A boy suffered multiple seizures after overdosing on liquorice sweets . The 10-year-old boy was admitted to hospital in Bologna , Italy , after suffering a seizure . Hours later , doctors reported he suffered another three seizures . He also complained of a bad headache and had high blood pressure . He appeared to be suffering from posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome ( PRES ) , a condition characterized by headache , confusion , seizures and visual loss . A 10-year-old boy suffered four seizures which doctors found was due to his habit of eating 20 liquorice sweets a day for four months . But doctors were baffled as CT and MRI scans ruled out all the major condition that lead to PRES . During a medical examination a week later doctors noticed that the boy ’ s teeth were black . It transpired that he had been eating at least 20 liquorice sweets each day for the past four months . This mean he was consuming of 2.88 mg/kg of glycyrrhizin or glycyrrhizic acid , one of the active ingredients of liquorice . That volume is well above the World Health OrganiSation ’ s recommended maximum of 2 mg/kg . This excessive consumption had resulted in his development of high blood pressure , and in turn PRES . After the boy stopped eating the sweets , his treatment was gradually reduced and his blood pressure returned to normal . In light of the case , doctors are now calling for a recommended daily amount to be printed clearly on sweets packets as a safety measures . Last year , MailOnline reported on the story of Keith Ballantine , 68 , who was struck down with a rare nerve condition which left him unable to move after eating too many liquorice allsorts . The risk of PRES risk is particularly high for children with a low body weight , Dr Davide Tassinari and colleagues from the University of Bologna , Italy , said . The case was published in Pediatric Neurology . In the past , the US ' Food and Drug Administration has warned black liquorice can lead to irregular heartbeats , and other health problems when consumed by adults in large quantities . The glycyrrhizin causes the kidneys to excrete potassium , and low levels of the compound can make the heart beat dangerously fast or irregularly . Glycyrrhizin also leads to salt and water retention which can be a problem for people with heart failure or high blood pressure , it said . Other studies have shown glycyrrhizinc can increase blood pressure or cause muscle weakness and chronic fatigue . Research has also suggested it can lower testosterone levels in men , affecting their mood and libido . The news comes after MailOnline reported on the story of a grandfather who developed a rare nerve condition which left him unable to move , after eating too many liquorice allsorts . Keith Ballantine , 68 , was struck down with Guillain-Barre Syndrome after consuming too many of the sweets . They gave him an upset stomach and doctors believe the antibodies he produced to fight the bug caused his body to react badly - and Mr Ballantine then developed the deadly nerve disease . Within weeks , he was completely paralysed – and he only managed to relearn to walk again a year later .
Boy was admitted to hospital in Italy and suffered four seizures . Was suffering from posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome ( PRES ) Doctors were baffled as scans ruled out all usual major causes of PRES . His teeth were black so they found he had been eating masses of liquorice . Had consumed double the recommended daily amount of glycyrrhizin . Doctors now calling for safety warning to be printed on sweet packets .