Licorice Interactions Explained
The following sections explain in detail the potentially negative interactions that can occur when
licorice is combined with any of the drugs listed above.
Blood Pressure Medications
Certain Diuretics
Licorice can cause low blood potassium (known medically as hypokalemia), and combining licorice with diuretics that also decrease blood potassium could cause serious problems. Check with your healthcare provider before combining licorice with a diuretic.
Corticosteroids
Combining a corticosteroid with licorice could cause problems, such as low blood
calcium. It may also increase the risk of side effects of the corticosteroid. If you take a corticosteroid, do not take licorice without your healthcare provider's supervision.
Digoxin (Digitek, Lanoxin)
Licorice can cause low blood potassium, which can be especially dangerous for people taking digoxin. Do not combine digoxin with licorice without your healthcare provider's approval.
Estrogens
Licorice can have both estrogen-like effects and anti-estrogen effects. It could possibly increase the risk of estrogen side effects or make estrogen medications less effective. Check with your healthcare provider before combining licorice with estrogen medications.
Warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven)
There is some evidence that licorice could decrease the level of warfarin in the blood, perhaps making it less effective and increasing the risk of blood clots. If you take warfarin, check with your healthcare provider before taking licorice.
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