Too Much Licorice Can Be Hazardous
Question: A friend gave my husband some cough lozenges with menthol and natural licorice. He sucks some every day and I am concerned. He takes hydrochlorothiazide and propranolol for high blood pressure. Could the cough drops interact with his medicine?
Answer: We are licorice lovers ourselves, but we must urge caution. There is an ingredient in natural black licorice that may be helpful in treating digestive distress or coughs. It can cause problems, however. Too much licorice (about an ounce a day on a regular basis) can result in fluid retention, weakness, high blood pressure, potassium depletion, hormone imbalances and sexual difficulties.
Adding licorice to a diuretic that depletes potassium could cause trouble and possibly affect your husband’s heart rhythm.
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Q: My teenage son helps around the house and washes dishes several times a week. He has very sensitive skin, and the detergent makes his hands dry and irritated.
In the past I used the prescription moisturizer Lac-Hydrin. I ran out and don’t want to pay for a doctor’s visit just for hand lotion. Is there an over-the-counter product that is similar?
A: Prescription strength Lac-Hydrin contains ammonium lactate equivalent to 12% lactic acid. This moisturizer is considered a drug. An over-the-counter formulation of Lac-Hydrin contains 5% lactic acid. You might also look for AmLactin Lotion, an off-the-shelf cosmetic product with 12% lactic acid. It is made by Upsher-Smith Labs.
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Q: Thank you for writing about Glucophage. A few years ago my elderly mother started taking this drug with Glucotrol to keep her blood sugar under control.
Last spring she fell and fractured a wrist. She was a wonderful patient, but by midsummer she was listless, had no appetite and had lost weight. She was withdrawn and had pain and weakness in her arms and an upset stomach.
When I read that lactic acidosis from Glucophage could cause symptoms like these, I persuaded the doctor to stop this medicine while continuing on Glucotrol. In one week she had changed dramatically. She ate well, and instead of sleeping in her chair all day she was alert. Within two weeks she was her old self and was able to get around on her own.
Keep telling your readers to stay in charge of their own health and never hesitate to ask the doctor or pharmacist about medications or symptoms.
A: Thanks for reminding us all to be vigilant. Older people may be more vulnerable to drug side effects such as weakness, dizziness or forgetfulness. If an older person is not assertive, a younger relative may need to speak with the doctor or pharmacist, as you did for your mother.
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Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist. Teresa Graedon holds a doctorate in medical anthropology and is a nutrition expert. Send questions to them at People’s Pharmacy, care of King Features Syndicate, 235 E. 45th St., New York, NY 10017, or e-mail them via their Web site: https://www.peoplespharmacy.com.
