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Tyramine and MAO inhibitors

In the body: With monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) antidepressants, tyramine can spike blood pressure.

Not rated by dose: a flag on 7 reviewed foods, among them cheddar, Swiss cheese and parmesan.

For some people. Allergies, medicines and medical conditions: a flag for the people the source names, no wider.

See also: Tyramine

All hazards

The reference value and where it comes from

  • The agency’s figureno agency dose value
  • Basisdrug label: tyramine-rich foods with MAO inhibitors
  • Source PARNATE

Reviewed foods that carry it

7 reviewed foods carry it; none is rated by dose.

How often you can eat it

No food here is rated by dose. Each line says why it’s listed: a flag for the people the source names, advice on handling it, or context.

Flags and context, not rated by dose

  • Cottage cheese

    Nothing to watch

    PARNATE · grade A

    How it’s rated

    Label lists cottage cheese as acceptable (little or no tyramine)

    Intake: not applicable (flag)

    Measured on: person-specific: people taking an MAO inhibitor (tranylcypromine label)

  • Mozzarella, part-skim

    Nothing to watch

    PARNATE · grade A

    How it’s rated

    Label lists mozzarella as acceptable (little or no tyramine)

    Intake: not applicable (flag)

    Measured on: person-specific: people taking an MAO inhibitor (tranylcypromine label)

  • Cheddar

    Worth knowing

    PARNATE · grade A

    How it’s rated

    Label tells monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) patients to avoid 'Aged cheeses'; cheddar is not named, and cheddar ranges from mild to extra old, so the flag applies to aged cheddar

    Intake: not applicable (flag)

    Measured on: person-specific: people taking an MAO inhibitor (tranylcypromine label)

  • Parmesan

    Worth knowing

    PARNATE · grade A

    How it’s rated

    Aged cheese category; Parmesan is not named on the label; Parmigiano Reggiano n = 7 measured at 6.99-11.4 mg/kg tyramine (Poland retail) but a 2-sample grated dehydrated cheese reached 262

    Intake: not applicable (flag)

    Measured on: person-specific: people taking an MAO inhibitor (tranylcypromine label)

  • Swiss cheese

    Worth knowing

    PARNATE · grade A

    How it’s rated

    Aged cheese category; Swiss is not named on the label; no Swiss tyramine measurement found

    Intake: not applicable (flag)

    Measured on: person-specific: people taking an MAO inhibitor (tranylcypromine label)

  • Tofu, calcium-set

    Worth knowing

    PARNATE · grade A

    How it’s rated

    Tofu is on the avoid lists in the US labels of two monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) antidepressants: Parnate (tranylcypromine), and the EMSAM patch (selegiline) at 9 or 12 mg per 24 hours.

    Intake: not applicable (flag)

    Measured on: person-specific (drug interaction)

  • Feta

    Not rated yet

    PARNATE · grade A

    How it’s rated

    Feta is brined, not described as aged, and is not named on the label; measured tyramine in three counter-sold feta samples was 122.7-380.4 mg/kg

    Intake: not applicable (flag)

    Measured on: person-specific: people taking an MAO inhibitor (tranylcypromine label)

Sources