Is it ok to eat licorice?

[ArnoldIsMyIdol]

I remember reading that licorice can lower testosterone and raise cortisol. Should I avoid licorice candy, or is there not enough in there to worry about it?

 

[OCCFan023]

"Licorice consumption has been shown to substantially reduce serum testosterone concentration. An explanation for this result was that the active component in licorice (glycyrrhizic acid) interfered with 17ß- hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, which has been shown in vitro to catalyse the conversion of androstenedione to testosterone. We twice attempted to replicate this effect of licorice but could not. We identified differences between our methods and those of the previous study and possible statistical anomalies (including inappropriate use of statistical tests) in the earlier report. Lancet 2001; 358: 1613-14"

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I personally wouldnt eat it for this reason, but I also hate the taste

 

[yeahright]

Licorice candy doesn't usually actually contain licorice (read an ingredients list).