Is Licorice Root Tea Good for Gastritis?

Partly: licorice root tea may feel soothing as a warm drink if it agrees with you, but its proposed protection of the stomach lining is unproven. Licorice root tea is not a substitute for finding out what is causing gastritis or receiving appropriate treatment. It also has important safety risks, especially for some people with heart, kidney or blood pressure conditions.

Is licorice root tea a good choice for gastritis?

Licorice root tea is not an established treatment for gastritis. A warm drink may be comfortable for some people, but feeling better after drinking it does not show that inflammation has healed.

Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach lining, and its management depends on the cause. A clinician can help determine whether symptoms need investigation and recommend treatment. For broader context on drinks people consider when their stomach is sensitive, see the guide to the best drinks for gastritis.

How might licorice root tea affect the stomach?

One proposed mechanism is that compounds in licorice root could affect the protective mucus barrier that helps shield the stomach lining from acid. That is a proposed effect, not proof that brewed licorice root tea protects or repairs the stomach lining in people with gastritis.

The experience of drinking something warm is separate from any effect of licorice root itself. Whether the tea feels comfortable can vary, and a drink that worsens pain, nausea or other symptoms is not a good choice for you.

Licorice root tea should not be expected to remove the underlying cause of gastritis. For example, it is not a proven replacement for treatment of an infection or for a review of medicines that may irritate the stomach.

What is the evidence for licorice root tea and gastritis?

There is no established clinical evidence that licorice root tea heals gastritis, prevents complications or treats its underlying causes. There is also no established dose, brewing strength or duration for using it for this purpose.

Claims about licorice root are not automatically evidence about licorice root tea. Even if an ingredient or a prepared extract is investigated for stomach symptoms, a brewed tea may contain different amounts of its compounds, and results cannot simply be assumed to apply to the drink.

Some symptoms that people associate with gastritis can have other causes. A clinician can decide whether testing, including testing for H. pylori or an examination of the stomach, is appropriate rather than relying on a response to tea.

How can you use licorice root tea more safely?

If you have gastritis or ongoing stomach symptoms, ask a healthcare professional whether licorice root tea is appropriate before trying it. This is especially important if you take medicines or have any of the conditions listed below. Do not use it to delay an assessment or replace prescribed treatment.

If your clinician agrees that you can try it, check the product label and follow its preparation instructions rather than making a stronger brew. Licorice root products vary, and a label may not tell you exactly how much glycyrrhizin, a compound responsible for important side effects, is in a prepared drink.

There is no proven effective amount or schedule for gastritis, so do not assume that frequent drinking will provide more benefit. Stop drinking it if it worsens your symptoms, and ask a clinician for advice. Keep taking prescribed medicines unless the prescribing clinician tells you otherwise.

Who should avoid licorice root tea, and when should you seek care?

Glycyrrhizin can cause the body to retain salt and water and lose potassium. This can raise blood pressure and, in some cases, contribute to an irregular heartbeat or other serious problems. Products marketed as natural are not necessarily safe.

Avoid licorice root tea if you are pregnant. If you are breastfeeding, or considering it for a child, speak with a healthcare professional first. People with high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease or low potassium should also avoid it unless their clinician specifically advises otherwise.

Ask a clinician or pharmacist about interactions if you take medicines, particularly diuretics, heart medicines such as digoxin, blood pressure medicines or corticosteroids. Licorice root tea may make some side effects more likely or interfere with management of your condition.

Seek emergency care for vomiting blood or material that looks like coffee grounds, black tarry stools, severe abdominal pain, fainting, chest pain or a severe irregular heartbeat. Seek urgent care if you have repeated vomiting or cannot keep fluids down. Contact a clinician about persistent stomach symptoms, loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss, even if tea seems to provide temporary relief.