Positives

• One patient found licorice root to be part of an effective antiviral regimen, alongside other supplements, which helped manage their Long COVID symptoms Reddit.
  
  
• In another report, a patient shared that licorice root, when purchased from a specific brand, was “the most effective” compared to other brands, suggesting the importance of product quality in its efficacy Reddit.
  
  

Negatives

• Patients on whole licorice root or glycyrrhizin above 100 mg/day for more than 6 weeks commonly develop sodium and water retention, hypertension, and hypokalemia, with effects starting as soon as one week of daily ingestion PMC.
• Patients drinking licorice tea daily have presented with hypertensive emergency and pseudohyperaldosteronism — a real risk for Long COVID patients already battling autonomic blood pressure swings PMC.
• Patients commonly describe headaches, low potassium, abnormal heart rhythms, and edema with regular licorice use — especially problematic in POTS/dysautonomia overlaps where heart rhythm and electrolytes are already fragile WebMD.
• Some people are so sensitive to glycyrrhizin that even the trace amounts left in DGL preparations cause symptoms, so DGL is not always a safe substitute People’s Pharmacy.

Hurdles & Side Effects

• A user noted that while licorice root is beneficial, finding the right form and brand can be challenging, as effectiveness varies significantly Reddit.