Ingredient file 7 of 8
Licorice and Grapefruit in Olivaro: The Two Interaction Flags to Check
Olivaro lists grapefruit fruit extract 11th and monoammonium glycyrrhizinate, a licorice compound, 18th in its 200 mg blend. Neither amount is printed. Grapefruit can raise blood levels of some statins and heart drugs (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs). Glycyrrhizin can cause an irregular heartbeat and is a risk with high blood pressure (NCCIH, Licorice Root). If you take prescription drugs, show the label to a pharmacist first.
Written by the Olivaro research deskUpdated
The short version
Why do licorice and grapefruit matter in Olivaro?
They are not there for blood sugar. They matter because of what they can do to your other medicines and your heart.
Most plants in Olivaro raise one question: does it work at this dose? These two raise a different one: is it safe with what you already take? For many adults over 45 with a full pill organizer, the second question comes first.
| Item | Grapefruit | Licorice compound |
|---|---|---|
| Label name | Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) Fruit Extract | Monoammonium Glycyrrhizinate |
| Place in blend | 11th of 22 | 18th of 22 |
| Most it can weigh per mL | about 18 mg (200 / 11) | about 11 mg (200 / 18) |
| Printed amount | Not published | Not published |
| Main concern | Drug levels (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs) | Heart rhythm, blood pressure (NCCIH, Licorice Root) |
Weight limits come from label order: a blend lists ingredients from most to least by weight (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)).
Grapefruit
How does grapefruit interact with medicines?
Grapefruit blocks an enzyme in the gut called CYP3A4. That enzyme normally breaks down some drugs. When it is blocked, those drugs can build up to levels that are too high, FDA explains (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs).
FDA lists these drug types as ones that can be affected (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs):
- Some statins (cholesterol drugs)
- Some blood pressure drugs
- Some heart-rhythm drugs
- Some anti-anxiety drugs
- Some organ-transplant drugs
Not every drug in those groups is affected. That is why FDA tells you to ask your doctor or pharmacist about your own medicine (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs).
What we do not know
Is grapefruit extract the same as grapefruit juice?
Nobody outside the maker can say. FDA's warning is about grapefruit juice (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs). Olivaro lists a fruit extract, and the label does not say which parts of the fruit it holds or how much.
| On the label | Yes, 11th of 22 |
|---|---|
| Amount per mL | Not published |
| Upper limit by label order | about 18 mg per mL |
| Tested for drug interactions as Olivaro | No study published |
An unknown amount is not the same as a safe amount. The cautious path is to treat the extract like grapefruit until your pharmacist says otherwise. Our article on grapefruit and medicine interactions goes deeper.
Licorice
What is monoammonium glycyrrhizinate?
It is a salt of glycyrrhizin, the sweet compound in licorice root. Makers often use it as a sweetener or flavor. It sits 18th in the Olivaro blend.
NCCIH says glycyrrhizin can cause serious effects such as an irregular heartbeat, mainly with large or long-term use (NCCIH, Licorice Root). It adds that people with high blood pressure may be at risk even from small amounts.
- Heart rhythm: irregular heartbeat, mainly with large or long-term use (NCCIH, Licorice Root).
- Blood pressure: risk even at small amounts if yours is already high (NCCIH, Licorice Root).
- Steroid drugs: interactions with corticosteroids have been reported (NCCIH, Licorice Root).
- Pregnancy: large amounts of licorice are unsafe (NCCIH, Licorice Root).
Long-term use
Does daily use of Olivaro add up?
It might, and that is the point to raise with your doctor. The label directs 1 or 2 droppers every day, and a 6-bottle order covers 6 months at 1 dropper.
The licorice warning is tied to large or long-term use (NCCIH, Licorice Root). The amount per dropper is likely small, given 18th place. But "small, every day, for months" is exactly the pattern worth a blood pressure check. If your readings rise after you start, stop and call your doctor.
Order Olivaro from the official checkout$49 to $79 a bottle · 60-day refund window · 3+ bottles ship free
Order nowBring this list
What should you ask a pharmacist before taking Olivaro?
Bring the bottle or a photo of the label. Then work through the checklist below.
| Ask about | If you take or have | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Grapefruit and my statin | A cholesterol drug | Some statins build up with grapefruit (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs) |
| Grapefruit and my heart pills | Blood pressure or heart-rhythm drugs | Some are on FDA's grapefruit list (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs) |
| Grapefruit and my other drugs | Anti-anxiety or transplant drugs | Also on FDA's list (FDA, Grapefruit juice and drugs) |
| Licorice and my blood pressure | High blood pressure | Risk even from small amounts (NCCIH, Licorice Root) |
| Licorice and my heartbeat | An irregular heartbeat or heart disease | Glycyrrhizin can cause irregular heartbeat (NCCIH, Licorice Root) |
| Licorice and my steroid | A corticosteroid such as prednisone | Interactions have been reported (NCCIH, Licorice Root) |
| The rest of the blend | Insulin, a sulfonylurea or other diabetes drugs | Chromium and ginseng may add to them (NIH ODS, Chromium) (NCCIH, Asian Ginseng) |
Talk to your doctor before you change any diabetes medicine. Our questions to ask your doctor list pairs well with the checklist.
Quick check
Five questions before you order
Answer each one honestly. Any "ask first" result means a conversation with your doctor or pharmacist comes before the first dropper.
For every other caution in the formula, see the Olivaro safety and interactions guide.
Profiles
Grapefruit and the licorice compound: profile tables
Label lines next to research for both. All 23 ingredients are on the Olivaro ingredients overview.
| Label name | Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) Fruit Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Citrus paradisi fruit |
| Position on the label | 11 of 22 in the blend (listed from most to least by weight) |
| Amount per dropper | Not disclosed. Part of the 200 mg proprietary blend. |
| Amount used in research | No studied dose found |
| Strength of evidence | Not established |
| Marketed or traditional use | Flavor and plant compounds |
| Main caution | Grapefruit can interact with statins and other prescription drugs. |
| Label name | Monoammonium Glycyrrhizinate |
|---|---|
| What it is | Glycyrrhizin salt from licorice root |
| Position on the label | 18 of 22 in the blend (listed from most to least by weight) |
| Amount per dropper | Not disclosed. Part of the 200 mg proprietary blend. |
| Amount used in research | No studied dose found |
| Strength of evidence | Not established |
| Marketed or traditional use | Sweetener and flavor |
| Main caution | Large or long-term use can raise blood pressure and affect heart rhythm. |
FAQ
Licorice and grapefruit in Olivaro: common questions
Can I take Olivaro with a statin?
Ask your pharmacist first. Olivaro lists grapefruit fruit extract, and FDA warns that grapefruit can make some statins build up to excessive levels. The amount in Olivaro is not printed, so a pharmacist who knows your exact statin is the right person to judge it.
Does Olivaro contain licorice?
Yes, in the form of monoammonium glycyrrhizinate, a salt of the main compound in licorice root. It is listed 18th of 22 in the blend, so it can weigh no more than about 11 mg per mL. The exact amount is not published.
Is licorice bad for high blood pressure?
It can be. NCCIH says people with high blood pressure may be at risk even from small amounts of glycyrrhizin, the compound in licorice. If your blood pressure is high or hard to control, check with your doctor before taking Olivaro and watch your home readings.
Which drugs interact with grapefruit?
FDA names some statins, blood pressure drugs, heart-rhythm drugs, anti-anxiety drugs and organ-transplant drugs. Not every drug in those groups is affected. Your pharmacist can check your specific medicines, and the answer may differ between two drugs in the same class.
Can licorice cause an irregular heartbeat?
Yes. NCCIH reports that glycyrrhizin can cause an irregular heartbeat, mainly with large or long-term use. Seek care right away if you notice a fluttering, racing or skipping heartbeat, chest pain or fainting, and tell your doctor about every supplement you take.
Is Olivaro safe with blood pressure medicine?
It depends on the drug, so ask first. Grapefruit can affect some blood pressure drugs, and the licorice compound may be a risk if your pressure is high. A pharmacist can review your exact medicine against the Olivaro label in a few minutes.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
We start from the bottle label, then check every claim against government and peer-reviewed sources linked on the page.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by an authorized U.S. retailer, not by the manufacturer. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
Keep reading
More about Olivaro
U.S. authorized Olivaro retailer
Ready to try Olivaro?
Choose 2, 3 or 6 bottles. At one dropper daily, even the smallest pack outlasts the 30-day use period required before a refund claim.
- Secure checkout
- 60-day money-back
- Ships from the U.S.
