Food and medication

Liquorice and medication

Real liquorice lowers potassium and raises blood pressure, which can work against some medicines or add to their side effects.

3 medicines on our checker are affected. Tap a medicine for every food and drink that matters with it.

Take care liquorice with these medicines

  • ACE inhibitors · ramipril, lisinopril, perindopril

    Real liquorice raises blood pressure and works against the medicine.

  • Amlodipine · amlodipine, amlodipine besylate, Istin

    Real liquorice raises blood pressure and works against the medicine.

  • Beta blockers · propranolol, metoprolol, atenolol

    Real liquorice raises blood pressure.

Foods and drinks that count as liquorice

  • Liquorice sweets
  • Black liquorice
  • Pontefract cakes
  • Liquorice allsorts
  • Salty liquorice
  • Liquorice tea
  • Liquorice root

Common questions

Which medicines does liquorice affect?
3 medicines on our checker: ACE inhibitors (take care), Amlodipine (take care), Beta blockers (take care).
Which foods count as liquorice?
Liquorice sweets, Black liquorice, Pontefract cakes, Liquorice allsorts, Salty liquorice, Liquorice tea, Liquorice root.

General information from NHS medicine pages and drug labels, not medical advice. Always follow your prescriber, pharmacist or the leaflet with your medicine. How we check.