Expectant mothers who eat excessive quantities of licorice during pregnancy could adversely affect their child's intelligence and behavior, say European researchers. The study, of eight year old children whose mothers ate large amounts of licorice when pregnant, found they did not perform as well as other youngsters in cognitive tests. They were also more likely to have poor attention spans and show disruptive behavior such as ADHD, say the researchers.
It is thought that a component in licorice called glycyrrhizin may impair the placenta, allowing stress hormones to cross from the mother to the baby. High levels of such hormones, known as glucocorticoids, are thought to affect fetal brain development and have been linked to behavioral disorders in children.
The study, carried out by the University of Helsinki and the University of Edinburgh, looked at children born in Finland, where consumption of licorice among young women is common. Women who ate more than 100g of pure licorice per week were more likely to have children with lower intelligence levels and more behavioral problems, the study noted.
"This shows that eating licorice during pregnancy may affect a child's behavior or IQ and suggests the importance of the placenta in preventing stress hormones that may affect cognitive development getting through to the baby," said Professor Jonathan Seckl, from the University of Edinburgh. "Expectant mothers should avoid eating excessive amounts of licorice."
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Source: University of Edinburgh
