Over consumption of licorice tea may have harmful side effects

Excessive consumption of the popular herbal beverage, licorice tea may have harmful side effects like high blood pressure and reduced potassium levels.

As per the case study published in Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), consumption of licorice tea made from licorice roots resulted in high blood pressure in an 84-year old man.

Licorice tea (Amazon.com)

Jean-Pierre Falet from McGill University in Canada said: “Excessive amounts of some herbal products can have harmful side effects”.

Licorice tea side effects : Products containing licorice root extract can raise blood pressure, cause water retention and decrease potassium levels if consumed in excess”.

According to the researchers, the old man visited emergency department and complained of high blood pressure. His blood pressure was very high with other symptoms of headache, light sensitivity, chest pain, fatigue and fluid retention in the calves.

The patient had a history of high blood pressure and he told physicians that he was drinking one to two glasses of homemade licorice extract daily known as erk sous two weeks before he was in emergency.

Licorice tea is popular in the Middle East and parts of Europe, and erk sous is especially popular in Egypt during Ramadan.

Falet said: “Physicians should consider screening for licorice root intake in patients with difficult-to-control hypertension,”.