Video summary
Stress contributes significantly to weight gain by triggering the release of cortisol, a hormone that promotes fat storage, particularly in the abdominal area. While managing stress is the ideal solution, dietary modifications can also help mitigate these effects. One specific compound found in licorice called glycyrrhetinic acid appears to block the enzyme responsible for activating cortisol within body fat cells. Research conducted in Italy demonstrated that applying this compound topically to the skin could reduce the thickness of superficial fat layers and improve cellulite, suggesting a potential mechanism for weight management without invasive procedures.
However, consuming licorice orally presents a complex trade-off between fat loss and fluid retention. Studies indicate that while licorice can effectively burn body fat, it simultaneously causes the kidneys to retain water and sodium by blocking an enzyme that normally deactivates cortisol. This dual action often results in little to no change in overall body weight because the loss of fat is offset by the gain in water mass. Furthermore, this interference with kidney function leads to potassium depletion, which can cause muscle weakness and dangerous heart rhythm abnormalities. The FDA has issued warnings stating that consuming large amounts of black licorice, such as two ounces daily for over two weeks, could lead to severe health complications requiring hospitalization.
The risks associated with licorice consumption are particularly high for specific groups, including individuals with hypertension, pregnant women, and the elderly. High intake can cause blood pressure to spike dangerously, potentially leading to comas, while use during pregnancy is linked to preterm delivery and cognitive issues in infants. Additionally, licorice negatively impacts testosterone production in men, causing a significant drop in levels within just a few days of high consumption. Because glycyrrhizin content varies wildly between products—ranging from artificially flavored candies with little real licorice to herbal teas with unpredictable potency—determining a truly safe dosage is difficult. Consequently, while small amounts might be tolerated by some, experts generally advise caution, suggesting that regular consumption should be limited to very low quantities or avoided entirely by those with underlying health conditions.
Read the full video transcript
[music]
>> The three ways to alleviate the
fattening effects of stress are number
one, treat the cause by alleviating the
stress.
If that's not possible, you can number
two, modify your diet to lower the
production of the adrenal stress hormone
cortisol, as I described in my video on
the effect of animal protein on adrenal
function.
And if all else fails, you can number
three, try to block the effects of
cortisol on our fat cells. If you drip
cortisone onto fat samples taken deep
inside people undergoing abdominal
surgery, you can accelerate the
formation and growth of new fat cells.
But you can disrupt this process with a
compound that blocks the enzyme that
activates cortisol in body fat.
The compound is called glycyrrhetinic
acid, which is what our gut bacteria
make and ferry into our bloodstream when
we eat glycyrrhizin.
Any guesses as to where in our diet
glycyrrhizin is found? I'll give you a
hint. It derives from the Greek words
glykos, meaning sweet, and rhiza,
meaning root.
We may be able to block some of the
effects of cortisol in our body fat when
we eat licorice.
What works to slim fat cells in a petri
dish or mice in a lab may not work in a
person, but the licorice compound
appears to work even when just applied
to the skin.
Researchers in Italy tried rubbing the
licorice compound on women's thighs to
see if it would help with cellulite.
After a month of application, the
thickness of the superficial fat layer
on their thighs, as measured by
ultrasound, was significantly reduced.
The reason we know it wasn't just due to
massaging it in is because there was no
change on the control thigh or among the
women that rubbed on placebos. The
difference was only a few millimeters,
but the researchers suggested it could
be a gentler alternative to cosmetic
surgery.
What about eating licorice or or
drinking licorice tea? Dozens of trials
have been published on the effects of
various licorice preparations on weight
loss, and overall, there's just a small
effect, about a pound of extra weight
loss over a month or two compared to
placebo. And one reason it may not be
higher is that licorice causes you to
lose body fat, but retain water. Check
this out. After 2 months on licorice, no
change in overall weight, but the women
dropped their percentage fat mass by
nearly 3% at the same time, though,
increasing their water retention by
about the same amount.
Then when they stopped the licorice,
they lost the water, but gained back the
fat. Licorice can cause you to burn so
much fat the surface of your abdomen
heats up a degree within an hour of
consumption, but it has the opposite
effect on cortisol in your kidneys,
which it turns out is actually a
problem. In body fat, licorice blocks an
enzyme that activates cortisol, but in
our kidneys, licorice blocks a different
enzyme that deactivates cortisol,
causing your kidneys to hold on to extra
water and sodium, and to lose potassium.
If you lose too much potassium, it can
cause weakness and abnormal heart
rhythms, which is why the FDA sent out a
consumer advisory warning if you're 40
or older eating 2 oz of black licorice a
day for at least 2 weeks could land you
in the hospital with an irregular heart
rhythm. No matter what your age, don't
eat large amounts of black licorice at
one time. If you have been eating a lot
of black licorice and have an irregular
heart rhythm or muscle weakness, stop
eating it immediately and contact your
health care provider.
Uh just because licorice is one of the
oldest and most popular herbal medicines
in the world doesn't mean it's safe to
eat in large amounts.
The retention of fluid and sodium can
lead to blood pressure elevation, less
than 2 oz of licorice a day. The regular
consumption of just a few ounces a day
can land you in the hospital in a coma
with a blood pressure of 200 over 140.
As many as 3% of hospitalizations due to
high blood pressure are caused by
licorice.
Those with hypertension should probably
avoid licorice completely, as should
pregnant women, as licorice use during
pregnancy is associated with preterm
delivery and infant cognitive
dysfunction.
For non-pregnant individuals with normal
blood pressure, what would be a safe
dose?
The problem is that glycyrrhizin levels
vary in different licorice products, and
some people are more sensitive than
others.
Now, a lot of licorice sold in the US
doesn't even have any true licorice, and
instead artificially flavored or cut
with anise oil.
Uh So, ironically, it's the black
licorice you might find it at natural
food store that may pose the greatest
concern.
Including a broad safety factor,
European Scientific Food Committee
suggests regular consumption of no more
than 6 g of genuine licorice candy a
day.
A Hershey-funded study found that
hard-coded licorice candies have 0.06 mg
per gram. Um presuming that's referring
to Good & Plenty, the limit would be
about a box a day.
Licorice tea allows you to access the
herb without all the crap in candy, but
a study of 33 brands found such varying
levels of glycyrrhizin that the safe
daily dose ranges from just a 10th of a
cup up to 20 cups a day.
A life-threatening arrhythmia reported
in a case entitled Dying for a cup of
tea was in a woman who was drinking 15
bags a day.
Based on the average level, a half a cup
of licorice tea should be safe for most
people, though it's not clear that that
would be enough to have a fat-reducing
effect, which is why licorice never made
it into my book how not to diet.
Finally, cortisol isn't the only steroid
hormone licorice can muck with. It also
interferes with the production of
testosterone. Feed men the equivalent of
about 50 boxes of Good & Plenty, 9 oz of
black licorice, or just a tablespoon of
licorice root powder every day, and they
experience a 44% drop in testosterone
levels within 4 days. The blood levels
bounced back within 4 days of stopping.
The researchers suggest men with high
blood pressure or decreased libido
should be questioned about their
licorice habits.