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✦ Quick Answer: Licorice root and DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) are not interchangeable. Whole licorice root contains glycyrrhizin, the compound responsible for its antiviral and cortisol-modulating effects — but also the compound that can raise blood pressure and drop potassium with regular use. DGL has the glycyrrhizin removed, which makes it the safer choice for daily gut-healing use (reflux, ulcers, gastritis), while whole licorice is better reserved for short-term, targeted use under guidance.
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Licorice Root vs. DGL: Same Plant, Very Different Supplements
I get some version of this question in nearly every intake call where gut healing comes up: “Should I get licorice or the DGL kind?” Most people assume they’re the same thing with a fancier name slapped on one of them. They’re not. The difference between whole licorice root and DGL comes down to a single compound — glycyrrhizin — and understanding what that compound does (and doesn’t do) is the difference between a supplement that helps you and one that quietly raises your blood pressure over a few months.
This post breaks down exactly what separates these two forms, what each one is actually good for, and how I decide which one makes sense for a given client.
🌿 Quick Plant Profile
- Botanical name: Glycyrrhiza glabra
- Key compound of interest: Glycyrrhizin (glycyrrhizic acid), present in whole root, removed in DGL
- Whole root traditional uses: Sore throat, cough, antiviral support, adrenal/cortisol modulation
- DGL primary uses: GERD/acid reflux, gastritis, peptic ulcers, H. pylori support, mouth ulcers
- Common forms: Chewable tablets, capsules, powder, tea, tincture, lozenges
- Safety profile: Whole root — short-term use only, monitor blood pressure/potassium. DGL — considered safe for daily, longer-term use.
What Glycyrrhizin Actually Does in the Body
Glycyrrhizin is what gives licorice root its intensely sweet flavor — it’s roughly 50 times sweeter than sugar by weight. But its more important property is pharmacological: it inhibits an enzyme called 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD2), which normally converts active cortisol into inactive cortisone in your kidneys.
When that enzyme is blocked, cortisol builds up and starts acting on receptors it doesn’t normally activate — specifically the mineralocorticoid receptors that aldosterone uses to manage sodium and potassium. The result is a condition called pseudoaldosteronism: your body starts retaining sodium and water while dumping potassium, which can drive up blood pressure and, in more severe or prolonged cases, cause dangerously low potassium levels.
🔬 Dietitian’s Note: This isn’t a theoretical risk. Case reports in the medical literature describe severe hypokalemia and even fatal cardiac arrhythmias in people who consumed large amounts of licorice candy or tea daily over just a few weeks. One frequently cited case involved a man who died after eating about a bag and a half of black licorice candy per day for three weeks. These are extreme intake cases, but they illustrate that glycyrrhizin is a real pharmacologically active compound — not just a flavoring.
The flip side is that this same mechanism is part of why whole licorice has genuine biological activity. Its more than 300 flavonoid compounds also give it broad antiviral properties studied against HSV-1, varicella-zoster (shingles), hepatitis A and B, HIV, SARS-CoV, Epstein-Barr, cytomegalovirus, and influenza. That’s a real strength of the whole root — it’s just a strength that comes bundled with a real cardiovascular and electrolyte risk if it’s used carelessly or long-term.
The Cortisol Angle: Why Licorice Isn’t a General “Adrenal Support” Herb
This is the piece I think gets glossed over most in licorice marketing, and it’s directly relevant if you’ve read The Cortisol Fix. The same 11β-HSD2 inhibition that causes pseudoaldosteronism is also what licorice’s “adrenal support” reputation is built on — and understanding the mechanism explains why that reputation is more nuanced than the supplement aisle suggests.
11β-HSD2 doesn’t just regulate sodium and potassium — its job is converting active cortisol into inactive cortisone. When glycyrrhizin blocks that enzyme, cortisol isn’t cleared as efficiently, so it lingers longer in circulation and has more time to act on tissue. That’s not the same as licorice making your adrenal glands produce more cortisol; it’s licorice slowing down how quickly the cortisol you already have gets deactivated.
This mechanism has a legitimate, narrow clinical use: licorice extract has been studied as an adjunct in people with genuinely low cortisol output, such as Addison’s disease patients on replacement therapy, where prolonging the life of administered cortisol can improve its availability. That’s a specific, lab-confirmed, low-cortisol scenario — and typically physician-supervised.
🔬 Dietitian’s Note: Almost none of my clients fit that picture. Most people reaching for “adrenal support” or “cortisol support” supplements are dealing with a dysregulated stress response — cortisol that’s already elevated, erratic, or poorly timed across the day — not a true deficiency. Prolonging the activity of cortisol that’s already too high, or too disorganized, is the opposite of helpful in that situation. This is exactly the distinction I walk through in The Cortisol Fix: the goal is almost never “more cortisol, longer” — it’s restoring a healthy rhythm. Whole licorice root is not a tool I reach for as general cortisol support, and I’d be cautious of any product marketed that way without addressing whether your cortisol pattern is actually low to begin with.
Worth noting too: a 2024 randomized crossover trial found that even low-dose daily licorice intake measurably affected renin, aldosterone, and home blood pressure readings — so “just a small amount” isn’t automatically a safe workaround if cortisol or blood pressure regulation is already a concern for you.
And DGL, importantly, sidesteps this entire conversation. Because the glycyrrhizin responsible for 11β-HSD2 inhibition is removed, DGL has no meaningful effect on cortisol clearance one way or the other. It’s a gut-mucosal tool, not a cortisol tool — another reason the two forms really do need to be evaluated separately rather than lumped together as “licorice.”
What DGL Actually Is
DGL is licorice root that has been processed to remove most of the glycyrrhizin — typically down to less than 3% of what’s in the raw root, and often to undetectable levels in well-manufactured products. It was developed in the 1940s and 1950s specifically to give people access to licorice’s gastric mucosal benefits without the blood pressure and potassium risks.
What’s left after processing is the fraction that seems to matter most for gut healing: the flavonoids (including liquiritin and isoliquiritigenin) and polysaccharides that support the stomach and esophageal lining. Mechanistically, DGL appears to work by:
- Stimulating mucin production and secretion, thickening the protective mucus layer that coats the stomach and esophagus
- Promoting proliferation of mucus-secreting goblet cells
- Supporting prostaglandin-mediated mucosal defense, which helps tissue resist acid and irritant damage
- Exerting direct anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects on gut tissue
- Showing some antimicrobial and anti-adhesive activity against H. pylori in lab and human studies
It pairs well with other gut-soothing herbs — I often see it used alongside marshmallow root, since both work through a similar mucosal-protection strategy from slightly different angles.
Licorice vs. DGL: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Whole Licorice Root | DGL |
|---|---|---|
| Contains glycyrrhizin | Yes (~7–15% of root) | Minimal to none (typically <3%) |
| Best for | Antiviral support, sore throat, cough | GERD, gastritis, ulcers, gut lining repair |
| Blood pressure risk | Yes, with regular/prolonged use | No meaningful risk |
| Duration of use | Short-term (days to a few weeks) | Generally suitable for longer-term daily use |
| Common forms | Tea, tincture, lozenges, capsules | Chewable tablets, capsules, powder |
| Who should avoid | Hypertension, kidney disease, pregnancy, diuretic/digoxin use | Generally well-tolerated; still check with your provider if pregnant or on medications |
What the Research Actually Shows for DGL
Acid reflux and GERD. A placebo-controlled trial of a standardized DGL extract in 200 adults with reflux symptoms over 28 days found meaningful symptom improvement over placebo, consistent with DGL’s proposed mechanism of coating and protecting the esophageal lining rather than suppressing acid production the way a PPI does.
H. pylori support. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, participants with confirmed H. pylori infection who took a standardized DGL extract (150 mg/day) for 60 days had notably higher eradication rates than the placebo group. Separately, a randomized trial adding licorice to standard clarithromycin-based triple therapy for H. pylori found benefit from the addition, though that study used licorice more broadly rather than DGL specifically. DGL is not a substitute for antibiotic eradication therapy when it’s indicated, but it appears to be a reasonable adjunct.
Peptic ulcers and mucosal healing. The mucosal-protective evidence for licorice-derived compounds in ulcer healing goes back decades, and more recent flavonoid research continues to support a role in promoting mucus cell regeneration and modulating gut microbiota in the context of gastric ulcers.
The honest caveat. Most DGL trials are relatively small, and because DGL is often studied within multi-ingredient formulas, it can be hard to isolate exactly how much of the benefit is DGL alone versus the other compounds it’s paired with. The mechanistic and clinical picture is encouraging and consistent, but this is still an area where larger, dedicated trials would strengthen the evidence.
Why Glycyrrhizin Is Genuinely Risky in Regular Use
This is the part I want people to actually understand rather than just accept as a warning label. Regulatory and research bodies have converged on similar numbers here: the European Food Safety Authority and the World Health Organization have both pointed to roughly 100 mg of glycyrrhizin per day as an upper limit unlikely to cause problems in most adults — that’s about one cup of strong licorice tea or a modest handful of true licorice candy (most “licorice” candy sold in the U.S. is anise-flavored and doesn’t actually contain real licorice, which is worth knowing). Some researchers place the threshold for risk even lower, in the 1–10 mg range depending on individual sensitivity.
Risk factors that make pseudoaldosteronism more likely at lower doses include older age, being female, existing hypertension, kidney disease, low baseline potassium, and use of diuretics or digoxin. If any of those apply to you, whole licorice root is a supplement to approach with real caution — and DGL becomes the clearly better option.
⚠️ Important: The good news is that licorice-induced pseudoaldosteronism is reversible. Symptoms typically resolve once you stop taking it, though correcting significant potassium loss can take days to weeks. If you’ve been taking whole licorice regularly and notice swelling, headaches, muscle weakness, or unusually high blood pressure readings, stop and check in with your provider.
How I Decide Which One a Client Needs
In practice, this comes down to what someone is actually trying to accomplish:
- Reflux, gastritis, ulcers, or general gut-lining repair — DGL, essentially every time. There’s no reason to take on glycyrrhizin’s risk profile for a goal DGL addresses just as well, if not better, since it’s designed for exactly this.
- Short-term antiviral or sore throat support — whole licorice can make sense here, used for a limited window (days, not months), assuming no contraindications like hypertension or kidney issues.
- Confirmed low cortisol output (lab-documented, physician-supervised) — whole licorice’s 11β-HSD2 inhibition may have a narrow supportive role here, but this is not the same as general “stress support,” and it isn’t something I’d recommend self-directing.
- Elevated or dysregulated cortisol (the far more common pattern I see) — whole licorice is not the tool. Prolonging active cortisol is the wrong direction here; DGL has no effect on cortisol either way, so it’s a non-issue if gut healing is the actual goal.
- Anyone with blood pressure concerns, kidney disease, pregnancy, or on diuretics/digoxin — DGL only, full stop. Whole licorice isn’t worth the risk in these situations regardless of the goal.
If you’re working through a broader gut-repair protocol, DGL is one piece I frequently layer in alongside other mucosal-support strategies — see our comprehensive Gut Health Guide for how it fits into the bigger picture.
Dosage and Forms
| Form | Typical Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DGL chewable tablets | 380–760 mg, chewed 20 min before meals, up to 3x/day | Chewing matters — it mixes DGL with saliva, which appears important for its mucosal effects |
| DGL capsules/powder | Per label, typically 500–1000 mg/day | Convenient, but bypasses the saliva-mixing step |
| Whole licorice tea | 1 cup/day, short courses only | Roughly at or near the 100 mg glycyrrhizin ceiling — don’t stack with other licorice sources |
| Whole licorice tincture/lozenge | Per product label | Check the label for standardized glycyrrhizin content, not just “licorice root” weight |
🌿 What I Look For on a DGL Label: Standardized glycyrrhizin removal (confirmed via Certificate of Analysis), a clinically relevant dose per serving, and ideally third-party testing. One I recommend to clients is Designs for Health DGL Synergy, which provides 500 mg of standardized DGL per serving and also includes glycine — an amino acid that supports collagen synthesis and can be a useful addition when the goal is rebuilding the gut lining, not just soothing it short-term.
Who Should Be Cautious
- Whole licorice root: Avoid or use only under supervision if you have hypertension, kidney disease, heart disease, low potassium, are pregnant, or take diuretics, digoxin, corticosteroids, or blood pressure medications.
- DGL: Considered safe for most adults, including longer-term use. As with any supplement, check with your provider if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or managing a complex medication regimen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is DGL as effective as regular licorice?
For its intended use — soothing and protecting the stomach and esophageal lining — DGL appears to work through the same flavonoid and mucosal-support mechanisms as whole licorice, without the glycyrrhizin that drives licorice’s blood pressure risk. It is not “regular licorice, weaker” — it’s a targeted extraction of the gut-protective fraction of the plant.
Can DGL raise blood pressure like regular licorice?
No. Because the glycyrrhizin responsible for the blood-pressure and potassium effects has been removed, well-manufactured DGL does not carry the same pseudoaldosteronism risk that whole licorice root does. This is the entire reason DGL was developed.
How long can you safely take DGL?
DGL is generally considered appropriate for longer-term daily use, unlike whole licorice root, which should be limited to short courses. That said, if you’re using it for an ongoing condition like chronic reflux, it’s worth periodically reassessing with your provider rather than using it indefinitely without follow-up.
Does DGL interact with medications?
DGL has a much cleaner interaction profile than whole licorice, but as with any supplement that affects the gut lining, space it away from medications by at least an hour if you’re concerned about absorption, and mention it to your pharmacist or provider if you’re on multiple prescriptions.
What’s the difference between licorice candy and licorice supplements?
Most licorice-flavored candy sold in the U.S. is actually anise-flavored and contains no real licorice root or glycyrrhizin. True licorice candy (more common in parts of Europe) does contain glycyrrhizin and can contribute meaningfully to daily intake — worth knowing if you’re also taking a licorice or DGL supplement.
Should I take DGL before or after meals?
Most research and product labeling point to taking DGL chewables about 20 minutes before meals, which allows the mucosal-protective compounds to be in place before food and stomach acid arrive.
Does licorice root raise cortisol?
Whole licorice root doesn’t increase how much cortisol your adrenal glands produce, but it does prolong how long active cortisol stays in circulation by inhibiting the enzyme that normally deactivates it. In practice, this means more cortisol activity in tissue, not more cortisol output. For most people dealing with already-elevated or dysregulated cortisol, this is not a helpful effect, and it’s a different mechanism than the flavonoid-driven gut benefits DGL provides. DGL does not have this cortisol effect, since the glycyrrhizin responsible for it has been removed.
The Bottom Line
Licorice root and DGL come from the same plant but serve genuinely different purposes. Whole licorice’s antiviral and cortisol-modulating effects come directly from glycyrrhizin — the same compound that makes it unsuitable for regular, long-term use in most people. DGL strips that compound out and keeps the flavonoid fraction that actually does the gut-healing work, which is why it’s the form I reach for with almost every client dealing with reflux, gastritis, or ulcer-related symptoms. If your goal is gut repair, DGL is the safer and, frankly, the more appropriate tool for the job.
References
1. Wu Y, et al. Licorice flavonoid alleviates gastric ulcers by producing changes in gut microbiota and promoting mucus cell regeneration. Biomed Pharmacother. 2023.
2. Efficacy of Glycyrrhiza glabra on peptic ulcer disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Explore. 2025.
3. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of GutGard® DGL extract (150 mg/day) for H. pylori. Presented via CASI.org, 2022.
4. Evaluation of licorice added to standard H. pylori triple therapy. Rev Assoc Med Bras / ScienceDirect. 2016.
5. Phase III placebo-controlled randomized trial of DGL extract for gastroesophageal reflux symptoms (n=200, 28 days). 2025.
6. Xu R, Liu X, Yang J. Semi-physiologically based PK/PD model for glycyrrhizin-induced pseudoaldosteronism. PLoS ONE. 2014;9(12):e114049.
7. Scientific Committee on Food. Opinion on glycyrrhizinic acid and its ammonium salt. European Commission, 2003.
8. Je Y, et al. Licorice-induced pseudohyperaldosteronism: A case report. Clin Case Rep. 2025.
9. NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Licorice Root: Overview. 2020.
10. Wikipedia. Deglycyrrhizinated licorice. Accessed 2026.
11. Low-dose daily licorice intake affects renin, aldosterone, and home blood pressure: a randomized crossover trial. Am J Hypertens / ScienceDirect. 2024.
12. Stewart PM, et al. Licorice-induced hypermineralocorticoidism. N Engl J Med. 1987; discussed with 2025–2026 citing literature via Thompson SE, et al. The Dark Side of Licorice Consumption. Ann Intern Med Clin Cases. 2025.
Medical Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have a medical condition. The Healthy RD is authored by a registered dietitian but does not constitute a patient-provider relationship.
