Parnate Food Interactions

When you eat foods with large amounts of tyramine (such as fermented, aged, or spoiled products) while you are taking Parnate, food interactions may occur. These interactions can significantly increase your risk of developing dangerously high blood pressure. Foods that can cause Parnate interactions include aged cheeses, yogurt, fermented soy products, and tap beer.

Parnate Medication

Parnate Food Interactions: An Overview

Parnate^® (tranylcypromine sulfate) is a prescription medication used to treat depression. It is part of a group of medications called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). As with other MAOI antidepressants, there are many dangerous food interactions with Parnate.

Cause of Parnate Food Interactions -- The Tyramine Effect

Monoamines are a certain type of chemical in the body that includes dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, serotonin,

melatonin, histamine, and several others. Monoamine oxidase is an enzyme that breaks down monoamines. MAOI medications block the action of monoamine oxidase, causing an increase in the level of monoamines in the body. In depression, the level of monoamines can be low, so increasing the monoamines usually helps with depression symptoms.

Unfortunately, monoamine oxidase is also responsible for breaking down tyramine, a naturally occurring chemical that affects blood pressure. MAOI medications stop the body's ability to break down tyramine and can lead to too-high tyramine levels (which can be extremely dangerous). High levels of tyramine can cause a "hypertensive crisis" (dangerously high blood pressure).

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