Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice (DGL): Gut Benefits and Beyond

Licorice has been used in many forms throughout the centuries by many cultures. Traditionally, the licorice root is used for hormonal issues, gut and throat issues, respiratory issues, and fatigue issues. We know now that the glycyrrhizin in licorice root can cause issues with hypertension, edema, and possibly effect a hormonal component of our renal regulation called aldosterone regulation. So, there is definitely a concern for long-term use in regards to licorice root.

But the deglycyrrhizinated licorice version has the substantial parts of glycyrrhizin removed, therefore is a safer option for long-term use if needed.

One main reason I use DGL in my patients is for gastrointestinal issues. In my clinical experience, patients who have heartburn, peptic ulcer disease, or gastritis find great relief from DGL. There was a study published in the British Medical Journal comparing an over-the-counter medication for peptic ulcer disease and DGL for 82 patients who had endoscopically healed peptic ulcer. Patients were given two tablets of DGL twice daily compared to a regular dosage of the over-the-counter medication for peptic ulcer disease. After two years on this regimen, the recurrence rate for gastric ulcers for the two groups was relatively similar. However, after both groups went off the medication or DGL, the recurrence of peptic ulcers occurred.

This study demonstrates DGL as an effective potential alternative to taking over-the-counter stomach ulcer medications if you have any concerns about these medications.

The general dosage to use of DGL is about one to three tablets of DGL at a dosage of 380-400 mg per tablet. You would take it about 30 minutes before each meal to help your stomach upset issues. On the bottle, you should make sure that there is less than 1 to 2 percent glycyrrhizin in the tablet to make sure that majority of the concerning component is out of the tablets so that you can more safely use this long-term.

For many of my patients, they find that DGL also helps with fatigue because it has traditionally been used for adrenal support as well. Some of the more important takeaway points are that even though most of the glycyrrhizin is out of the DGL, you should still check your blood pressure daily at the start of using this supplement. Once you have been using the DGL for a while and are being monitored by a doctor for the long-term usage of this, you should still check your blood pressure once or twice every week to make sure that your blood pressure remains in your normal range.
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