How Much Licorice Root Should I Take For Adrenal Fatigue?

Licorice is a plant used in foods, beverages and tobacco. The root is sometimes used as medicine. Often, people who have been using steroids, which suppress the activity of the adrenal glands, will take licorice root, believing it will improve adrenal function. There are questions about its effectiveness and safety when used for this purpose.

Licorice

According to MedlinePlus, a website maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, licorice is "likely safe" when eaten in small amounts as a food and "possibly safe" when taken in medicinal doses for short periods of time. However, it is "possibly unsafe" when taken in larger doses for longer periods of time. The biggest risks are high blood pressure and potassium depletion. People with heart disease or kidney disease, or those who eat a lot of salt, should avoid consuming large amounts of licorice.

Adrenal Function

The adrenal gland makes three general classes of hormones. The glucocorticoids, of which cortisol is one example, are involved in maintaining blood glucose levels and have anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic activity. The mineralcorticoids, including aldosterone, maintain the balance of water and salt in the body. A third class, corticosteroids, shares properties with the other two groups. Major hormones in this category include corticosterone and cortisone, which are structurally similar. Cortisol can be converted to cortisone by the enzyme 11-beta-steroid dehydrogenase.

Licorice and Adrenal Function

According to a 1991 article in "The New England Journal of Medicine," licorice appears to affect levels of adrenal hormones by inhibiting the 11-beta-steroid dehydrogenase enzyme system that converts cortisol, a more active hormone, into cortisone, which is much less active. The result of this inhibition is that more cortisol is available to be used by the body. Apparently this is not because more is produced, but rather because it has a longer half-life in the body.

Cortisol and Fatigue

According to Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum in his book "From Fatigued to Fantastic," low cortisol levels result in fatigue and an increased tendency to develop allergies. It makes sense, therefore, that licorice root, which tends to raise cortisol levels, would make people feel better. However, Dr. Teitelbaum recommends against "treating with licorice because everybody reacts differently to it and ascertaining just how much it has increased the adrenal-hormone level is difficult."