Licorice Root Cautions

LICORICE CANDY is OKAY, but licorice root as an herbal therapy does not mix well with drugs which cause potassium loss (diuretics/ water pills) or Oral Contraceptives and some cardiac medications. A woman on The Pill who uses licorice root may retain water and risk hypertension. Someone using diuretics or digoxin (cardiac)who takes licorice root may experience excessive potassium loss with increased risk of drug toxicity. People taking corticosteroids (for skin disorders, colitis or Crohn´s disease, among others) should avoid licorice root because it may interfere with the drugs´ effectiveness. There is not enough licorice in licorice candy to cause these problems.