Breaking Research For 10-5-99

n a letter published in Thursday’s New England Journal of Medicine an Italian research study revealed that glycyrrhizic acid, the active ingredient in licorice, suppresses testosterone levels in men.

Just 7 grams of licorice a day over four days was enough to reduce the amount of testosterone by an average of 44 percent. Hormone levels returned to normal after four days of abstinence, said the team led by Dr. Decio Armanini of the University of Padua.

Extracts of licorice root are a widely used flavoring agents found in breath fresheners and candy.

 “The amounts of licorice given to these men are eaten by many people,” they said. “Thus, men with decreased libido or other sexual dysfunction ... should be questioned about licorice ingestion.

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