Licorice in Tea Blends: Hidden Licorice, Blood Pressure and Potassium
Licorice root can hide in herbal tea blends. What NIH, the EU herbal committee and published case reports say about blood pressure, potassium and medicines, and what to check on a label.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Supplements can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read mushroom safety and interactions before you use any mushroom product.
Read this first. Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza species) contains glycyrrhizin, which NIH says can cause serious effects such as irregular heartbeat and cardiac arrest, especially in large amounts or with long-term use. [1] NIH adds that even small amounts have been linked to severe effects in people who eat a lot of salt, who have high blood pressure, or who have heart or kidney conditions. [1] The EU herbal committee (HMPC, 2026 monograph) does not recommend licorice medication for people with high blood pressure, kidney, liver or cardiovascular disorders or low potassium, and says it should not be combined with diuretics, cardiac glycosides, corticosteroids or stimulant laxatives. [2] Ask a pharmacist before drinking licorice-containing tea if you take any blood pressure, heart, water or steroid medicine; see how interactions work. Seek urgent care for severe muscle weakness, fainting or chest symptoms, which appear in the sources above; in the US call 911. [1][3] For a suspected overdose of a product, Poison Help is 1-800-222-1222.
Why blends matter
A tea can contain licorice root as one ingredient among several, so you may be exposed without choosing a "licorice tea". A published case report describes low potassium in a person with type 2 diabetes who drank a licorice-containing herbal tea formulation, and who was also taking an SGLT2 inhibitor (a diabetes medicine). [4] The EU monograph says people using licorice medication should not take other licorice-containing products, because serious adverse events such as water retention, low potassium, high blood pressure and heart rhythm disorders may occur. [2]What to look for on a label. NIH lists these names: licorice root, licorice, liquorice, sweet root, gan cao, gan zao, Chinese licorice, and the scientific names Glycyrrhiza glabra, Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Glycyrrhiza inflata. [1] Two traps: NIH says many "licorice" products sold in the US do not contain actual licorice, because anise oil, which smells and tastes like licorice, is often used instead. [1] And "deglycyrrhizinated" licorice (DGL) is a different product; NIH says oral DGL might be safe for up to 4 months. [1] Whether a given tea's label must name licorice is not described in the sources we read; see what blend labels hide and reading the ingredient list.
The plant and its traditions
The EU monograph covers the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra L., Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat. and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., in the legume family (Fabaceae). [2][5] Traditional use: NIH says licorice root has a long history of use in Assyrian, Egyptian, Greek, Arab, Chinese, Tibetan and Indian cultures, for coughing, asthma, wound healing and diseases of the lungs, liver and arteries. [1] The EU monograph describes licorice root tea as a traditional herbal medicine for digestive symptoms such as burning sensation and dyspepsia, and as an expectorant in cough with a cold, based exclusively on long-standing use. [2] Licorice in Chinese medicine and Ayurveda is covered in the Therapies section: licorice in Chinese medicine. For the single-herb profile see licorice root, and for the tea itself see licorice root tea.What research shows
| Question | What the source found | Strength of evidence | Population and form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Does regular licorice raise blood pressure? | A meta-analysis of 18 studies (337 people) found chronic intake of products with at least 100 mg glycyrrhizic acid a day raised average systolic pressure by 5.45 mm Hg and lowered plasma potassium. [6] | Documented harm signal in trials | Licorice products (not tea specifically) |
| Is a low daily amount safe? | In a small, unblinded crossover trial of 28 healthy young volunteers, daily licorice with 100 mg glycyrrhizic acid for 2 weeks raised systolic home pressure by 3.1 mm Hg and suppressed renin and aldosterone. The authors say the safe limit might need to be reconsidered. The abstract says the World Health Organization had suggested this amount was unlikely to cause adverse effects. [7] | Small, short trial with a signal of harm | 28 adults; licorice product |
| Can licorice tea cause harm? | Case reports describe severe low potassium after licorice tea: a 43-year-old woman after about 2 to 2.5 liters daily for about 8 weeks, with muscle breakdown and ECG changes [3]; and a 44-year-old woman with a potassium of 2.3 mmol/L after about 2 liters daily over a year, who recovered after stopping [8]. Other case-report titles describe hypertensive emergency and resistant hypertension from licorice tea. [9] | Case reports (harm shown possible, not how often) | Tea, heavy intake |
| Does licorice tea help digestion? | NIH says it is unclear whether products containing licorice alone have an effect on digestive symptoms. [1] Proper evidence not found for tea trials: we searched PubMed for "licorice tea" and found 7 records, which from their titles appear to be case reports. [10] | Insufficient evidence | Tea |
NIH also says there is not enough high-quality evidence to clearly support licorice for any health condition. [1] Case reports in this table describe unusually high intake; they do not define a safe amount for anyone, and no safe amount is given on this page.
Frequently asked questions
Does licorice tea raise blood pressure?
NIH says glycyrrhizin can cause serious effects, and a meta-analysis found chronic intake of at least 100 mg glycyrrhizic acid daily raised average blood pressure. [1][6] Whether a particular tea does depends on how much licorice root it holds, which the sources we read do not state for tea bags.
Can licorice in a tea blend cause low potassium?
Case reports describe it, including one after a licorice-containing herbal tea formulation. [4] The EU monograph lists low potassium among serious adverse events. [2]
Is "licorice flavor" the same as licorice root?
Not necessarily. NIH says many US "licorice" products contain anise oil instead of actual licorice. [1]
Who should avoid licorice tea?
The EU monograph does not recommend licorice medication for people with high blood pressure, kidney, liver or cardiovascular disorders, or low potassium. [2] Ask the prescriber or pharmacist about your own situation.
Is licorice tea safe in pregnancy?
NIH says large amounts are unsafe in pregnancy, and the EU monograph does not recommend use. [1][2]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Safety checklist from the sources
- Blood pressure and heart. The EU monograph says licorice root may counteract the action of blood pressure medicines, and that cases of overdose have been reported with long use (more than 4 weeks) or high amounts. [2] See heart disease, high blood pressure and supplements.
- Potassium. Low potassium is a documented effect (above). Potassium in food and supplements is covered at potassium. Do not start or stop a potassium or blood pressure medicine because of this page.
- Medicines. NIH says interactions with corticosteroids have been reported. [1] The EU monograph also advises caution with medicines processed by the CYP3A4 enzyme, citing a clinical finding that glycyrrhizin at 300 mg a day for 14 days modestly decreased exposure to midazolam and omeprazole. [2] Laxative teas add to the potassium risk: the senna monograph says licorice root may enhance potassium loss (see senna and laxative teas). [11]
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding. NIH says large oral amounts (about 250 grams of licorice a week) during pregnancy are unsafe and can increase the risk of delivery before 38 weeks; little is known about breastfeeding. [1] The EU monograph does not recommend use in pregnancy or breastfeeding. [2]
- Children and teens. The EU monograph does not recommend use under 18 because data are lacking. [2]
- Duration. For the digestive indication the monograph says not to use for more than 4 weeks. [2]
- Allergy. Hypersensitivity is the only contraindication listed. [2]
- Surgery and bleeding. Not described in the sources we read for teas.
- Quality. Contamination and adulteration of licorice teas: not described in the sources we read; see quality testing and certifications.
If you are unsure whether a blend contains licorice, ask a pharmacist to read the label with you, and tell the prescriber about any herbal tea you drink regularly.
References
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Licorice Root: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-23.
- European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). EU herbal monograph on Glycyrrhiza glabra L.; Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat.; Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., radix, Final Revision 1, EMA/HMPC/108399/2024, adopted 4 March 2026. Read 2026-10-23.
- Pseudohyperaldosteronism with severe hypokalaemia and focal paresis triggered by licorice tea. Ugeskr Laeger. 2021. A single case report. Abstract read 2026-10-23.
- A Case of Hypokalemia Caused by the Consumption of Licorice-Containing Herbal Tea. Cureus. 2025. A single case report. Abstract read 2026-10-23.
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy species match. Names and families checked 2026-10-23 through the GBIF species API.
- Penninkilampi R, Eslick EM, Eslick GD. The association between consistent licorice ingestion, hypertension and hypokalaemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Hum Hypertens. 2017. Abstract read 2026-10-23.
- A low dose of daily licorice intake affects renin, aldosterone, and home blood pressure in a randomized crossover trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2024. Abstract read 2026-10-23.
- Pseudo-Hyperaldosteronism After the Ingestion of Licorice Tea: A Case Report. Cureus. 2026. A single case report. Abstract read 2026-10-23.
- Case reports read by title only (no abstract available): Hypertensive emergency induced by licorice tea, CMAJ 2019; Apparent Mineralocorticoid Excess Syndrome: A Case of Resistant Hypertension From Licorice Tea Consumption, J Clin Hypertens 2016. Read 2026-10-23.
- National Library of Medicine. PubMed. Search record counts and titles retrieved 2026-10-23 through NCBI E-utilities.
- European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). EU herbal monograph on Senna alexandrina Mill. (Cassia senna L.; Cassia angustifolia Vahl), folium, Revision 1, EMA/HMPC/625849/2015, adopted 25 September 2018. Read 2026-10-23.