tyramine
5 interactions related to tyramine
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.
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.