Science / Medicine : Alert to Licorice Danger

People who chew tobacco may be elevating their blood pressure, according to Dr. Neil Shulman, an associate professor of medicine at Emory University.

Shulman said the problem appears to be licorice, used in many popular brands of chewing tobacco to enhance the flavor. Chewing tobacco already has been linked to an increase in oral cancers.

“The problem with licorice is that approximately 15% to 25% of it is a substance called glycyrrhizin, which sets off a chain of events in the body, including increased salt retention and a corresponding rise in blood pressure. This process can begin with as little as two to four grams daily,” he said.

Shulman said a typical three-ounce pouch of chewing tobacco contains 1.7 to seven grams of licorice, or 0.3 to 1.7 grams of glycyrrhizin. Chronic abuse, or even daily use of licorice-containing chewing tobacco, can cause a significant increase in hypertension, he said.

Licorice candy and medications laced with licorice have the same effect if they contain glycyrrhizin, Shulman said.

The good news, according to Shulman, is that the hypertension caused by chewing tobacco flavored with licorice or by eating licorice candy is curable. Stopping consumption can bring a dramatic improvement in blood pressure within one to two weeks, he said.