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DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-42724
J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York
Licorice Consumption and Serum Testosterone in Healthy Man
Publication History
Received: February 10, 2003
First decision: March 17, 2003
Accepted: March 22, 2003
Publication Date:
01 October 2003 (online)
![](https://www.thieme-connect.de/media/eced/200306/lookinside/thumbnails/10.1055-s-2003-42724-1.jpg)
Abstract
We have previously found that licorice can reduce serum testosterone in healthy men. These results were not confirmed in another study, where the same amounts of licorice did not decrease salivary testosterone values. In the actual study we treated more cases with the same amount of licorice and reproduced our previous data. The mean testosterone values decreased by 26 % after one week of treatment (p < 0.01). There was also a significant increase in 17-OHP and LH concentrations and a slight, but not significant decrease in free testosterone. Licorice treatment, in addition, did not affect the response of testosterone and 17-OHP to stimulation with β-HCG.
Key words
Licorice - glycyrrhetinic acid - total testosterone - free testosterone
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Prof. Decio Armanini
Department of Medical and Surgical Science - Endocrinology
University of Padua
Via Ospedale 105
35100 Padua
Italy
Phone: 0039049-8213023
Fax: 0 03 90 49-65 73 91
Email: decio.armanini@unipd.it