A recent study has shown that a 54-year-old man died as a result of eating too much licorice.
The man, a construction worker from Massachusetts, lost consciousness inside a fast-food restaurant. He was taken to a hospital, where he died the next day.
Doctors wrote that he had “a poor diet, consisting primarily of several packages of candy daily,” and that three weeks before, he switched from eating fruit-flavored soft candy to licorice candy, which contained glycyrrhizic acid.
Glycyrrhizic acid, or glycyrrhizin, a sweetening compound derived from licorice root. It can cause a drop in potassium levels in the body, which in turn may cause high blood pressure, swelling, abnormal heart rhythms and even heart failure.
People 40 or older should be especially vigilant about their black licorice consumption. Even 60grams per day, over a two-week period, could cause irregular heart rhythm.
However, the scientists also said that negative effects of eating too much licorice are reversible, and stop when consumption is halted. A return to normal potassium levels may take one to two weeks, according to the study.
Luckily, there are safe alternatives. According to the NIH, many licorice products available in the US don’t actually contain licorice, but rather anise oil, which is comparable in flavor.
85 Responses
sad
that’s so sad ?
Sad, Funny and Scary
sad
thats odd but why would he when licorce is so good and yumm!!!!!
wow
Wow, that’s ah…mmm
Wow
how many pieces of liquorice did he eat EXACTLY?????? This is just for scientific purposes so i dont end up dying from liqourice
thats so sad
licorice is digosting
this is so sad what if it was my grandad
I eat red licorice with chocolate in the middle but im 11 years old and i dont eat sevral packs a day,personaly i dont think red licorice can kill anyone
Sad but not surprising
thats sad but why would he eat so much?
it is sad and almost sounds impossible
that is just sad i love licorice
WoW!
i hate licorice?
licorice is digusting
wow
thats sad… but he must be pretty fat…
sad and scary
thats so sad, how old was he?
thats hilarious ????
that a lesson learnt never eat to much candy
thats so sad
i think this happened cause it must of had high sugar levels which can be very addicting
I mean my dad once told me that if i eat to much licorice i will die so i never get it. It’s really sad cause I love it so much
ok kids do not eat black licorice eat red licorice
i feel super bad?
THATS CRAZY
man i love licrous(?)
I don’t like licorice
R.I.P hope he had a good life ????
Don’t mess with the licorice
so my mommy say im not allowed to eat sweats
sad but how much peices EXATLY i need to know peps???!!!!!!!
So sad ? It just goes to show how lots of candy/licorice can affect you.
i dont like liquorice
sad and bad cause why would you eat that much
🙁 that’s sad
red liquorice isn’t even liquorice
so sad ?????
that poor man. this is why we should eat apples!
Yuck
That’s sad, but his problem. I’m sorry for those that new him. Anyway black licrice is gRoss.
thats just sad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SAD
C’mon Kids don’t Eat licorice
That’s just sad he must of really liked licorice
Wow that’s disgusting I hate HAtE licorice
Who is the imposter? Oh, I know, RED
That is really sad, but that is a lot of licorice
I feel very sad for him
Black licorice is disgusting . I like red and green licorice. So sad !??
Man, candy really took a dark turn .-.
That is sad and creepy
and I never ate licorice before
that why do not eat to much licorices people listen
never gonna give you up never gonna let you down
poor man you should never eat too much lollies!
How is the imposter Oh. I know its licorice!
wow
that is sad that he died.
No no no no this is so not happening………………….Y LICORICE!!!????
This makes me not want to eat anything being to scared it might kill me ??
he ate 79 peices
wow
weird but sad
sad
i like licorce….
that is so sad
It’s a sad story and im never eating licqese
that’s so strange i never knew that licorice is that dangerous!
sad sad
very sad
after reading this i will neaver eat liquorice again lol
thats sad but why would he eat so much?
so sad
thats so weird why did he do that
that is so sad and Scary
i think it is the mans fault
Very Sad