Last updated: September ,2026
Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) has a long-standing history in traditional medicine—from soothing digestion to calming the mind. But today, it’s gaining renewed interest for more modern problems: weight management, blood sugar balance, and food cravings.
In this guide, you’ll discover how licorice works, the compounds behind its effects, how to use it safely, and why some modern formulas combine it with glucomannan for synergistic support.
What Makes Licorice Root Unique?
Licorice isn’t just sweet—it’s pharmacologically active. Its most notable compounds include:
- Glycyrrhizin: A triterpenoid saponin linked to cortisol regulation, anti-inflammatory effects, and appetite modulation.
- Glabridin: A flavonoid shown to support fat metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
- Liquiritigenin: Has mild estrogenic effects, which may support hormonal balance in women.
Licorice acts on multiple metabolic and hormonal pathways—making it especially valuable for those struggling with cravings, fatigue, and stubborn belly fat.
How Licorice Supports Weight Loss and Metabolic Health
1. Reduces Cravings by Modulating Cortisol
Emotional eating and sugar cravings are often linked to stress. Licorice has been shown to moderate cortisol, your body’s primary stress hormone. Lower cortisol can reduce belly fat accumulation and promote more stable hunger signals. A study in Steroids (2003) found that subjects who took licorice extract had reduced cortisol breakdown, supporting more stable adrenal function and mood.
2. Supports Fat Metabolism
Licorice flavonoids like glabridin have shown the ability to stimulate fat oxidation and improve lipid profiles. This may help reduce visceral fat over time—especially when combined with calorie control. In Journal of Health Science (2003), glabridin reduced body fat accumulation in obese mice fed a high-fat diet.
3. Balances Blood Sugar and Insulin
Licorice can inhibit enzymes involved in carbohydrate digestion, leading to slower glucose absorption. This reduces post-meal blood sugar spikes and may lower overall insulin demand. A small clinical trial (J Endocrinol Invest, 2002) found that glycyrrhetinic acid helped improve insulin sensitivity in overweight individuals.
Why does hunger feel out of control
Cravings that feel sudden or intense are often driven by blood sugar signaling, not lack of discipline. When glucose regulation is off, hunger hormones stay active — even when calories are reduced. Addressing that signal changes the entire fat loss experience.
→ What’s really driving cravings
4. Mild Appetite Suppression
By influencing adrenal function and stabilizing blood sugar, licorice may help you feel more satisfied between meals—without the need for stimulants or appetite blockers.
Why Some Formulas Combine Licorice with Glucomannan
Licorice’s hormonal and blood sugar effects work upstream, helping reduce stress-related eating and improve insulin balance. But on its own, it may not create enough satiety to prevent overeating.
That’s why some advanced formulas combine licorice extract with glucomannan, a soluble fiber that physically expands in the stomach to reduce appetite.
Licorice + Glucomannan = Behavioral + Biological Satiety
- Licorice modulates cortisol, mood, and glucose
- Glucomannan fills the stomach and slows digestion
Can Licorice Root Help With Weight Loss?
Licorice root is sometimes promoted as a weight-loss ingredient, but the evidence is more complicated than the marketing suggests.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 26 clinical trials found a small average reduction in body weight and BMI among people consuming licorice. However, the same analysis also found an increase in diastolic blood pressure. The studies included different preparations and amounts of licorice, so the results should not be interpreted as evidence that licorice is a reliable weight-loss supplement.
There is also an important distinction between a small change in body weight during a clinical trial and proven fat loss.
Licorice should therefore not be presented as a fat-burning herb. Any changes in weight observed in research do not establish that licorice directly increases fat burning or produces sustainable weight loss.
What does this mean in practical terms?
If you're interested in licorice because you're trying to manage your weight, the more useful question is not:
“Does licorice burn fat?”
Instead, ask:
“What effects of licorice have actually been demonstrated in humans, and are those effects worth the potential risks?”
For licorice containing glycyrrhizin, that second question is particularly important because excessive or prolonged intake can affect blood pressure, fluid balance and potassium levels.
How to Take Licorice for Weight Loss
| Form | Dosage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Licorice root extract | 150–500 mg/day | Standardized to 10–20% glycyrrhizin or deglycyrrhizinated (DGL) if avoiding cortisol effects |
| Combination formulas | Varies | Often combined with glucomannan, cinnamon, or berberine |
| Tea (whole root) | 1–3 g | Less precise dosage; avoid daily use if sensitive to blood pressure |
- Long-term use of high-dose glycyrrhizin can raise blood pressure and cause potassium loss.
- Consider DGL licorice for gut support without affecting cortisol.
- Always consult a healthcare provider if using licorice alongside blood pressure meds, steroids, or diuretics.
Does Licorice Root Help With Sugar Cravings?
Licorice has a naturally sweet taste, but that does not mean that consuming licorice root has been proven to reduce cravings for sugar.
The available evidence is not strong enough to recommend licorice as a reliable strategy for controlling sugar cravings. The sweet taste of licorice comes largely from glycyrrhizin, which is considerably sweeter than sucrose, but sweetness itself does not establish an appetite-control effect.
This distinction matters because a product can taste sweet without necessarily helping someone eat less sugar overall.
If your goal is to reduce sugar cravings, it is more useful to look at the broader pattern behind the cravings—including meal composition, sleep, stress, eating habits and the availability of highly sweet foods—rather than treating licorice as a standalone solution.
So, does licorice help with sugar cravings?
There isn't enough good evidence to say that licorice reliably reduces sugar cravings in the long term.
Licorice Root and Blood Sugar: What Does Research Suggest?
Licorice has been studied for several metabolic effects, but the blood-sugar story is not straightforward.
Some experimental and clinical research has investigated licorice compounds in relation to glucose metabolism. However, there is not enough high-quality evidence to conclude that ordinary licorice root supplementation reliably improves blood sugar control.
The bigger issue is that licorice can have mineralocorticoid-like effects because of glycyrrhizin. Glycyrrhizin can interfere with the enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2, altering how cortisol acts in the kidneys. This can contribute to sodium retention, potassium loss and increased blood pressure.
That means a claim such as “licorice balances blood sugar” is too broad.
A better description is:
Licorice has been investigated for metabolic effects, but current evidence does not establish it as a dependable blood-sugar supplement, and glycyrrhizin-containing products have important safety considerations.
Can Licorice Increase Blood Sugar?
This is an important question because licorice's effects on metabolism are sometimes presented as uniformly beneficial.
There is no good basis for saying that licorice simply “raises blood sugar” in everyone. However, licorice can affect fluid and electrolyte balance, and potassium is involved in normal glucose metabolism. More importantly, the metabolic effects of licorice are complex enough that it should not be used as a strategy for controlling blood glucose.
People managing blood sugar should also avoid assuming that an herbal ingredient is automatically harmless because it is natural.
The safest approach is to evaluate the specific product, its glycyrrhizin content, other ingredients, and the person's existing medications and health circumstances rather than treating licorice as a general-purpose blood-sugar remedy.
Glycyrrhizin: The Compound That Makes Licorice Different
One of the most important things to understand about licorice root is that it contains glycyrrhizin, also called glycyrrhizic acid.
Glycyrrhizin is responsible for much of licorice's characteristic sweetness, but it is also responsible for many of the safety concerns associated with consuming substantial amounts of real licorice.
In the body, glycyrrhizin is converted into compounds that can inhibit 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2. This can allow cortisol to exert stronger mineralocorticoid-like effects in the kidneys.
The resulting changes can include:
- sodium and fluid retention
- potassium loss
- increased blood pressure
- weakness
- abnormal heart rhythms in serious cases
This is why “natural” does not automatically mean “safe at any dose.”
Licorice Root vs. DGL: Why the Difference Matters
Not all licorice products are chemically equivalent.
Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) has had glycyrrhizin removed. This is important because many of the major safety concerns associated with traditional licorice are linked to glycyrrhizin.
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes that oral licorice products without glycyrrhizin may have a different safety profile, while conventional glycyrrhizin-containing licorice can cause serious adverse effects, particularly with large amounts or prolonged use.
Therefore, when evaluating a licorice product, don't look only at the words “licorice root.”
Check whether the product contains:
- glycyrrhizin
- glycyrrhizic acid
- deglycyrrhizinated licorice/DGL
- a standardized extract
- a proprietary blend
That distinction can be more important than the headline benefit claimed on the front of the package.
Is Licorice Root Safe for Everyone?
No.
Licorice-containing products deserve particular caution because glycyrrhizin can affect blood pressure and potassium levels. NCCIH specifically warns that even relatively small amounts may cause serious problems in some people, particularly those with hypertension, heart or kidney conditions or high salt intake.
Long-term or high exposure can cause problems such as:
- increased blood pressure
- potassium depletion
- fluid retention
- abnormal heart rhythm
For that reason, people who take medications or have an existing medical condition should discuss oral licorice products with a healthcare professional before using them.
This safety section should be prominent rather than buried at the end, especially because your page is now receiving dosage-related searches.
Licorice Root and “Adrenal Support”: What Does That Really Mean?
Licorice is frequently marketed as an “adrenal support” herb, but that phrase can mean very different things depending on the source.
Licorice can influence cortisol metabolism through inhibition of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzymes. That biochemical effect is real and helps explain some of licorice's physiological effects.
But altering cortisol metabolism is not the same as “healing tired adrenal glands.”
The term “adrenal fatigue” is also often used online to describe a collection of nonspecific symptoms, but it should not be treated as an established explanation for ordinary tiredness or stress.
For an evidence-based article, I would therefore change the page's original “balancing adrenal function” positioning to:
“Licorice, Cortisol Metabolism and Stress: What Research Actually Shows”
That keeps the interesting mechanism without making a medical claim that the evidence doesn't establish.
What to Look For When Choosing a Licorice Root Product
If licorice is being considered as an herbal ingredient, the first question shouldn't be “Which product has the strongest dose?”
Instead, look for transparency.
A useful label should make it possible to identify:
Botanical identity
Look for the actual plant name, such as Glycyrrhiza glabra, rather than an unspecified “herbal licorice blend.”
Extract or root form
A powdered root and a concentrated extract are not interchangeable.
Glycyrrhizin information
If the product contains glycyrrhizin, the amount or standardization should be clear when possible.
DGL designation
If it is deglycyrrhizinated licorice, the label should say so clearly.
Serving information
Avoid products that make it difficult to determine how much licorice extract is actually being supplied.
Manufacturer transparency
Clear ingredient information and quality-control details are preferable to vague proprietary blends.
The goal isn't to find the strongest licorice product. It's to understand exactly what you're getting.
The Bottom Line on Licorice Root and Weight Loss
Licorice is an interesting botanical because it contains compounds that can influence cortisol metabolism and other physiological pathways. Some clinical research has also reported small changes in body weight, but that does not make licorice a proven weight-loss treatment.
More importantly, glycyrrhizin can have meaningful effects on blood pressure, fluid balance and potassium levels. Those effects make long-term or high-dose use something that should not be approached casually.
So the most accurate takeaway is:
Licorice root may be scientifically interesting for metabolism and stress-related research, but it should not be treated as a fat-burning herb or a simple solution for sugar cravings or blood sugar. Its glycyrrhizin content makes safety just as important as potential benefits.
FAQs About Licorice for Weight and Blood Sugar
Is licorice root good for weight loss?
There is limited evidence of small changes in body weight in clinical research, but licorice has not been established as a reliable weight-loss treatment. Some studies have also identified increases in blood pressure, making the risk-benefit picture important.
Does licorice root reduce sugar cravings?
There isn't enough high-quality evidence to conclude that licorice reliably reduces sugar cravings over the long term.
Can licorice root help blood sugar?
Licorice has been investigated for metabolic effects, but there isn't enough evidence to recommend it as a dependable blood-sugar supplement.Can licorice increase blood pressure?
Yes. Glycyrrhizin can cause sodium and fluid retention and potassium loss, which can increase blood pressure.Why is licorice sometimes called an adrenal-support herb?
Licorice compounds can influence cortisol metabolism, but this should not be interpreted as proof that licorice “repairs” or “balances” dysfunctional adrenal glands.What is DGL licorice?
DGL means deglycyrrhizinated licorice. It has had glycyrrhizin removed, which changes its safety profile compared with conventional licorice products.Is licorice safe to take every day?
Safety depends on the preparation, glycyrrhizin content, amount and individual circumstances. Long-term or substantial exposure to glycyrrhizin-containing licorice can cause serious adverse effects, so it should not be treated as an automatically safe daily supplement.Is licorice estrogenic?
Licorice contains mild phytoestrogens like liquiritigenin, which may support hormonal balance in women. However, consult your doctor if you have hormone-sensitive conditions.
Final Thoughts
Licorice root isn’t a magic fat burner—but it may play a smart supporting role in your weight loss journey. By working on stress, cravings, and blood sugar, it complements other natural strategies like fiber intake, metabolic support, and healthy habits.
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Disclaimer: This post serves as a resource for information only and does not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, lifestyle, or supplement routine, especially when managing a condition