Licorice Root: Glycyrrhizin, Forms, and Label Guide

Licorice Root comes from Glycyrrhiza species including G. glabra, G. uralensis, and G. inflata. Supplement labels may identify the root, root and rhizome, powder, liquid preparation, or extract. Species and preparation can matter, so the complete ingredient line is more useful than the common name alone. ¹

Ordinary Licorice Root contains glycyrrhizin, also called glycyrrhizic acid. This constituent drives the best-established blood-pressure, potassium, fluid-balance, and heart-rhythm concerns. A label showing 500 mg of root or extract does not automatically show how much glycyrrhizin that serving provides. ²

DGL Licorice is processed to remove most glycyrrhizin and should remain a separate ingredient. If the label says only Licorice Root or Licorice Root Extract, do not assume it is DGL.

The largest milligram number is not automatically the most informative label. First identify the material being weighed, then look for a concentration ratio or a separately declared constituent.

Licorice labels can combine a plant amount, an extract amount, a root equivalent, and a glycyrrhizin percentage. Those numbers describe different things. Compare products only after identifying the basis of each number and the serving it belongs to.

A practical Licorice Root label check

1. Confirm ordinary Licorice Root versus DGL.
2. Record the species and whether the plant part is root, rhizome, or both.
3. Separate powder, generic extract, extract ratio, and standardization wording.
4. Read the amount per full serving and then read suggested frequency separately.
5. Look for glycyrrhizin or glycyrrhizic acid in milligrams or as a percentage.
6. Do not treat a total herbal-blend weight as the individual Licorice Root amount.

For the broader method, read How to Read Supplement Labels.

Ordinary Licorice Root can appear in digestive, throat, respiratory, energy, adrenal-support, or traditional herbal formulas. A separate DGL product does not remove the ordinary licorice exposure disclosed elsewhere in the supplement stack.

Licorice is also paired with ingredients such as Marshmallow Root, Slippery Elm, or Dandelion Root. Each needs its own amount and serving context. A botanical blend can be long and still leave the Licorice Root contribution undisclosed.

Health Canada’s current monograph separates dried root quantities from standardized products that disclose glycyrrhizin. That separation is useful when reading retail labels: root mass, extract mass, root equivalent, and glycyrrhizin exposure should not be treated as one interchangeable dose. ¹

Duration also matters. The same monograph directs users to seek professional guidance for use beyond four weeks, while NCCIH warns that larger or longer glycyrrhizin exposure increases the risk of serious adverse effects. A low-looking root amount is not an automatic safety signal when marker content and total daily exposure are unknown. ^{1, 2}

Do not use a single root-milligram cutoff as a universal safe amount. Species, preparation, marker content, frequency, duration, other sources, medicines, and personal risk factors can all change the context.

NCCIH reports that glycyrrhizin can cause serious adverse effects, including irregular heart rhythm, particularly with larger or longer exposure. People with high blood pressure, high salt intake, or heart or kidney conditions may be more vulnerable. Interactions with corticosteroids have also been reported. ²

In a small randomized crossover trial, 100 mg of glycyrrhizic acid per day for two weeks increased home systolic blood pressure in healthy adults. An earlier meta-analysis also associated sustained intake of products providing at least 100 mg per day with higher blood pressure and lower potassium. These findings do not turn 100 mg into a personal threshold or a target. ^{3, 4}

Health Canada’s monograph says not to use ordinary licorice in pregnancy or with hypokalemia, high blood pressure, or kidney, liver, or cardiovascular disorders. It also lists heart medicines, corticosteroids, stimulant laxatives, and other products that may contribute to electrolyte imbalance. A product labeled natural, balanced, gentle, or adrenal support does not override those limits. ¹