I wrote about licorice's ability to protect the liver from toxic substances before, prevent/treat NAFLD which I guarantee many on this forum have, but have no idea or will in time if you are using products hard on the liver. NAFLD still has no real cure, and is one of the most disconcerting/common issues for the liver. I had it from a virus (Mono) for years and the only advice given by a GP, Gastroenterologist, and internal medicine specialist was to lose weight and eat more of a 'Mediterranean style diet'. Anyway, I ignored them all and treated with a typical healthy diet and supplements and this is one I forget about regularly. I no longer have any fatty infiltration in my liver confirmed bia ultrasound. Typically, for most it remains the same and is somewhat benign, but may progress to liver fibrosis, liver cancer / liver failure.
1. I know multiple people who take a low dose daily. I prefer this product: https://wisewomanherbals.com/products/licorice-solid-extract, to control asthma and lung related issues. I am not saying stop your puffers, prednisone, or whatever your doctor prescribed but if I get a cold or flue - there are three supplements I take and this is one that makes a difference. There is not as much information on lung related issues as there is liver protection/healing, and the same warning at the bottom of this post applies. Please do a quick search of potential side effects. I believe this is more related to people who take high doses for long periods, but there is no guarante. I follow a low dose / few month regimen and then stop, but that is how it impact me and no guarantee for anyone else. I find the hormonal concerns a little overblown and related to people who do not measure the amount they take and abuse the supplement.
Back to liver protection/healing: Few small write ups worth reading and if you want to, you can find multiple double blind placebo studies. This has been studied on humans and animals while most products are just studies on animals:
If you read up via AI - this is what you typically find:
Solid licorice extracts and their main active component, glycyrrhizin, have demonstrated significant liver-protective (hepatoprotective) effects in both animal and human studies
. Research suggests these protective benefits are primarily due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties.
Findings from animal and human studies
The hepatoprotective effects of licorice extracts and glycyrrhizin are attributed to several mechanisms:
***Please note this is not medical advice and you should discuss contradictions with your doctor if you are on medication now, discuss it's use with a Naturopath and you GO. Further it can cause / increase blood pressure. It has no impact on mine but that is one person. Often, this is due to the time taken and amount, but if you decide to add this to your regimen, please check your BP regularly. Nothing more than information for gents/women here who use liver toxic compounds and want to reduce short term and long term damage.
GR
1. I know multiple people who take a low dose daily. I prefer this product: https://wisewomanherbals.com/products/licorice-solid-extract, to control asthma and lung related issues. I am not saying stop your puffers, prednisone, or whatever your doctor prescribed but if I get a cold or flue - there are three supplements I take and this is one that makes a difference. There is not as much information on lung related issues as there is liver protection/healing, and the same warning at the bottom of this post applies. Please do a quick search of potential side effects. I believe this is more related to people who take high doses for long periods, but there is no guarante. I follow a low dose / few month regimen and then stop, but that is how it impact me and no guarantee for anyone else. I find the hormonal concerns a little overblown and related to people who do not measure the amount they take and abuse the supplement.
Back to liver protection/healing: Few small write ups worth reading and if you want to, you can find multiple double blind placebo studies. This has been studied on humans and animals while most products are just studies on animals:
If you read up via AI - this is what you typically find:
Solid licorice extracts and their main active component, glycyrrhizin, have demonstrated significant liver-protective (hepatoprotective) effects in both animal and human studies
. Research suggests these protective benefits are primarily due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties.
Findings from animal and human studies
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): A study involving patients with NAFLD showed that taking licorice root extract significantly improved liver enzyme levels, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress over a 12-week period compared to a placebo group.
- Alcohol-induced liver injury: In a study on mice, licorice treatment effectively inhibited liver inflammation and reversed lipid accumulation caused by chronic alcohol consumption. Researchers attributed these benefits to licorice's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant defense activities.
- Drug-induced liver injury:
- Animal studies have found that licorice can protect against liver damage from chemical toxins like carbon tetrachloride (
CCl4cap C cap C l sub 4
) and acetaminophen (Tylenol). The protective mechanisms include reducing oxidative stress and inhibiting inflammation. - In clinical studies, glycyrrhizin, a major compound in licorice, has been shown to reduce elevated liver enzymes caused by drug-induced liver injury.
- Animal studies have found that licorice can protect against liver damage from chemical toxins like carbon tetrachloride (
- Viral hepatitis: Clinical and preclinical studies indicate that glycyrrhizin may help treat chronic viral hepatitis by reducing liver enzyme levels, improving liver histology, and potentially inhibiting the spread of the virus.
- Liver fibrosis: Studies have shown that licorice and its compounds can inhibit the proliferation of hepatic stellate cells, which are key drivers of liver fibrosis. This helps reduce collagen deposition and slows the progression of liver damage.
The hepatoprotective effects of licorice extracts and glycyrrhizin are attributed to several mechanisms:
- Antioxidant effects: Licorice increases the activity of antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH), helping to combat oxidative stress caused by free radicals that damage liver cells.
- Anti-inflammatory effects: Licorice inhibits inflammatory pathways by suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNF-α, which can reduce hepatic inflammation and cellular damage.
- Antiviral activity: Glycyrrhizin, in particular, has demonstrated antiviral properties, which may explain its therapeutic effect in chronic viral hepatitis.
- Improved lipid metabolism: Licorice has been shown to help regulate lipid metabolism, which can reduce fat accumulation in the liver and prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
***Please note this is not medical advice and you should discuss contradictions with your doctor if you are on medication now, discuss it's use with a Naturopath and you GO. Further it can cause / increase blood pressure. It has no impact on mine but that is one person. Often, this is due to the time taken and amount, but if you decide to add this to your regimen, please check your BP regularly. Nothing more than information for gents/women here who use liver toxic compounds and want to reduce short term and long term damage.
GR