maoi
9 interactions related to maoi
nutmeg + maois
Nutmeg contains myristicin, which a 1963 laboratory study reported to weakly inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO) in vitro. Because MAOI antidepressants block the same enzyme, the theoretical concern is an additive effect, though no human cases are documented.
maoi + tyramine foods
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors block MAO-A in the gut and liver, the enzyme that normally breaks down dietary tyramine. Unmetabolized tyramine triggers a surge of stored norepinephrine, which can produce a hypertensive crisis (the 'cheese reaction') with severe blood pressure spikes, headache, and in serious cases stroke or death.
maoi + st. john's wort
St. John's Wort raises brain serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine through reuptake inhibition and shows weak monoamine oxidase inhibition. Layered on a prescription MAOI, which blocks the breakdown of those same monoamines, the combination can push monoamine signaling to dangerous levels and is contraindicated because of the risk of serotonin syndrome and hypertensive crisis.
maoi + 5-htp
5-HTP is the direct precursor to serotonin and bypasses the rate-limiting step of serotonin synthesis. Combined with an MAOI, which blocks serotonin breakdown, serotonin can rise to dangerous levels and trigger serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening reaction.
yerba mate + maois
Yerba mate is a caffeine-rich infusion. On a non-selective MAOI (phenelzine, tranylcypromine, isocarboxazid), the enzyme that normally clears tyramine and tempers sympathetic tone is blocked, so a high caffeine and methylxanthine load plus any tyramine the brew carries can amplify the pressor response and push blood pressure into dangerous territory. The yerba-mate-specific risk is extrapolated from documented caffeine-plus-MAOI cases, not from direct mate studies.
aged cheese + linezolid
Linezolid is a reversible, non-selective monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor. Eating tyramine-rich foods such as aged cheese while on linezolid can cause a sudden, dangerous rise in blood pressure (hypertensive reaction).
fermented foods + maois
Fermented foods accumulate tyramine when bacteria break down the amino acid tyrosine during fermentation. MAOIs block the monoamine oxidase enzyme that normally clears dietary tyramine in the gut wall and liver, so the tyramine reaches the bloodstream and triggers a surge of norepinephrine. This can produce a sudden, dangerous rise in blood pressure (a hypertensive crisis).
cacao + maois
Raw or ceremonial cacao carries a somewhat higher load of biogenic amines such as tyramine than fully processed chocolate. Dietary analyses show that the tyramine content of cocoa and chocolate is generally low, and there is no documented human case of a hypertensive crisis from cacao on a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). The sensible approach is moderation with raw or ceremonial cacao rather than blanket avoidance, reviewed with your prescriber.
coffee + antidepressants
Some antidepressants slow how fast the body clears caffeine by inhibiting the liver enzyme CYP1A2 — fluvoxamine does this most strongly, while fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, and duloxetine have milder effects. At the same time, caffeine independently worsens anxiety, insomnia, tremor, and a racing heart, the very symptoms antidepressants are often prescribed to relieve. With MAOIs, very high caffeine intake has been linked in case reports to blood pressure spikes.