Licorice root for depression and fatigue?

[Alchemica]

Decided that before I start my stack of powder extracts, I'll get into some licorice root to see if I want to add that to my stack. I'll use a low dose ~500mg of plain powdered root, not DGL Anyone use it? Dose recommendations?

 

I've given myself enough stress and hope I can use this rather than stimulants. I don't have CFS just persistent fatigue.

 

About licorice root: https://examine.com/supplements/licorice/

Chronic fatigue syndrome and liquorice (Letter). New Zealand Med J 1995; 108:156-7.

 

Summary: In a letter to the editor, Mr. Baschetti from Padova, Italy, reports his success in treating his own case of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) with licorice. After unsuccessfully trying several different therapies over a 20 month period, Mr. Baschetti began using licorice. He adds that licorice dissolved in milk (2.5 g/500 ml/day) was the delivery form. There is no information as to the source of the licorice. After several days of use, he reports a return of physical and mental stamina.

http://www.encognitive.com/node/15023

 

"A staple of traditional medicine for adrenal exhaustion, licorice root influences the balance of cortisol throughout the body. Available in many oral dosage forms, licorice root’s primary active compound is glycyrrhizin. Natural health and wellness expert Christiane Northrup, MD suggests starting with a small amount of licorice and gradually working up to the desired dosage. When it comes to the adrenal benefits of licorice, more is not always better. A standardized extract dosage of licorice root is approximately 25-75 mg per day. Good quality liquid extracts are also available, and should contain around 30mg/ml glycyrrhizin.

As published in the October 2009 edition of the African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, Chinese researchers investigated the effects of a licorice root extract in an animal study. Their research found that a component of licorice root significantly inhibited fatigue in the subjects.

 

However, licorice root does have some potential safety concerns:

Excessive intake of licorice root can exacerbate hypertension and other heart problems by disrupting the salt and water balance.
Make sure to monitor blood pressure, as licorice may increase blood pressure in susceptible individuals.

Glycyrrhizin-containing licorice may interact with a number of drugs, including diuretics, insulin, laxatives and blood-thinning medications."

 

http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-licorice-root.html
 

Eventually, my night time stack might end up looking more like 2:1:1:1 rosemary, lion's mane, Uncaria rhynchophylla and brahmi extracts with a low dose of licorice root. In addition to my blueberries and minerals.

Anyone have suggestions on dosing the root powder for depression/fatigue/overuse of stimulants?

Edited March 24, 2017 by Alchemica

[Leaves]

I have always added 100g per 2l of water in mixed herb boil ups, to cover bitter taste mainly. End up consuming about 0.5g to 2g at a time.

Some info here about people consuming too much - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3498851/

[Leaves]

The most effective herbs/noots I have seen affect people are good quality Kanna, Taurine/Glutamine combo 2-3g each, Inositol 2-3g, Choline bitartrate 0.4-1g plus 3 meals a day. If you suffer from fatigue Citrulline really does wonders for available energy, it just increases my endurance dramatically. Hope this can help out in some way.

[bio]

infowars' newest product is licoriche and star anise .... for fungal / mould / candida.     

maybe so called depression is just parasites and mycos' using us all to take a big dump.
 

[Alchemica]

Finally got around to exploring this but in a different way. Want to see how it goes for exhaustion at very low doses, not in the stacks that I used to be into...

The science of liquorice: whether you love the dark root – or hate it

 

Glycyrrhizic acid itself seems to have neuroprotective effects and other constituents antidepressant and beneficial effects

 

Making my own liquorice

 

 

Licorice root with Star anise, a little or a lot, to taste has been used to flavour such things [1]

It is suggested to consume only low doses at a time of the root

 

I used  root (I'm using Glycyrrhiza uralensis) and home grown Aniseed Myrtle, Star Anise etc

 

Aqueous extraction of a decent qty of herbs afforded this solution that I didn't even end up colouring. Smelled delightful. No need for sweetener.

 

 

Which was then set into little squares with only small doses of root in each.

I also made sugar free homegrown Hibiscus, Monk Fruit, Cinnamon and Clove 'jam' that turned out really nice for Hibiscus' medicine in a sugar free way and family enjoyed that

 

 

 

 

Edited April 26, 2019 by Alchemica

[Goldfishbrain]

The Traditional Chinese Medicine usage is either small amounts in a formula (3g per day is most common), or short time use at higher dosage (9-15g typically). 

 

Whilst it certainly does have that energy boost effect, it isn't favoured as the main herb in an energy restoring formula due to issues with long term -high dose use. 

 

For restoring debilitated energy, Ginseng (either Panax, raw or processed, depending on body constitution or American/Xi Yang Shen) and Huang Qi (Astragalus spp.  Usually membranicus, sometimes mongolicus.)  Both are very commonly given to patients with chronic fatigue.

 

Huang Qi is agreeable  in flavor, like a sweet beany taste, it's the root of a legume.  I've given 30g per day long term, and I have seen colleagues prescribe up to 120g per day for really chronic exhaustion, also with no ill effects. 

 

Ginseng is safe for long term use, but can be overdone, particularly the processed red panax, which causes overheating if taken to excess.  3-15 g per day is the normal therapeutic range, but care with the red if you aren't cold in body.  Typically ginseng is eaten, sometimes soaked in the formula, rather than cooked in with the rest of the herbs, as the expense means you really want to get everything out of it.  Very effective indeed for debilitating lack of energy.

 

For personally tailored results, a practitioners diagnosis and prescription is recommended.  My tip on picking a T.C.M. practitioner for herbs, is make sure they are using raw herbs by preference, not the granulated stuff.