How to Lower Your Tyramine Levels Quickly and Safely

December 9, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the National Headache Foundation, some individuals report a link between tyramine consumption and migraine attacks. Knowing how to lower your tyramine levels quickly is vital for those sensitive to this compound, especially individuals taking MAOI inhibitors.

Quick Summary

An elevated tyramine intake can be managed by following a strict low-tyramine diet focused on freshness, proper food storage, and avoiding aged, fermented, or pickled foods. This is particularly crucial for individuals on MAOI medications to prevent a hypertensive crisis.

Key Points

Prioritize Freshness: Always opt for the freshest ingredients possible, especially protein-rich foods, and consume them quickly or freeze them immediately to prevent tyramine buildup.
Avoid Fermented and Aged Foods: A key strategy is to eliminate aged cheeses, cured meats, fermented soy products, and alcoholic beverages like draft beer and red wine, which are high in tyramine.
Manage Leftovers Strictly: Eat cooked leftovers within 48 hours of preparation, as tyramine levels increase over time even when refrigerated.
Heed MAOI Prescriptions: For those on MAOI inhibitors, strict adherence to a low-tyramine diet is medically critical to prevent dangerous hypertensive crises.
Store Food Correctly: Never thaw foods at room temperature. Use the refrigerator or microwave to thaw frozen items to control tyramine formation.
Monitor Fruit Ripeness: Be cautious with fruits like bananas, avocados, and figs, as tyramine levels increase with overripeness.

Understanding Tyramine and Its Effects

Tyramine is a naturally occurring compound derived from the amino acid tyrosine. For most people, the body's natural enzymes, particularly monoamine oxidase (MAO), effectively break down tyramine without any issues. However, in some individuals, either due to medication or a sensitivity, this process is inhibited or inefficient, leading to a build-up of tyramine in the system. This can result in various side effects, most notably a sudden and dangerous rise in blood pressure known as a hypertensive crisis, especially for those on MAOI inhibitors. Other potential symptoms include severe headaches and migraines.

The Freshness First Principle

The quickest and most effective way to lower tyramine levels is to remove its sources from your diet. Since tyramine concentration increases as food ages, ferments, or spoils, the cornerstone of a low-tyramine diet is consuming foods as fresh as possible. This means a complete overhaul of your shopping, cooking, and storage habits.

Foods to Avoid to Reduce Tyramine

Aged and Fermented Cheeses: This includes cheddar, blue cheese, Swiss, brie, gorgonzola, and feta. Stick to fresh dairy like cottage cheese, cream cheese, and American cheese.
Cured, Smoked, or Fermented Meats and Fish: Salami, pepperoni, sausage, hot dogs, and cured deli meats are common culprits. Smoked fish like herring and mackerel should also be avoided.
Fermented Soy Products: Soy sauce, miso, tempeh, and certain types of tofu contain high levels of tyramine.
Fermented Vegetables and Pickled Foods: Sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, and olives are high in tyramine.
Alcoholic Beverages: Draft beer, red wine, vermouth, and other fermented drinks are significant sources.
Overripe Fruits: As fruits ripen and begin to spoil, their tyramine content can rise. This is particularly noted with overripe bananas, avocados, and figs.
Yeast Extracts: Products like Marmite and Vegemite are concentrated sources of tyramine.

The Importance of Proper Storage

Since tyramine levels rise over time, how you store your food is just as important as what you buy. To keep tyramine levels low, follow these storage guidelines:

Freshness is key: Purchase and cook fresh meat, poultry, and fish on the same day, or freeze them immediately.
Timely consumption: Eat cooked leftovers within 24 to 48 hours. Any food stored longer than this in the refrigerator should be discarded or frozen for later use.
Freezer protocol: Thaw frozen items in the refrigerator or microwave, never at room temperature.
Canned and frozen food: Consume canned or frozen foods, including fruits and vegetables, immediately after opening.

Addressing Elevated Tyramine from Medication

For individuals on Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs), dietary restrictions are a medical necessity. MAOIs block the enzyme that breaks down tyramine, making the risk of a hypertensive crisis very real. The low-tyramine diet must be followed strictly while taking these medications and for at least two weeks after discontinuation to allow MAO enzyme levels to recover. A healthcare provider or registered dietitian can provide a comprehensive, personalized list of safe and unsafe foods.

Low vs. High Tyramine Food Storage


Food Category	High Tyramine Storage/Preparation	Low Tyramine Storage/Preparation
Dairy	Aged cheeses (cheddar, blue)	Fresh cheeses (cottage, cream cheese), fresh milk, yogurt
Meats	Cured meats (salami, sausage), aged beef, cured fish	Freshly cooked or frozen meat, poultry, fish; canned meat/fish (eaten immediately)
Fruits/Veggies	Overripe fruits, fermented veggies (kimchi, sauerkraut)	Fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables (consumed quickly)
Soy Products	Fermented tofu, soy sauce, miso	Fresh, non-fermented soy products
Beverages	Draft beer, red wine, fermented drinks	Decaf coffee, juices, fresh milk, low-tyramine liquors (moderated)

Conclusion

For those needing to reduce their tyramine levels quickly, the solution lies in a dietary shift towards freshness and away from aged, fermented, and spoiled foods. This is particularly critical for people on MAOI medications, who face serious health risks from elevated tyramine intake. By meticulously managing food choices and storage, individuals can effectively control their tyramine consumption and mitigate associated health issues. Always consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian before making significant dietary changes, especially if it's related to a medical condition or medication. Following a disciplined low-tyramine diet is a proactive measure for health and safety, not just a temporary fix.

Additional Resources

For more in-depth information, consult the National Headache Foundation's guidelines for a low-tyramine diet, which provide extensive food lists for individuals with migraine sensitivity: Low-Tyramine Diet

Frequently Asked Questions

Tyramine is a naturally occurring compound in certain foods. It becomes a concern for individuals with low levels of the MAO enzyme, which breaks down tyramine. Without sufficient MAO activity, excess tyramine can build up and lead to side effects like migraines or a dangerous hypertensive crisis.

Foods with the highest tyramine content are typically those that have been aged, fermented, or cured. This includes aged cheeses (e.g., cheddar, blue), cured meats (e.g., salami, pepperoni), fermented soy products (e.g., soy sauce, miso), and certain alcoholic beverages (e.g., draft beer, red wine).

No, cooking does not destroy tyramine. The tyramine content in food is not affected by heat, so cooking will not lower its concentration. This is why proper handling and freshness are so critical.

Leftovers should be consumed within 24 to 48 hours of cooking. If you need to store them for longer, they should be frozen immediately. Never leave food at room temperature for extended periods.

Certain alcoholic beverages, particularly red wine and draft beer, can be high in tyramine and should be avoided or severely limited. Check with a healthcare provider, especially if you are taking MAOIs, as some liquors might be allowed in very small quantities.

The most effective approach is a strict elimination diet, removing all high-tyramine foods for a period (often two months) to identify triggers. After the elimination phase, foods can be reintroduced slowly, one at a time, to gauge individual sensitivity.

These terms are often used interchangeably to describe a physiological reaction to tyramine. The underlying cause for the reaction can be a medication (like MAOIs) or a genetic predisposition resulting in lower levels of the MAO enzyme.