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A man in Canada "overdosed" on licorice by drinking too much licorice tea, which caused his blood pressure to be so dangerous, according to a new report of the case.
The 84-year-old man went to the emergency room (ER) after he took his blood pressure at home and noticed very high readings. He was also experiencing headache, sensitivity to light, chest pain and fatigue, along with a swelling in his calves, according to the report, published today (May 27) in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
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At the ER, the man's blood pressure is nearly 200 mm Hg. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg. or above 120 for diastolic blood pressure, the "bottom" number on a reading) to be a hypertensive crisis that requires immediate medical care. [27 Oddest Medical Case Reports]
Doctors at McGill University in Montreal, 24 hours a day.
Later, the man told doctors that he had been drinking a day for the last two weeks. This type of tea is made from the roots of the licorice plant, Glycyrrhiza glabra. It is a popular drink in Egypt, where it is known as "erk under," the authors wrote in the study.
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Consuming too much licorice root or licorice root – including black licorice – is known to be toxic, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
That's because licorice root and black licorice contain a compound called glycyrrhizin, which can cause the body's potassium levels to fall. This, in turn, causes the FDA to say that it is abnormal heart rhythms and swelling.
The FDA regulates how much glycyrrhizin is allowed in food, but still recommends that people avoid eating large amounts of licorice at any one time. (Of note, many "licorice" or "licorice flavored" products manufactured in the United States, which instead are flavored with anise oil, which has the same smell and taste, according to the FDA.)
In the current case, the man knew about the link between licorice and high blood pressure, but he did not think he was moving too much licorice, the report said.
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The case highlights an opportunity for doctors "to educate their patients with hypertension on the adverse effects of licorice to prevent licorice-related complications," the authors concludes.
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Originally published on Live Science.
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