A recent news report from the UK's BBC stated that excessive consumption of licorice, used as a medical or food additive, can impair sexual function.
The BBC reported that this research was presented by Dr. Mahmoud Moshtagh at the academic conference of the British Pharmacological Society by Dr. Mahmoud Moshtagh from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Iran.
Dr. Moshtagh pointed out that excessive intake of licorice can reduce the secretion of male hormones, leading to sexual dysfunction such as decreased libido. Dr. Moshtagh conducted a study with 20 healthy men, having them consume 1.3 grams of licorice root extract daily for 10 consecutive days (containing 400 milligrams of glycyrrhizic acid, which gives licorice its characteristic taste), and collected their blood samples for analysis. The results showed that the testosterone levels of all subjects were significantly lower than normal.
As is well known, glycyrrhizic acid, as a medicinal herb, is widely used to treat gastrointestinal disorders, colds, flu, and chronic fatigue, with significant therapeutic effects. Additionally, glycyrrhizic acid is also added in small amounts to desserts, chewing gum, toothpaste, and some herbal teas. Some tobacco manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies also use glycyrrhizic acid to improve the taste of their products, with some chewing gums containing as much as 24 milligrams of glycyrrhizic acid. In South Korea, the glycyrrhizic acid content in some herbal teas can even reach 45%.
Therefore, the European Union has issued a research report clearly recommending that the daily intake of glycyrrhizic acid should not exceed 100 milligrams.