Comparison guide
DGL or whole licorice root?
The difference between the two is glycyrrhizin. Whole licorice root contains it, and its best-proven effect is a harm: raised blood pressure and lowered potassium, measurable even at about 100 mg glycyrrhizin a day. DGL removes it, which makes it the form to consider for stomach use, though its own efficacy evidence is thin.
The options, compared
| Option | Evidence | Best for | The honest note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DGL Licorice | Limited evidence | Stomach use, if any | The safer form, but its evidence is limited: mostly small 1970s–80s trials, while the one modern positive dyspepsia trial used a different flavonoid-standardised extract (GutGard, 75 mg twice daily). Choose a product that states glycyrrhizin below 2%. | View |
| Licorice Root | Moderate evidence | Not recommended as a supplement | Reliably raises blood pressure and lowers potassium, with effects seen around 100 mg glycyrrhizin a day, and whole-root capsules rarely state their glycyrrhizin content. Contraindicated with hypertension, heart, kidney or liver disease, and in pregnancy. | View |
Our verdict
If you want licorice for your stomach, choose DGL with a stated low glycyrrhizin content and accept that its evidence is limited. Whole licorice root should be limited in both dose and duration, and skipped entirely if you have high blood pressure, heart or kidney disease or low potassium, take diuretics or are pregnant. Persistent dyspepsia or a suspected ulcer needs H. pylori testing, not self-treatment.