Good Lifestyle

Additional report of Meghan de Maria.

Sweet tips in trick buckets or child trafficking can come with a bitter side effect. When consumed in large quantities, black licorice can cause serious health problems. This halloween, you will want to remain vigilant about theCandy, if you look at your children or if you have just won your own sweet tooth.

"Consumed from time to time and moderation, it is unlikely that you experience harmful effects of black licorice," says Dr. Daniel Atkinson led by GP Daniel Atkinson totreated, a health service based on U.K. "But if you had to eat too much black licorice over a prolonged period of time, more than 50 grams a day for two straight weeks, for example, you risk doing your health for a number of reasons."

Why is black licorice so dangerous?

All this has to do withglycyrrhizine, the sweet compound of the licorice root. "Glycyrrhizine decreases potassium levels and increases sodium levels in the blood," says Dr. Atkinson. And while you should eat a good amount of licorice to achieve this point, it could have scary side effects.

A low potassium level could result in abnormal heart rate in addition to heart failure, high blood pressure, edema and lethargy,According to the FDA.

"Potassium plays an important role in the body. This helps us better transmit nervous signals, the normal muscle function of AIDS, plays a role in the fluid balance and also has a number of other functions," explains the Dr. Atkinson. "The term low potassium rate is hypokalemia. This can lead to heart palpitations, an irregular heart rate, a weakened muscle function, or even high blood pressure."

What is the amount of black licorice too?

While 50 grams, or two ounces, could look like a lot of candies, it is not really difficult to reach, especially if you are a liquorice lover.

"It's not as much as it sounds," said Dr. Atkinson. "A portion of 8 to 10 small pieces is probably between 40 and 50 grams."

Are some more people at risk for the health risks of black licorice poses?

Adults over 40 and parents of young children will want to be particularly cautious about the life of licorice and their children.

"Children have a large body surface area, predicting them at a higher risk than adults," says Dr. Raj Singh, a Nevada-based nephrologist. The FDA also warns that several medical studies have linked licorical consumption with health problems in adults over 40 years old.

In fact, a review in the journalTherapeutic advances in endocrinology and metabolism Saved that overconsumption of this polarizing candy is bound to high blood pressure and hypokalemic myopathy, or a metabolic muscular weakness related to low potassium.

"Individuals with high blood hypertension, especially those who take diuretics or water pills such as HCTZ (hydrochlorothiazide), are at risk, because these drugs prevent kidneys from waste potassium in the urine, this which can cause severe hypokalemia (low level of potassium in the blood), "explains Dr. Singh. "People with atrial fibrillation (a common cardiac arrhythmia) are at high risk, because even minor fluctuations in the blood potassium rate can trigger fatal arrhythmia." If you have these special conditions, you may want to check with your doctor about how the black licorice is safe in your case.

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How can you prevent the unwanted effects of black licorice?

Make sure to stay below the recommended limit by the FDA of two ounces a day. And it never hurts to strengthen your plan with someFoods rich in potassium Make sure your body's potassium stores are not exhausted.

"Theoretically, consume a potassium-rich diet (bananas) or drinking potassium-rich fluids such as coconut water, orange juice, gatorade or PowerDade can protect against the effects of black liquorice potassium and stabilize the cardiac membrane, "says Dr.. Singh.

And if you finish by experiencing all the symptoms induced by the licorice, contact your doctor immediately. Halloween candy is a fun treatment, but it is a variety to which you will want to be wary.