Post created by Colette and Peyton
An article in the New York Times, titled “A Man Died After Eating a Bag of Black Licorice Every Day” describes the death of a 54-year-old man in Massachusetts. He ate two large bags of black licorice a day for three weeks. Although he had a poor diet and smoked cigarettes often, doctors confirmed that the cause of his death was switching from red licorice to black licorice.
Black licorice contains glycyrrhizic acid, which can be harmful when taken in high doses. This lowers potassium levels. In class we talked about homeostasis and how it is necessary to stabilize internal systems within the body. It is important for potassium to remain stable because it plays a major role within cells. With the abnormal amount of glycyrrhizic acid, the kidneys cannot excrete the right amount of potassium necessary for normal function. The cells that are affected by a lack of potassium homeostasis are nerve cells, muscle cells, and cardiomyocytes. This results in many different heart problems which is likely what the 54-year-old man suffered from.
Homeostasis is a crucial process that regulates good nutrient levels, necessary for stable internal environments. Potassium concentration is an essential nutrient and it was the major health complication in this case that ultimately caused death.
Next time think twice before you eat an excessive amount of black licorice!
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