Can You Get Dizzy From Cheese? Understanding the Causes

December 13, 2025 •

4 min read

While not a common side effect for most, it is possible for some individuals to get dizzy from cheese. This reaction is often not a result of the cheese itself but rather a sign of an underlying sensitivity to certain compounds or a broader medical condition.

Quick Summary

Dizziness from cheese can be caused by food sensitivities, such as to tyramine or histamine, which are more concentrated in aged varieties. Other factors include lactose intolerance or dairy allergies, triggering systemic reactions.

Key Points

Tyramine: Aged cheeses like cheddar and Parmesan contain tyramine, which can trigger migraines and associated dizziness in sensitive individuals due to its effect on blood pressure.
Histamine: High levels of histamine in aged and fermented cheeses can cause dizziness and other allergy-like symptoms in those with histamine intolerance.
Lactose Intolerance: While primarily affecting the digestive system, lactose intolerance can sometimes cause secondary, non-digestive symptoms like dizziness and fatigue.
Dairy Allergy: A true immune system allergy to milk protein can result in severe symptoms, including a potentially life-threatening anaphylactic reaction involving dizziness or fainting.
Keeping a Food Journal: Tracking what you eat and when dizziness occurs is a crucial step in identifying specific cheese types or compounds that act as triggers.
Consult a Doctor: It is essential to consult a healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis if you regularly experience dizziness after eating cheese.

Can You Get Dizzy From Cheese? The Connection Explained

For most people, enjoying a delicious cheese platter is a pleasant and harmless experience. However, for a small subset of the population, certain types of cheese can trigger uncomfortable symptoms, including dizziness or vertigo. This is not a universal reaction, but rather a complex interplay between specific compounds in cheese and individual sensitivities or underlying health conditions. Understanding these potential triggers can help pinpoint the cause of the reaction and determine whether dietary adjustments are necessary.

The Role of Biogenic Amines: Tyramine and Histamine

One of the most common reasons why certain foods, including cheese, might cause dizziness is due to their high concentration of biogenic amines, particularly tyramine and histamine. These compounds form naturally as proteins in food break down during the aging and fermentation process.

Tyramine: Aged cheeses like cheddar, Parmesan, Gorgonzola, and blue cheese contain high levels of tyramine. In sensitive individuals, especially those with vestibular migraines, tyramine can cause a change in blood pressure by triggering the release of norepinephrine. This can lead to headaches, which in turn can cause a sensation of dizziness or vertigo. People taking certain medications, like MAOIs, must also strictly avoid tyramine due to the risk of a hypertensive crisis.
Histamine: Aged and fermented cheeses are also naturally rich in histamine. While the body typically breaks down histamine with an enzyme called DAO, a deficiency in this enzyme can lead to a condition known as histamine intolerance. This can result in a range of allergy-like symptoms, including headaches, heart palpitations, and dizziness, even without a true allergy.

Lactose Intolerance and Dairy Allergies

While not directly related to biogenic amines, other dairy-related sensitivities can also manifest with symptoms that include dizziness. It's crucial to distinguish between an intolerance and a true allergy.

Lactose Intolerance: This is a digestive issue caused by the body's inability to break down lactose, the sugar found in milk. While primarily causing digestive upset like bloating and gas, some studies suggest that up to 20% of lactose-intolerant individuals may experience non-digestive symptoms, including headaches and dizziness. The systemic strain on the body from intestinal distress can trigger these secondary effects.
Dairy Allergy (Casein Allergy): A true dairy allergy is an immune system response to a milk protein, such as casein. This can cause a more severe, and sometimes dangerous, reaction. Symptoms can range from hives and swelling to wheezing, a drop in blood pressure, and severe dizziness or fainting (anaphylaxis). Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency.

Comparison of Cheese-Related Dizziness Triggers

To help clarify the differences, here is a comparison table of the common triggers found in cheese that can cause dizziness:


Cause	Mechanism	Symptoms (Beyond Dizziness)	Cheese Types Affected
Tyramine Sensitivity	Affects blood pressure, can trigger migraines.	Headaches, migraines, palpitations.	Aged cheeses (cheddar, Parmesan, blue).
Histamine Intolerance	Body cannot properly break down histamine.	Headaches, flushing, anxiety, GI upset.	Aged and fermented cheeses, Swiss, blue.
Lactose Intolerance	Digestive system cannot process lactose.	Bloating, gas, cramping, fatigue.	Fresh cheeses (ricotta, cottage), but some hard cheeses are low in lactose.
Dairy Allergy	Immune system reacts to milk protein.	Hives, swelling, wheezing, anaphylaxis.	All cheeses containing milk protein.

The Role of Vestibular Migraines

Vestibular migraines are a specific type of migraine that involves symptoms affecting the balance (vestibular) system, such as vertigo and dizziness, with or without a headache. For individuals with this condition, food triggers like aged cheese, which is high in tyramine, can induce an episode. The resulting dizziness is a neurological symptom rather than a digestive or allergic one. Keeping a detailed food diary can be a valuable tool for these individuals to identify and manage their specific triggers.

What to Do If You Experience Dizziness

If you find yourself experiencing dizziness or other adverse symptoms after eating cheese, it's important to approach the situation with caution. First, stop eating the suspected food immediately. If symptoms are mild, they may resolve on their own with time. Lying down quietly can help alleviate the feeling of being off-balance. If symptoms are severe, include difficulty breathing, or involve swelling of the mouth or throat, seek immediate medical attention as it could be anaphylaxis.

For recurring, less severe episodes, a good first step is to keep a food journal. Note the type of cheese, the quantity, and any other foods consumed alongside it. This can help you and your healthcare provider identify potential patterns and triggers. Discussing these findings with a doctor or a registered dietitian is the best way to get a proper diagnosis and an individualized management plan. They may suggest an elimination diet to confirm which compounds or food types are causing the issue. For those with confirmed sensitivities, managing triggers can significantly improve quality of life. For instance, those sensitive to tyramine or histamine may find relief by avoiding aged cheeses and opting for fresher varieties.

Conclusion

While not everyone needs to be concerned, it is definitely possible to get dizzy from cheese, especially for those with specific sensitivities. The dizziness can stem from reactions to biogenic amines like tyramine and histamine, a lactose intolerance, or a dairy allergy. Pinpointing the exact cause often requires careful monitoring and professional guidance. By paying attention to your body's signals and consulting a healthcare provider, you can effectively manage your diet and avoid these unpleasant side effects, allowing you to enjoy food safely and with peace of mind. For more information on managing dietary triggers for vestibular issues, Balance & Dizziness Canada offers some helpful guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Aged and fermented cheeses, such as blue cheese, Gorgonzola, aged cheddar, and Parmesan, are the most likely culprits. These cheeses naturally contain higher concentrations of tyramine and histamine, which can trigger reactions in sensitive people.

Dizziness can be a symptom of a severe dairy allergy (anaphylaxis), but it's more often linked to food sensitivities like tyramine or histamine intolerance, or lactose intolerance. A true allergy is an immune response, while intolerances are typically digestive or metabolic issues.

Yes, it is possible. While the primary symptoms of lactose intolerance are digestive, some individuals may experience non-digestive effects like headaches and dizziness due to the systemic stress placed on the body.

Dizziness is a general term for feeling light-headed or unsteady, while vertigo is a specific type of dizziness that creates a false sensation of spinning or movement. Aged cheese is a known trigger for vestibular migraines, which can cause episodes of vertigo.

Yes, especially if the dizziness is recurrent or severe. While it may be a simple intolerance, a doctor can help rule out more serious underlying conditions, such as vestibular migraines or a food allergy.

Yes, a food diary is highly recommended. By keeping a detailed record of what you eat, specifically noting the type and quantity of cheese, you can better identify specific triggers and patterns related to your dizzy spells.

For those sensitive to tyramine and histamine, fresher, unaged cheeses like cottage cheese, ricotta, or fresh mozzarella are often safer. The concentrations of these biogenic amines increase with aging and fermentation, so younger cheeses pose less risk.