September 27, 2020
"A Man Died After Eating a Bag of Black Licorice Every Day."
"That habit caused his potassium levels to drop precipitously, prompting a cardiac arrest, according to the study. He never regained consciousness after his collapse and died about 24 hours after he arrived at Massachusetts General Hospital.... Aspiring doctors are taught in medical school that black licorice contains glycyrrhizic acid, a plant extract that is often used as a sweetener in candies and other foods and can lead to dangerously low potassium levels if it is consumed in high enough doses. But it is rare to see a case of someone dying as a result of ingesting too much of the candy" (NYT).
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53 comments:
Black Licorice Matters.
When I went to Holland, black licorice was everywhere. It is stronger over there, than what they sell in America. I loved it, but there were warnings on the bags
Everything in moderation.
Except black licorice, that shit is nasty.
It must be banned, obviously.
My mother loved that stuff, unsweetened. I tried one once and had to brush my teeth for ten minutes to get the taste out of my mouth.
I thought black licorice was also toxic for reasons to deal with blood pressure. I haven't looked it up.
Yup but the same compound.
While licorice root has beneficial actions in that it is a source of plant oestrogens antioxidant flavonoids, and has antiviral action, but it is best avoided if you have hypertension as it consistently causes blood pressure to rise. Individuals with pre-existing hypertension and heart disease are more sensitive to this effect.
I bet he really died from the invisible Chinese virus, hint hint.
From the NYT article: "The compound glycyrrhizin, which is derived from licorice root, can cause potassium levels in the body to fall and lead to abnormal heart rhythms, high blood pressure, edema, lethargy and congestive heart failure, according to the agency’s warning."
I think the low potassium is the cause of the blood pressure problems.
Back before all the Home Improvement shows on TV, they would broadcast Emergency Room....um...emergencies.
One ER episode concerned a 17-year-old football player who had collapsed during practice. In the ER, it was determined the kid was losing motor control in his extremities. Pain sensation was gone as well.
The resolution was a lack of potassium. They pumped-up his electrolytes in the ER, and told him to eat more bananas.
I always wondered how does that happen?? But......yeah, I can see a 17-year-old kid eating too much black licorice.
Twizzle this.
As if I need another reason to avoid that "candy". Bleargh, as Don Martin might say.
Another fun fact about licorice: If you eat a whole bag of it, say 4 oz or more, your poop comes out an amazingly dark green color. Do with this hard-earned knowledge what you will, I offer it to fellow commenters, society, and the world as freely as I learned it.
Okay. Eat a banana or two for every bag.
Darwin Award
There used to be licorice candies shaped like lttle babies. I forget what they called them....
Mao's teeth were black from his love of black licorice. That is why you never see a bust of the laughing Mao.
I think the low potassium is the cause of the blood pressure problems.
Nope but it was the cause of death.
A banana story, though. A friend of mine was the new chief of the new CCU in an LA hospital. One of the old time cardiologists admitted a patient to the CCU with an acute MI. His potassium came back very low. The nurses called the old cardiologist about it and he told them to send to the kitchen for a sliced banana. That would bring up his potassium. It would bring it up next week, maybe.
They called my friend and he said "Give him 30 bananas and one banana IV push." The appropriate response would be 30 Meq in a bottle of IV fluid and one Meq IV push. My friend's witty response had the nurses in hysterics. The old cardiologist learned about it in the morning and was not happy. My friend moved on to another more modern hospital a few months later, where he still is.
So he started with fatigue.
Literally licorice whipped.
Licorice root prepared as deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL).
Today, many use this herbal supplement to heal gut problems.
There is a lesson here somewhere. Now substitute banning gasoline cars when your power grid is inadequate.
I never liked black licorice, but my brother loved it. I never knew it could be dangerous.
Drinking too much water can kill you too.
Moderation in all things.
Except politics. ;)
Today, a "fun fact". Tomorrow, a class action (or personal injury) lawsuit.
Of course it has to be deadly BLACK licorice; just like deadly BLACK ice.
Racism straight up!
Narr
Anis, anus, no thanks
Dose defines the poison. Something to keep in mind the next time an expert/authority figure, cites some toxic, cancerous compound, present in parts per billion, and no context. Its a tell.
The man should have eaten more bananas to up his potassium levels. Perhaps a little more "hero rat" behavior?
One ER episode concerned a 17-year-old football player who had collapsed during practice. In the ER, it was determined the kid was losing motor control in his extremities.
Over hydration. You can drink too much water. It messes up electrolytes balance. I think too,overhydration lowers potassium, by dilution.
What do you think really happened here- the man didn't know this factoid? Really? This was a suicide.
Putin has been known to poison people with black licorice.
Jerry Garcia once said that the Grateful Dead had the same appeal as black licorice. Not everyone likes it but the people who do like it REALLY like it
Love black licorice but haven't had it in years...it's actually pretty difficult to find unless it's wrapped in a candy shell like Good 'n' Plenty...
I never liked licorice whether black or any other color. I'm an equal-opportunity licorice hater.
The guy should have watched the curb your enthusiasm episode with Richard Lewis.
Licorice: go red, or get dead.
"a Bag"
I looked at half a dozen articles. Our intrepid newshounds seem to consider "a bag" to be a standard unit of measure.
Didn’t the “Goons Show” do a “Bridge on the River Why” sketch where, if captured, you were supposed to swallow a “little black capsule” that contained . . Concentrated Licorice? (Or was that Firesign?)
"Another fun fact about licorice: If you eat a whole bag of it, say 4 oz or more, your poop comes out an amazingly dark green color."
I gotta try that! Pictures at eleven.
Another fun fact about licorice: If you eat a whole bag of it, say 4 oz or more, your poop comes out an amazingly dark green color
Well, thanks for some help planning my Sunday afternoon. White paper forthcoming...
"Another fun fact about licorice: If you eat a whole bag of it, say 4 oz or more, your poop comes out an amazingly dark green color."
I gotta try that! Pictures at eleven.
Wait.
Was he tested for Covid?
So a balanced diet--potassium wise--is to eat one stick of black licorice and one banana? Who knew?
" If you eat a whole bag of it, say 4 oz or more, your poop comes out an amazingly dark green color"
Beto is on this..
My father used to buy black licorice from a candy store just down the street from where we lived. I believe they made the candy in house. It was great and he ate a lot of it. He lived to be 98. There’s nothing like it where I live but I have found that Trader Joe’s does make a pretty decent black licorice. Low blood pressure runs in my family so there’s never been an issue.
Ten years ago I had my first and only seizure.
Got to the ER, got blood drawn, low potassium.
Two horse pills and a couple of bags of potassium later I was on my way.
Reported this to my doctor and he changed my hypertension presctiption to 'potassium sparing'.
That's my potassium story.
Surprised they didn't blame Covid 19
We have to BAN licorice. Think of the children!!!
black licorice is disgusting.
I got to take an ambulance ride from work due to the opposite... hyperkalemia presumably from dehydration.
I think the Guardian reported this the day before the NYT's article was published which was also (could be mistaken and am not checking) the day when they reported on the second recent death, in England, by cow. I recall the cow murder article because they used a rather unfortunate photograph of the deceased, who looked to me to be just the sort of unpleasant old man whose death by trampling isn't widely lamented.
> Licorice: go red, or get dead.
BETTER OFF RED
Well, I've finally made a comment that got some responses here at Althouse. I am proud of that accomplishment, but it is balanced with shame over the subject. I am ashoud. Or maybe pramed.
Enjoy the licorice.
I soaked some black twizzlers in alcohol once. The result was liquor-ish.
Now I want some black licorice
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