Glycyrrhizin: The Licorice Compound That Raises Cortisol

The sweet-tasting compound in licorice root can make cortisol linger in your body longer, with real consequences for blood pressure.

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By the Ration Editorial Team · Reviewed against primary research · Updated July 13, 2026

Glycyrrhizin (also called glycyrrhizic acid) is the compound responsible for licorice root's intense sweetness.

It is found in black licorice candy, licorice tea, some herbal supplements, and traditional remedies that use licorice root as a base ingredient.

Unlike many plant compounds people take hoping for a calming or adaptogenic effect, glycyrrhizin has a well-documented, fairly direct hormonal action.

Cortisol and a related hormone called cortisone are normally converted back and forth in the body.

An enzyme called 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11betaHSD2) is responsible for breaking active cortisol down into inactive cortisone, especially in the kidney.

Glycyrrhizin, and its metabolite glycyrrhetinic acid, block this enzyme^[1].

With less cortisol being cleared, it builds up and starts acting on receptors it normally would not reach as strongly, including receptors meant for a different hormone called aldosterone.

This is why licorice overuse produces a pattern that looks like excess aldosterone: high blood pressure, sodium retention, and low potassium, even though aldosterone itself is not elevated.

Our database rates the cortisol-raising effect of glycyrrhizin as consensus-supported and well-evidenced, with an evidence grade of A across five sources.

• ↑CortisolAHuman trials

  Research may raise Cortisol · strong agreement · 5 studies

  View 5 studies on PubMed

  • Glycyrrhizin intake higher than the current international guidelines has no detectable hypermineralocorticoid-like effect in dogs (2024)
  • An Unusual Case of Licorice-Induced Hypertensive Crisis (2015)
  • Discovery of Personalized Treatment for Immuno-Metabolic Depression-Focus on 11beta Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2 (11betaHSD2) and Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4) Inhibition with Enoxolone (2025)
  • Bioactive Candy: Effects of Licorice on the Cardiovascular System (2019)
  • Glycyrrhizic acid in liquorice--evaluation of health hazard (1993)

A 2025 study frames 11betaHSD2 inhibition by glycyrrhizin's active metabolite, enoxolone, as relevant even beyond licorice overuse, exploring it in the context of immuno-metabolic depression where cortisol signaling is disrupted^[1].

Case-level clinical evidence backs up the real-world risk. A well-documented case report describes a hypertensive crisis attributed to heavy licorice intake^[4].

A broader review on licorice as bioactive candy walks through the cardiovascular effects, tying them back to the cortisol-sparing, aldosterone-mimicking mechanism^[3].

An older toxicology evaluation from 1993 was among the first to formally flag glycyrrhizic acid in licorice as a health hazard at high, repeated doses^[5].

Interestingly, a 2024 randomized trial in dogs given glycyrrhizin at levels higher than current international guidelines found no detectable hypermineralocorticoid-like effect^[2].

That result does not cancel out the human case reports, but it does suggest species, dose, duration, and individual sensitivity all shape how much this effect actually shows up in practice.

• People who eat black licorice candy regularly, especially in large amounts
• People drinking licorice root tea daily over weeks or months
• Anyone already managing high blood pressure or low potassium
• People taking diuretics or other blood pressure medications
• Older adults, who appear more sensitive to licorice's cortisol-related effects^[4]

• Rising blood pressure without an obvious cause
• Muscle weakness or cramping, often linked to low potassium
• Swelling or fluid retention
• Headaches
• In severe cases, hypertensive crisis^[4]

Some researchers are studying 11betaHSD2 inhibition itself as a potential lever in specific conditions where cortisol clearance seems to be part of the problem, such as certain depression subtypes linked to inflammation^[1].

This is investigational and not the same as recommending licorice supplements or candy as a treatment.

Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL), which has the glycyrrhizin removed, is sometimes used specifically to avoid this cortisol and blood pressure effect while keeping other licorice compounds.

Glycyrrhizin's ability to raise effective cortisol levels by blocking its breakdown is one of the more consistently documented hormonal effects of any common food compound^[1][3][4][5].

The clearest real-world risk is cardiovascular, showing up as high blood pressure and low potassium with regular, heavy licorice intake.

Newer animal data complicates the picture somewhat, showing the effect is not universal or automatic at every dose^[2].

Anyone with blood pressure concerns, kidney issues, or who is on blood pressure medication has good reason to be cautious about regular licorice or licorice supplement use, and to talk with a healthcare provider rather than self-experimenting.