In a McGill University study, researchers found that drinking too much licorice tea may lead to high blood pressure emergencies in some people.
Licorice tea is popular in the Middle East and parts of Europe, and erk sous are especially popular in Egypt during Ramadan.
But this popular herbal tea could bring dangerous health risks.
Previous studies have shown that a common snack called black licorice could increase blood pressure.
The snack reduces potassium levels in the body and leads to abnormal heart rhythms and even paralysis.
In this study, the team reported that an old man experienced a high-blood pressure emergency after drinking licorice tea.
The emergency was triggered by drinking homemade tea made from licorice root.
The patient’s blood pressure severely increased, and he was suffering from several symptoms, including a headache, light sensitivity, chest pain, fatigue, and fluid retention in the calves.
The man had been drinking 1 to 2 glasses daily of homemade licorice root extract for two weeks, and he had a history of high blood pressure.
The finding shows that food and drinks containing licorice root extract may raise blood pressure, cause water retention and decrease potassium levels in the body.
The researchers remind people that consuming too many herbal products may have harmful side effects.
Doctors need to consider screening for licorice root intake in patients with difficult-to-control high blood pressure.
In addition, people at a high risk of high blood pressure need to avoid licorice.
The findings were published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal and conducted by Dr. Jean-Pierre Falet et al.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about how diets could help lower high blood pressure, and 3 grams of omega-3s a day keep high blood pressure at bay.
For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies about how tea and coffee influence your risk of high blood pressure, and results showing this olive oil could reduce blood pressure in healthy people.
