By If summer barbeque food brings on heartburn and stomach pain, then you might want to keep some DGL on hand.
DGL stands for Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice. Large doses of plain licorice (and I’m talking about real licorice, not the chewy candy) can cause salt and water retention, hypertension, and low potassium levels because of one of its components, glycyrrhizinic acid. DGL is an extract from which at least 97% of the acid has been removed and does not typically cause these problems.
DGL appears to have a protective effect on the stomach lining. It has shown in clinical trials to be an effective treatment for ulcers, and reduce gastrointestinal bleeding caused by taking aspirin.
Chewable DGL seems to work best in the studies—sorry to those who don’t like the taste of licorice! It can be taken before meals, as needed, or as part of a treatment plan for ulcers that you and your doctor decide on.
