Licorice II

Licorice II
Andre Willers
13 Jan 2011

Synopsis:
Feedback processes initiated by ingestion of licorice (glycorrhizin) seem inordinately sensitive . Boundary dosages need care .

I need to tell my little niece (3) what is safe to eat .
Before age 5 : no licorice .
5-7 – ¼ gm per day .
7- puberty :3/4 gm a day .
Puberty-25 : 1 gm / day
25+ 1.5 gm/day.

Discussion :
See http://andreswhy.blogspot.com "Licorice"

I tried about 1.5 gm of "Panda Soft Licorice" per day at breakfast on me and my wife .The effects were disproportionate . . Chronic fatigue symptoms and attention deficit problems decreased dramatically . Noticeably .

What is going on ?
I theorize that the glycorrhizin decreases the enzyme breaking down cortisol , leading to a bit more hardboiled attitude . See Architecture in "Licorice"
This is a very sensitive feedback mechanism .

Overdosage :
Too much licorice will mean too little cortisol .
A person subject to manic/depressive fits .

Underdosage :
Too little licorice will mean too much cortisol .
A pliant person subject to depressive fits .

Now you see why schoolboys self-medicated .

Of course , now caring parents do it for them with Ritalin et al .

Alcohol :
Ouzo etc . Licorice in alcohol .
A hard decrease in cortisol .
About sums up the Greek attitude to women and inferiors .

Was it deliberate ?
Turks meant it to render Greek drinkers depressed and comatose .
Sigh . Many have tried and none have succeeded .

A moderate ingestion of licorice flavoured alcohol is a stimulant . Too much exacerbates both the depressant effects of alcohol and licorice . The Turks did not reckon on the heroic imbibing efforts of the old Greek Heroes .

It is not even endorphins .
Just pure bloody-mindedness .

Oh well .
Andre