Key Takeaways
- DGL is licorice root with most glycyrrhizin removed to lower blood pressure related risk.
- It may soothe upper digestive discomfort by supporting the stomach lining and mucus barrier.
- Human research is limited, with better evidence for dyspepsia than for ordinary reflux.
- DGL works best as a chewable because saliva contact helps prepare it before swallowing.
- Regular licorice root has more safety concerns than DGL, especially for blood pressure.
DGL Licorice Root
Basic Meaning
DGL means deglycyrrhizinated licorice. It comes from licorice root, but manufacturers remove most of the glycyrrhizin.
Glycyrrhizin is the licorice compound linked with blood pressure rise, potassium loss, fluid retention and other hormone like effects. Removing it is the main reason DGL exists.
DGL is mostly used for upper digestive discomfort, stomach lining support, mild reflux symptoms and irritation after food.
The best evidence does not prove it fixes every digestive problem. It mainly suggests a soothing effect in some people with upper digestive symptoms.
Licorice has a long history of use in older medical systems, including for digestive and respiratory complaints.
Modern evidence is thinner than the history suggests, especially when people make broad claims about reflux, ulcers or gut repair (1).
Regular Licorice Risk
Regular licorice root is very different from DGL. The glycyrrhizin in regular licorice can interfere with the way the body handles cortisol in tissues that regulate salt and water balance.
The result can look like excess aldosterone activity. Blood pressure may rise, potassium may fall and fluid can build up.
A systematic review found that chronic licorice intake was linked with higher blood pressure and lower potassium, even at modest doses (2).
DGL lowers that concern because most glycyrrhizin is removed. That does not make every product equal. Supplement labels, extraction methods and doses still vary.
Chewable Form
DGL is often sold as a chewable tablet. That form is not random.
Health Canada’s monograph says DGL should be mixed with saliva, which is why acceptable forms include chewable tablets, chewable gels, granules and similar forms meant to be chewed (3).
Swallowing a capsule may still expose the stomach to DGL, but it skips the saliva step. A chewable form is closer to the way many traditional DGL products were intended to be used.
Digestive Effects
Stomach Lining
DGL is usually discussed as a stomach lining support. The idea is that it helps the stomach defend itself against acid and irritation rather than simply blocking acid.
Your stomach already uses mucus and bicarbonate to protect its lining. When that barrier is weak or irritated, normal acid can feel harsher. DGL is often used with the goal of supporting that barrier.
One double blind trial in gastric ulcer patients did not find a clear healing effect from a DGL product, although no side effects were reported in that study (4).
Other reviews describe older clinical work where DGL appeared to help ulcer healing or reduce ulcer size, but much of that evidence is old and does not match the standard expected from modern trials (5).
Upper Discomfort
The better modern human evidence involves functional dyspepsia.
That means upper digestive symptoms such as fullness, upper abdominal pain, nausea, heartburn or belching without a clear structural cause.
A randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial tested a licorice extract called GutGard in people with functional dyspepsia.
Participants took 75 mg twice daily for 30 days, and the licorice group had better symptom improvement than placebo (6).
GutGard is a specific extract, so the results do not automatically apply to every DGL product. Still, it gives some human support for licorice based digestive support in upper stomach symptoms.
The likely benefit is symptom calming rather than deep repair after serious disease. Pain, vomiting, black stool, weight loss, trouble swallowing or persistent symptoms need proper medical evaluation.
Reflux Feelings
Many people take DGL for reflux. The evidence is weaker here.
Reflux can come from many causes, including
- pressure in the stomach,
- delayed emptying,
- hiatal hernia,
- food triggers,
- alcohol,
- smoking,
- late eating or
- low muscle tone at the lower esophageal sphincter.
A soothing herb may reduce irritation, but it may not correct the cause.
DGL may help some people feel less burning by coating or soothing irritated tissue. That is different from proving it stops reflux events.
NCCIH notes that some products containing licorice root plus other ingredients may help digestive symptoms, but it also says the specific contribution of licorice is uncertain when combination products are used (1).
Use & Timing
Before Food
DGL is commonly used before food so it can contact the mouth, throat and upper stomach before irritation starts.
Many chewable products are taken around 15 to 20 minutes before food, though labels vary.
Use the product label rather than copying a dose from another brand. DGL extracts can differ in strength.
Chew it well if the product is made to be chewed. Let it mix with saliva before swallowing.
Short Trial
A clean trial makes more sense than taking it forever. Use one product, keep the dose steady and track the symptom you care about. Burning, fullness, burping, nausea and upper stomach pressure are different symptoms.
If symptoms improve clearly within a few weeks, DGL may be useful for that person. If nothing changes, it probably does not match the cause.
Long term use deserves more caution because supplement quality and glycyrrhizin removal can vary. DGL is safer than regular licorice, but safety still depends on the actual product.
Food Triggers
DGL will not cancel out a poor diet. Upper digestive symptoms often worsen with alcohol, refined sugar, fried food, seed oils, large late food intake and frequent snacking. Carbonated drinks can also add pressure and belching.
A steadier approach is to keep food plain for a short period. Choose whole natural foods, avoid refined starch and sugar and stop eating close to bed.
If the stomach calms down, the trigger may have been the total food load rather than a missing supplement.
Limits & Safety
Evidence Limits
DGL is overmarketed online. The strongest claims go far beyond the evidence. Human studies exist, but many are old, small or based on specific extracts. Reflux evidence is especially thin. Dyspepsia evidence is more useful, but still limited.
One newer clinical paper on a fermented DGL related enzyme product concerns early stage gastroesophageal reflux disease, but it does not settle the question for standard DGL tablets sold in stores (7).
DGL can be worth considering for mild upper digestive irritation. It should not be treated as proof that stomach acid is the enemy or that acid suppression is the only answer.
Safety Checks
Avoid regular licorice root if you have high blood pressure, low potassium, kidney disease, heart rhythm problems or fluid retention unless a qualified clinician specifically clears it.
DGL is designed to reduce those concerns, but it may still contain small amounts of glycyrrhizin. Product quality matters.
Case reports continue to show that licorice intake can cause severe potassium loss, high blood pressure and metabolic changes when glycyrrhizin exposure is high enough (8).
Pregnancy is another caution area. Licorice products are not a casual choice during pregnancy.
Medicine Interactions
Licorice can interact with several drug classes, especially those that affect blood pressure, potassium, fluid balance, heart rhythm or hormones.
Check the exact product with a clinician or pharmacist if medication is involved. Bring the label, because DGL products are not all the same.
For any health concerns or questions about a medical condition, get guidance from a physician or another appropriately trained clinician. Before changing your diet, supplements, or health routine, talk with a licensed healthcare professional.
Suggested Posts
Research
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (2020) ‘Licorice Root’, NCCIH.
Penninkilampi, R., Eslick, E.M. and Eslick, G.D. (2017) ‘The Association Between Consistent Licorice Ingestion, Hypertension and Hypokalaemia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis’, Journal of Human Hypertension, 31(11), pp. 699 to 707. PMID 28660884.
Health Canada (2025) ‘Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice Oral’, Natural Health Products Ingredients Database.
Engqvist, A., Von Feilitzen, F., Pyk, E. and Reichard, H. (1973) ‘Double-blind Trial of Deglycyrrhizinated Liquorice in Gastric Ulcer’, Gut, 14(9), pp. 711 to 715. PMID 4584640.
Murray, M.T. (2020) ‘Glycyrrhiza Glabra Licorice’, Textbook of Natural Medicine, pp. 641 to 647. PMID 32809677.
Raveendra, K.R. et al. (2012) ‘An Extract of Glycyrrhiza Glabra GutGard Alleviates Symptoms of Functional Dyspepsia: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study’, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2012, 216970. PMID 21747893.
Massoud, A.M.A. et al. (2026) ‘Randomized Double-blind Placebo-controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of α-amylase Enzyme Prepared From Fermented Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice Root Extract in Treating Early-stage Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease’, PMID 41627541.
Albahlawan, R. et al. (2024) ‘Licorice Toxicity Presenting As Refractory Hypokalemia and Hypertension’, Cureus, 16(10), e71605.
Smedegaard, S.B. and Svart, M.V. (2019) ‘Licorice Induced Pseudohyperaldosteronism, Severe Hypertension, and Long QT’, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Case Reports, 2019. PMID 31886143.
Sontia, B., Mooney, J. and Gaudet, L. (2008) ‘Pseudohyperaldosteronism, Liquorice, and Hypertension’, Journal of Clinical Hypertension, 10(2), pp. 153 to 157.
Yoshino, T. et al. (2021) ‘Clinical Risk Factors of Licorice-induced Pseudoaldosteronism Based on Glycyrrhizic Acid Dose and Treatment Duration: A Narrative Review’, Frontiers in Nutrition, 8, 719197.
Sabbadin, C., Bordin, L., Donà, G., Manso, J. and Armanini, D. (2024) ‘Pseudohyperaldosteronism Due to Licorice: A Practice-based Review’, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(13), 7454.
Rahnama, M. et al. (2013) ‘The Healing Effect of Licorice Glycyrrhiza Glabra on Helicobacter Pylori Infected Peptic Ulcers’, Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 18(6), pp. 532 to 533.
Melzer, J., Rosch, W., Reichling, J., Brignoli, R. and Saller, R. (2004) ‘Meta-analysis: Phytotherapy of Functional Dyspepsia With the Herbal Drug Preparation STW 5 Iberogast’, Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 20(11 to 12), pp. 1279 to 1287. PMID 14755152.
Fiore, C. et al. (2005) ‘A History of the Therapeutic Use of Liquorice in Europe’, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 99(3), pp. 317 to 324. PMID 15978760.