Aged Cheese Interactions

Linezolid is a reversible monoamine oxidase inhibitor, and aged cheeses (cheddar, parmesan, blue cheese, brie, gruyere) accumulate large amounts of tyramine through protein breakdown during aging. With MAO inhibited, ingested tyramine triggers massive norepinephrine release and can produce a hypertensive crisis with severe headache, palpitations, and blood pressure spikes of 30 to 50 mmHg within 30 to 120 minutes.