From kupec@husc4 Tue Mar  8 08:43:54 1994
Date: Tue, 8 Mar 1994 08:32:47 -0500 (EST)
From: christopher kupec <kupec@husc4>
To: kupec@husc
Subject: MAO Inhibitors

This is something I got from a nutritionist at the local student health 
center, which answers some of the questions one might have about MAO 
-inhibitors.
Since I don't know the book this comes from, it's of course being 
presented without the author's permission. Sorry :-)
--Chris	(kupec@husc.harvard.edu)

 Low-Tyramine Diet
Purpose: To prevent the onset of adverse reactions such as severe headaches,
tachycardia, and hypertensive attacks by persons receiving monoamine 
oxidase (MAO) therapy and consuming foods high in tyramine content.
Use: This diet is used to assist counseling of persons receiving 
monoamine oxidase (MAO)inhibitors for treatment of anxiety and 
depression.  Foods containing small amounts of tyramine
(<6 mg) can cause a mild crisis, while consumption of foods high in 
tyramine (10-25 mg) can produce severe headaches with intracranial 
hemorrhage and acute hypertensive attacks.
The foods listed with moderate to low tyramine content should be used 
with caution in limited amounts that do not exceed 5 mg.
Related Physiology: Tyramine is an amino acid that is formed by the 
decarboxylation of tyrosine, which occurs during the process of 
fermentation, aging, spoiling, or pickling of food.
Under normal circumstances, the enzyme MAO (monoamine oxidase) 
inactivates tyramine,preventing the release of excess norepinephrine.  In 
the presence of MAO inhibitors, tyramine is activated, causing 
norepinephrine to be released from nerve endings. Hypertensive reactions
and other side effects may occur due to excess release of norepinephrine.

Foods High in Tyramine  (to be avoided) :
All aged/mature cheese
	(exception: cottage cheese, cream cheese)
Dry and fermented sausage
	(bologna, salami, pepperoni, corned beef, and liver)
Pickled herring and salted dried fish
Broad beans and pods
	(lima, fava beans, lentils, snow peas, and soy beans)
Meat extracts
Yeast extracts/brewer's yeast
Beer and Ale
Red wine
	(chianti, burgundy, sherry, vermouth)
Sauerkraut
Banana Peel

Foods Moderate to Low in Tyramine:
	(to be used in limited amounts, i.e., 1/2 cup, 4 oz. or less)
Fruits
	(bananas, avacados, canned figs, raisins, red plums, raspberries)
Cultured dairy products
	(buttermilk, yogurt, and sour cream)
Chocolate
Caffeine
	(coffee, tea, and cola drinks)
White wine, port wines
Distilled Spirits
Soy sauce
Peanuts

*****