Is Licorice Bad for Men? Yes it Is. (A Detailed Overview on Licorice's Feminizing and Stress-Inducing Properties)

A BRIEF HISTORY OF LICORICE & LICORICE USE

Licorice is an ancient root with both medicinal and food use dating back nearly to the beginning of Time! (or at least early civilization/s) 
It was a popular beverage when the Bible was still being written (1):(2) , and was used in Ancient/Developing China for thousands of Years; to treat Stomach Ailments, Sore Throats, distemper  (3) (4) (5) (6) (7). 

It was also remarked as being a delightment and Accessory in Ancient Egypt and Greece. Where it was found in King Tut's tomb (8) and along with the personal effects of Pharaoh Ramses II (Ramesses II) (9) (10) (11).

Beyond that, India's 'Great Prophet; Brahma; has endorsed Licorice (12) as a beneficial medicinal remedy; as well as some Roman Emperor's like Caesar have Purportedly Cherished the remedy...

However, I've never been one for Rumor's & fairy-tale's ..

(I'm not saying it's useless or it was never used in the above described fashions, but it just isn't my taste, especially if it doesn't hold up to the battle today).

AND, It ALL Goes Downhill from Here ...

Which makes me wonder when Parents will stop feeding their Children this crap.

So, is Licorice really a "strong" estrogen??

..You bet!

LICORICE IS A POTENT PHYTOESTROGEN (Estrogen-Mimicking-Plant-Compound)

Some have even said MORE POTENT than the Girly hormone Estrogen ITSELF.


WHY is This Bad? Well if you are reading this because of the Topic Title then you already Know. However, I'll dabble into it anyway. First, Licorice is often (&incorrectly @that) used as an alternative to hormone replacement therapies by Women.

Mimicking Estrogen, especially in the Quantities needed for Licorice to do so and the Rate at which it Does It; is expected to (and has been documented to) Produce HBP/Hypertension (High-Blood-Pressure) ; in both Men and Women (13) (14) (15). 

Now for Men, that can be the first hit-hit-Bang to get Your wee-wee to stop working (16). As high blood pressure would disrupt blood flow - and for WOMEN, this would be substantial in Activating the Pathogenesis to Early-Onset Heart Disease (17) (heart issues early on in life, if excessive licorice is used over time) (18).

Additionally, estrogen messes with Electrolytes in your blood; and Licorice is shown to do the same (19).

An even greater bit of evidence are the outstanding (and terrifying) reports of Licorice-induced-Gynecomastia (which means man-titties, boys growing boobs)

All of this points to a big problem in Today's society. Why are we feeding our children Trash as Candy? Thence wondering why our kids develop hypertensive episode's (high-blood-pressure) early on - not to mention Childhood obesity is still on the Rise; and snacking on Licorice-Code doesn't exactly help that situation.

Which brings me to the next point - how Licorice messes with your ADRENAL Glands and STRESS Hormone's (HINT: Not a Pretty Picture)...

THE INDUCTION OF STRESS BY LICORICE RHIZOME, CANDIES, AND TEA'S

Although the 'induction-of-stress' may seem like a Cliche, it is certainly something that can result from biological (Internal) disruptions -just as much-  as Psychological-conflict, torment or Even Irritation. The concept of 'Stress' is often compared with workplace misfortune's and body-image issue's - but the 'true' concept of Stress (the one that actually 'hits' us) is when our ORGANs and MIND suffer. The terror your organ's feel from something as simple as long-term dehydration is MUCH MORE than the NUISANCE we actually 'Feel' it is from the Surface. 

So WHEN Licorice elevates the Level of SODIUM (Salt, Na2+) in our blood and messes with STRESS HORMONES - you can make a sure bet that our body is not enjoying that process - ESPECIALLY if we are adding fuel to the Fire by consuming moderate amounts of Salt in that day (most of us do).

In America especially; a world where we Suffice by offsetting our Salty lunch with a sweet Sugary snack - so as to get that perfect 'mix' of tastes throughout the day; jumping through reward hulahoops to get our FIX - this is a farsight from simply balancing our reserves and body's homeostasis (balance, harmony of operation) by drinking a decent amount of WATER and getting nutrient-dense meals to abate our Junk-Food Eclipse.



THE SPECIFIC NEURO-ENDOCRINE-EFFECTS OF LICORICE

Licorice fits into something I call the 'Fatal Four' - now this doesn't mean Licorice is necessarily fatal (and probably won't be) - but these four are such radiant attributes that it certainly must be taken into consideration ; for the health of our Children and Family.

Licorice is not only (as said above, in the First Section) a Potent PHYTOEstrogen - but also , it is a STIMULATOR of human Stress hormones. Now we went over this above - so let me elaborate further.

☑ Licorice stimulates ALDOSTERONE secretion, which leads to sodium (Na) retention - and this can lead to elevated blood pressure! (20)
☑ Licorice increases CORTISOL (a stress-hormone responsible for many health issues and developing heart disease). (21)
☑ Licorice DISTORTS the balance between SEROTONIN and DOPAMINE (the two 'true' neuromessengers involved with Primary Endocrine Responses (PER). (22) (23). 

• Too much SEROTONIN can also lead to the Remarkable responses produced by Licorice supplements ; such as high blood pressure, FAST heart rate, mania and delirium (24) (25) (26).
• Additionally, too much Serotonin can lead to SOCIAL PHOBIA/ANXIETY and other disturbed psychological states (27)  (~28~)

--

***Specifically Licorice RAISES (Increases) Serotonin and LOWERS (Decreases) Dopamine; thus causing an unfavorable balance and supporting it's folk use as a 'mellower' and 'anaphrodisiac' (anti-sexual plant compound).***

--
Thus, IN CONCLUSION, Licorice is an SSRI-like substance and promotes the release and Accumulation of Stress Hormones   WHILST Depleting important sex hormones and our 'pleasure chemicals'...and THIS Sounds like a delicacy to You? 

Get the hell' outta HERE!!  


Alright...

**DA-MAIN-REFERENCES-DUDE**

LICORICE ROOT @ (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH)

• Licorice abuse: time to send a warning message (from People that Matter; PubMed)

1. Licorice More Estrogenic Than Estradiol: Some of the Flavonoids in Glycyrrhiza Glabra Roots Turn Out to Be Superinductors of the Estrogen-α & -β Receptors
2. Evaluation of Estrogenic Activity of Licorice Species in Comparison with Hops Used in Botanicals for Menopausal Symptom

• Licorice Root May Be Touted as Healthy But it Significantly Lowers Testosterone Levels

1. An Update on Plant Derived Anti-Androgens
2. Reduction of Serum Testosterone in Men by Licorice

• Liquorice-induced hypertension - A new understanding of an old disease: Case report and brief review
• [Hypertension caused by licorice consumption] {Additional Case Report}

• Effect of eating liquorice on the renin-angiotensin aldosterone axis in NORMAL subjects.

• Natural products in Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) rhizome imaged at the cellular level by atmospheric pressure matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization tandem mass spectrometry imaging.

**OH-MAH-GAHD-THE-OTHER-REFERENCES**

HEALTH : Cleveland Clinic : How BLACK LICORICE Can Make Your Heart to JUMP

Estrogen and angiogenesis: A review.

Chronic estrogen exposure linked to high blood pressure

NEW STUDY SUGGESTS LINK BETWEEN ESTROGEN, BLOOD PRESSURE

Aldosterone receptor antagonism normalizes vascular function in liquorice-induced hypertension.

Licorice-induced hypertension and syndromes of apparent mineralocorticoid excess.

Erectile Dysfunction and Hypertension: Impact on Cardiovascular Risk and Treatment

Medicinal uses of licorice through the millennia: the good and plenty of it 

***MISCELLANEOUS / LESSER REFERENCES***

New test predicts teens' future risk of heart disease

Obesity Rises Despite All Efforts to Fight It, U.S. Health Officials Say

An Overview of the Adrenal Glands
Beyond Fight or Flight

Written by Robert M. Sargis MD, PhD



AND the NEURONAL PHYSIOLOGY OF IT ALL...

1. Inhibition of serotonin re-uptake by licorice constituents (SO NO FOLKS, LICORICE IS NOT A GOOD IDEA FOR PSSD)
2. Liquiritigenin reduces Dopamine and Decreases selective molecular and behavioral effects of cocaine.

THE INTERACTIONS OF HERBS AND DRUGS

1. by Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., Director, Institute for Traditional Medicine, Portland, Oregon

2. Role of serotonin in the pathogenesis of acute and chronic pulmonary hypertension

Depression: Beyond Serotonin

Social Anxiety Disorder Linked to High Serotonin Levels, Throwing Treatment with SSRIs into Serious Question


IN :::::: Licorice, is good for PSSD? is licorice heart disease treatment = negative, licorice negative adverse effects documentation, licorice red, black licorice pssd fail, sexual-sides induced by licorice/SSRI, is Licorice an SSRI, Licorice : an SSRI, Licorice is a SSRI drug/herb, aldosterone secretory tumor/tumour, licorice does raise or boost cortisol, licorice does raise increase / boost rise serotonin , dopamine depletion effects of licorice, dopamine depleting effects of licorice