<p class="title">Excessive consumption of licorice tea, a popular herbal beverage, may have health risks such as high blood pressure and reduced potassium levels, researchers claim.</p>.<p class="bodytext">According to a case study, published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal), consuming tea made from licorice root resulted in severely elevated blood pressure in an 84-year-old man.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Excessive amounts of some herbal products can have harmful side effects," said Jean-Pierre Falet from the McGill University in Canada.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Products containing licorice root extract can raise blood pressure, cause water retention and decrease potassium levels if consumed in excess," said Falet.</p>.<p class="bodytext">According to the researchers, the patient visited the emergency department for a high-blood pressure emergency.</p>.<p class="bodytext">His blood pressure was severely elevated, and he was suffering from a headache, light sensitivity, chest pain, fatigue and fluid retention in the calves.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After admission to hospital and treatment, the patient, who had a history of high blood pressure, told physicians he had been drinking daily one or two glasses of homemade licorice root extract called 'erk sous' for two weeks prior.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Licorice tea is popular in the Middle East and parts of Europe, and erk sous is especially popular in Egypt during Ramadan.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Physicians should consider screening for licorice root intake in patients with difficult-to-control hypertension," added Falet. </p>
<p class="title">Excessive consumption of licorice tea, a popular herbal beverage, may have health risks such as high blood pressure and reduced potassium levels, researchers claim.</p>.<p class="bodytext">According to a case study, published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal), consuming tea made from licorice root resulted in severely elevated blood pressure in an 84-year-old man.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Excessive amounts of some herbal products can have harmful side effects," said Jean-Pierre Falet from the McGill University in Canada.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Products containing licorice root extract can raise blood pressure, cause water retention and decrease potassium levels if consumed in excess," said Falet.</p>.<p class="bodytext">According to the researchers, the patient visited the emergency department for a high-blood pressure emergency.</p>.<p class="bodytext">His blood pressure was severely elevated, and he was suffering from a headache, light sensitivity, chest pain, fatigue and fluid retention in the calves.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After admission to hospital and treatment, the patient, who had a history of high blood pressure, told physicians he had been drinking daily one or two glasses of homemade licorice root extract called 'erk sous' for two weeks prior.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Licorice tea is popular in the Middle East and parts of Europe, and erk sous is especially popular in Egypt during Ramadan.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Physicians should consider screening for licorice root intake in patients with difficult-to-control hypertension," added Falet. </p>