help you decide whether or not to take this herbal supplement.
1
Read about the historical uses of licorice. It has been used in Eastern and Western medicine for thousands of years to treat a wide range of ailments, especially as a coating agent and expectorant.
2
Look at the modern uses of licorice. It is commonly used in cough syrups, and a synthetic form is often prescribed in Europe and Japan for stomach ulcers. Licorice with the glycyrrhizin removed is used instead in the United States.
3
Study the serious effects of licorice even in moderate amounts. Glycyrrhizin is one of the active ingredients in licorice and can cause fatigue, headaches, high blood pressure and even heart attacks.
4
Use licorice supplements only as directed by a health care provider. Licorice should not be taken for longer than four to six weeks and is contraindicated in patients with high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, kidney, heart or liver problems. It must also be avoided by pregnant and nursing women or men with sexual dysfunctions.
5
Take no more than the recommended dosage. Licorice as a supplement is normally standardized to 20 percent glycyrrhizinic acid and commonly given in capsules of 250 to 500 mg, three times per day.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2068084_take-licorice-health.html
Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is also known as sweet root. It is a perennial legume that grows 3 to 7 feet high. It is native to southern Europe and Asia. The roots are used medicinally. The following steps will help you decide whether or not to take this herbal supplement.
1
Read about the historical uses of licorice. It has been used in Eastern and Western medicine for thousands of years to treat a wide range of ailments, especially as a coating agent and expectorant.
2
Look at the modern uses of licorice. It is commonly used in cough syrups, and a synthetic form is often prescribed in Europe and Japan for stomach ulcers. Licorice with the glycyrrhizin removed is used instead in the United States.
3
Study the serious effects of licorice even in moderate amounts. Glycyrrhizin is one of the active ingredients in licorice and can cause fatigue, headaches, high blood pressure and even heart attacks.
4
Use licorice supplements only as directed by a health care provider. Licorice should not be taken for longer than four to six weeks and is contraindicated in patients with high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, kidney, heart or liver problems. It must also be avoided by pregnant and nursing women or men with sexual dysfunctions.
5
Take no more than the recommended dosage. Licorice as a supplement is normally standardized to 20 percent glycyrrhizinic acid and commonly given in capsules of 250 to 500 mg, three times per day.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2068084_take-licorice-health.html
