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Can licorice root extract raise blood pressure, and who should avoid it?
Licorice root extract can raise blood pressure and lower potassium, because of a compound called glycyrrhizin. On the Reviralis Complete label, licorice root extract is 14th of 18 names in a 661 mg blend, so it holds at most 47.2 mg per serving of two capsules. The label does not say whether the glycyrrhizin has been removed.
Written by the Goreviralis label deskUpdated · 5 min read
The mechanism01
How does licorice root extract affect blood pressure?
Through glycyrrhizin, a compound in real licorice. It can raise blood pressure and lower potassium, according to NIH's complementary health center (NCCIH, Licorice Root).
Memorial Sloan Kettering makes the same point: even moderate doses taken for a long time have been linked to high blood pressure and low potassium (MSK About Herbs, Licorice). Candy and capsules are different products, but the compound is shared.
Low potassium is the quiet part. It can cause weakness or cramps long before any heart effect, and it is why people on certain heart or water pills hear this warning.
Who should avoid it02
Who should avoid licorice root extract?
People with high blood pressure, heart or kidney disease, or a high-salt diet, even at small amounts, per the sources we read (NCCIH, Licorice Root). A second source says to avoid it with diuretics and blood pressure drugs (MSK About Herbs, Licorice).
The Reviralis label does not name licorice in its caution. Its general caution is wider: consult your provider before use if you are pregnant or nursing, have a medical condition or take prescription medicine, particularly medicine affecting the cardiovascular system. Not for anyone under 18.
| If you have or take | Why to ask |
|---|---|
| High blood pressure | Glycyrrhizin can raise it (NCCIH, Licorice Root) |
| A diuretic or water pill | Both can lower potassium; sources advise avoiding the pair (MSK About Herbs, Licorice) |
| Heart or kidney disease | Risk shows up even at small amounts (NCCIH, Licorice Root) |
| Any blood pressure medicine | Licorice can work against it; ask a pharmacist |
The arithmetic03
How much licorice root extract can Reviralis hold?
At most 47.2 mg per serving, from its 14th place among 18 names. The real amount is not printed.
US rules list blend members from most to least by weight (21 CFR 101.36). Fourteen names share the top of a 661 mg total, so the fourteenth is at most 661 divided by 14, which is 47.21 mg. That is a small ceiling next to a candy bar or a daily licorice tea.
Small is not zero, and the label does not say whether the extract is deglycyrrhizinated, meaning the compound has been taken out. We do not assume either way. If this matters for your pressure, ask the order desk for the extract's specification at [email protected].
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See packsKeep your plan04
Does licorice help with herpes or cold sores?
We found no source that shows it does, and none supports licorice root extract in Reviralis. The sales page talks about outbreaks and flare-ups, while the label never mentions herpes.
Herpes simplex virus has no cure. Prescription antivirals such as acyclovir, valacyclovir and famciclovir are the proven care, and a clinician chooses between them (CDC, STI Treatment Guidelines: Herpes). Keep taking any prescribed antiviral. See a clinician for a diagnosis, because other conditions look like herpes.
Do my blood pressure pills or water pills clash with licorice? Should I have my potassium checked? Is a blend that hides the licorice amount a good fit for me?
Call 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing, a seizure, swelling of the face or throat, or sudden confusion with a severe headache and stiff neck. Related: cassia cinnamon and bacopa. See medicine check, side effects and pricing.
FAQ05
Reviralis questions people ask
How much licorice is in Reviralis Complete?
The label does not print it. Licorice root extract is 14th of 18 names in a 661 mg blend, so it holds at most 47.2 mg per two-capsule serving. Whether it is deglycyrrhizinated is not stated, and no lab report is published.
Can licorice lower potassium?
Yes. Glycyrrhizin can lower potassium and raise blood pressure, according to NIH's complementary health center. People on water pills or heart medicine are told to ask first. Your clinician can check potassium with a simple blood test.
What is deglycyrrhizinated licorice?
It is licorice with most of the glycyrrhizin removed, sold to avoid the blood pressure effect. The Reviralis label does not say which kind it uses, so we cannot assume it. Ask the order desk if this matters for you.
Is the licorice in a supplement the same as licorice candy?
Not quite. Black licorice candy and capsules differ in dose and form, but Memorial Sloan Kettering links regular intake of even moderate amounts of licorice to high blood pressure and low potassium.
Who wrote this06
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, CDC, FDA, FTC, Mayo Clinic and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is the information site for a U.S. stocking partner for Reviralis. It is not the manufacturer or the distributor named on the label. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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