Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

bbc.co.uk

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

191–200 of 374 posts

Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#191

Post by lvturner »

74ls00 wrote: post #176
_Microft wrote: post #138

There was a case when a woman in Germany also ate lots of liquorice on a daily basis and developed health problems. The case went to court because she thought that she should have been warned by the producer. It was dismissed with a reason like "common sense dictates that this was a bad idea" (think: "lol, wut? u dumb").

I don’t know, seems reasonable to me. How many people on the street would know when asked what the safe dosage of liquorice is? Guess most would say it’s no worse than any sugary candy. Is it not similar to an allergy?

Inverse it - how many would think two bags a day, every day was good for their health?

Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#192

Post by barsonme »

dylan604 wrote: post #177
verst wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I loved eating that stuff as a kid growing up in Germany. Still do, but can't easily find it in Seattle. It's a very acquired flavor... just like I absolutely cannot get used to the taste of IPAs.

Sort of like Jaegermeister. I can't believe people drink that by choice.

It’s very tasty if you like the taste of licorice and cough syrup. :)

Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#193

Post by zwieback »

verst wrote: post #153
icedistilled wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah Then purpose of the salty licorice with ammonium chloride must be to prevent people from consuming too much in one sitting. Usually I can only make it 2/3rd through a single piece before the ammonia flavor is too over powering.

I loved eating that stuff as a kid growing up in Germany. Still do, but can't easily find it in Seattle. It's a very acquired flavor... just like I absolutely cannot get used to the taste of IPAs.

I grew up in Germany as well (Stuttgart) and love licorice, don't eat too much here but there are quite a few stores that carry it.

Most NW IPAs are nasty, enough said. Luckily the microbrewers are coming off their hops high and returning to drinkable beers again. Lots of great lagers in Oregon right now.

Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#194

Post by amyjess »

tzs wrote: post #89
starkred wrote: post #41

I was surprised to see how clearly the FDA recommends against black licorice consumption. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/black-licoric... > If you’re 40 or older, eating 2 ounces of black licorice a day for at least two weeks could land you in the hospital with an irregular heart rhythm or arrhythmia. I love black licorice but as far as I'm concerned that's enough of a reason to do without. Just becau…

You almost certainly do not need to completely drop black licorice. From what the article you linked says, it doesn't sound like it directly damages the heart or the things that regulate heart rhythm. The glycyrrhizin in black licorice lowers potassium levels, and heart rhythm regulation depends on potassium levels. Stop eating glycyrrhizin, and the potassium levels come back to normal. If you only eat black licorice…

As someone who takes a considerable amount of a potassium-sparing diuretic every day for medical reasons, it just occurred to me that I might benefit from eating more licorice, as hyperkalemia is an actual risk of my meds.

Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#195

Post by amyjess »

timdorr wrote: post #132
maskull wrote: post #103

"Of all the compounds, glycyrrhizin was the most active in inhibiting replication of the SARS-associated virus." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7112442/

Well, this is just wacky: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7311916/ So, I guess take some potassium with black licorice and you'll defeat COVID-19!

Alternately, if you're a woman with hypertension, ask your doctor to prescribe you some spironolactone to take along with your licorice.

It's a potassium-sparing diuretic that was originally developed as a blood pressure drug. Since hyperkalemia is a potential side effect of spiro, licorice consumption can mitigate that. And as for why you should only take it if you're a woman... well, I guess men can take it, but they wouldn't like the fact that it suppresses your testosterone into the ground.

Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#197

Post by userbinator »

umvi wrote: post #78
Wistar wrote: post #70

Strong black licorice, "lakrids," abounds in Denmark. My brother visited me when I was living there and ate a pound or so of little, tobacco-pipe shaped licorice in an afternoon. He got profoundly ill with a racing heartbeat, lightheaded, dizzy and nauseous. I almost took him to the hospital but he refused. It took a couple of days before he felt good enough to get out of the apartment. Sometime after, I mentioned th…

You'd think the package would have a warning on it?

WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals known to the state of California to cause death.

Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#198

Post by busterarm »

simongray wrote: post #168
MisterBastahrd wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can't imagine why someone from the land of fermented shark flesh would like the flavor of ammonia.

In Denmark we mixed in some pepper with the salt, making salty licorice with pepper inside (Tyrkisk Peber). People love that stuff.

I used to eat bags of it. It's my favorite.

Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#199

Post by umvi »

mr_toad wrote: post #156
umvi wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You'd think the package would have a warning on it?

Where do you draw the line? People have died from drinking too much water, probably more than have been killed by liquorice.

My body naturally tells me when I'm not thirsty anymore. I'm not sure my body would tell me when I'm reaching toxic levels of glycyrrhizic acid if I'm snacking on licorice all day.

Just a label like "Licorice contains glycyrrhizic acid. Do not consume more than 10 mg glycyrrhizic acid per day."

Or even just "Licorice contains glycyrrhizic acid." would be enough for people to google it.

Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#200

Post by TheRealPomax »

"Another doctor, Dr Andrew L Lundquist, agreed in the report that the liquorice was to blame" it really wasn't. The man was to blame (if there was any blame at all, because addictive behaviour doesn't really mesh with "blame"), and the liquorice was just the last addiction he'd ever have.
Post reply on HN