MAO Inhibitors & Diet

The effects of drugs can either be purposeful or unintended. The unintended effects are generally denoted as side effects or adverse effects, if their consequences are more serious. Susan M. Turley, author of "Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals," notes that the effects of drugs given orally are under the control of variations of the digestive tract. These variations can include how other dietary components influence the effectiveness, absorbability, and reaction of the drug. MAO inhibitors can become dangerous when they are taken with certain foods.

MAO Inhibitors

MAO is the abbreviation for the class of drugs known as monoamine oxidase inhibitors. This class of drugs is most commonly used to treat the psychiatric condition of depression. Depression is defined by the World Health Organization as a mental disorder presenting with depressed mood and a loss of interest in daily activities leading to a disturbance in physical function, such as sleep, energy and appetite. Depression, when left untreated, can lead to suicide. MAO inhibitors are prescribed to balance out the brain chemicals believed to be insufficiently produced in people suffering from depression.

Action

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors inhibit or prevent the breakdown of monoamines between nerve cell junctions. In treating depression, they allow for more of the chemicals to stimulate specific areas of nervous tissue, rather than being recycled or broken down. Monoamines cover a large group of chemicals, also known as neurotransmitters, and the International Society for Complexity, Information and Design notes that these chemicals regulate moo. A deficiency of these chemicals can lead to states such as depression. MAO inhibitors increase levels of these monoamines in the blood.

Tyramines

Tyramines are natural substances found in certain foods that aged or fermented. They occur secondary to the breakdown of the amino acid tyrosine. The Northwestern Memorial Hospital notes that foods high in tyramines can affect the way MAO inhibitors work in the body and can lead to dangerous side effects if they are combined. Tyramines can cause the amount of monoamines in the blood to increase to dangerous levels.

Alcohol and Caffeine

Alcohol is believed to contribute to increased tyramine levels. The Northwestern Memorial Hospital notes that aged wines are sources of tyramines, as are the yeasts used to brew beers and other types of liquor. Caffeine not a source of tyramine, according to the Mayo Clinic, but because it can cause transient increases in blood pressure, a side effect of the tyramine and MAO inhibitor combination, its consumption should be cautiously monitored.

Effects of Interaction

The interaction between tyramine-rich foods and MOA inhibitors is known as a food-drug interaction. The interaction occurs in the gastrointestinal system where the two substances meet. The dangerous effects of this combination are listed by Northwestern as sudden, severe increases in high blood pressure, severe headaches, heart palpitations and chest pains. The effects of this interaction in a normal person would be dangerous, but in a person with a history of cardiovascular disease, the results can be devastating.

Suggestions

Depression can be a chronic condition or a person may be medicated temporarily until the underlying issue is addressed. As such, the Northwestern Memorial Hospital suggests that a low tyramine diet be used during the entire time of taking the medication and for the two weeks following the discontinuance of the prescription. Canned foods should not be eaten after their expiration date. High-tyramine cheeses, meats, tap or unpasteurized beer and ale should be avoided, as well as red and white wines, nonalcoholic beer and mixed drinks.