Is Licorice Root Tea Good for Leaky Gut?

No, licorice root tea is not a proven treatment for leaky gut: although it provides fluid, it has no established mechanism for repairing the intestinal barrier in people. If you are considering licorice root tea, its potential risks matter as well as its uncertain benefits.

Is licorice root tea good for leaky gut?

Licorice root tea has not been shown to heal a leaky gut or treat the symptoms people associate with it. Drinking it may contribute to hydration, but hydration alone is not a treatment for increased intestinal permeability.

“Leaky gut” generally refers to increased intestinal permeability: a change in how readily substances pass through the intestinal lining. Increased permeability can occur alongside conditions such as celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease, but symptoms alone cannot establish that it is present or identify its cause.

Bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhea can have many causes. If these symptoms persist or recur, a clinician can help evaluate them rather than assuming that a tea will fix the underlying problem.

How might licorice root tea affect the gut barrier?

The intestinal lining normally acts as a selective barrier, allowing nutrients and water to pass while helping keep unwanted substances out. When that barrier changes, the significance depends on the cause and the person's overall health.

Licorice root contains plant compounds, including glycyrrhizin. However, there is no established evidence that the amounts or combination of compounds in licorice root tea repair the intestinal barrier in people. A soothing sensation after a warm drink would not demonstrate that the barrier has healed.

The tea's fluid can help with hydration, but it should not be used to replace evaluation or treatment of a digestive condition. For a broader discussion of the evidence on the best drinks for leaky gut, consider how each drink differs from a medical treatment.

What does the evidence say about licorice root tea and leaky gut?

We found no clinical studies of licorice root tea for leaky gut. There is therefore no basis here for recommending it as a treatment, identifying who might benefit, or specifying a therapeutic amount or duration.

Products made from licorice root are not necessarily interchangeable. An extract, an isolated compound or a deglycyrrhizinated licorice root product can differ from licorice root tea in its ingredients and concentrations. A finding about one preparation would not automatically prove that the tea has the same effect.

A useful clinical study would need to measure both intestinal permeability and outcomes that matter to patients, while also assessing side effects. A personal report that symptoms improved after drinking licorice root tea cannot establish that it repaired the gut barrier: symptoms can change for many reasons.

How should you use licorice root tea?

If you choose to drink licorice root tea, treat it as a beverage for flavor, not as a leaky-gut treatment. Follow the product's preparation directions, and do not assume that a larger amount or longer use will produce a benefit. No treatment dose or duration for leaky gut has been established.

Avoid frequent or prolonged use without medical advice. The glycyrrhizin content can vary between products, so a cup of one brand should not be assumed equivalent to a cup of another. Concentrated licorice root products should not be substituted for tea as a way to treat digestive symptoms.

Deglycyrrhizinated licorice root is processed to remove much of the glycyrrhizin, but it should not automatically be assumed to be glycyrrhizin-free or proven to heal the intestinal barrier. Ask a clinician or pharmacist about the specific product if you are considering it.

For ongoing symptoms, keep a note of when they occur and discuss possible triggers with a clinician. Avoid cutting out multiple food groups based only on a suspected leaky gut; unnecessary restrictions can make adequate nutrition harder and delay evaluation of the cause.

Who should be careful with licorice root tea?

Glycyrrhizin can raise blood pressure, cause fluid retention and lower potassium. Excessive exposure can also lead to muscle weakness or dangerous heart rhythm problems. Because products vary, there is no established therapeutic amount of licorice root tea to recommend for leaky gut.

Check with a clinician or pharmacist before using licorice root tea if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease or low potassium. Also check if you take medicines such as diuretics, corticosteroids, digoxin, blood pressure medicines or medicines for an irregular heartbeat. Do not stop or change prescribed medicines on your own.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, avoid licorice root tea unless your clinician says it is appropriate. Do not give it to a child without the child's clinician's advice.

See a clinician for persistent or recurring digestive symptoms, unexplained weight loss, or blood in your stool. Seek emergency care for severe abdominal pain, significant bleeding, black tarry stools, fainting, chest pain, an irregular heartbeat or severe muscle weakness.