Eating Licorice during Pregnancy Linked to High Cortisol Levels in Children

Here's an example of what a mother eats during pregnancy can change a child's behavioral profile.

A hormone specialist at the University of Edinburgh UK found that pregnant women who ate licorice expose their babies to a disturbing level of cortisol. Licorice contains a compound called glycyrrhizin (mouthful of a name)that blocks a placental enzyme responsible for diverting maternal cortisol from the fetus. These mothers tended to have a cortisol levels that were a third higher than those who did not consume licorice.

The eight year old children of these women who ate the most licorice were found to have a fifth more salivary cortisol than children of mothers who ate the least. More alarming is that these children were more prone to exhibit behavior problems such as defiance,aggression and ADHD.


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