Drug & supplement interaction

Tyramine + Phenelzine Sulfate

Phenelzine Sulfate brand name: Nardil.

Major Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Major

Tyramine has a major interaction with Phenelzine Sulfate. Concomitant use of tyramine with MAOIs may increase the risk of serious adverse effects from tyramine.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMajor
LikelihoodLikely
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Tyramine and Phenelzine Sulfate

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Major

MONOAMINE OXIDASE INHIBITORS (MAOIs)

Why this applies to Phenelzine Sulfate

Phenelzine Sulfate falls under MONOAMINE OXIDASE INHIBITORS (MAOIs) — the group Tyramine interacts with.

Concomitant use of tyramine with MAOIs may increase the risk of serious adverse effects from tyramine.
Tyramine is metabolized by monoamine oxidase. Concurrent use of MAOIs with tyramine can lead to elevated levels of tyramine in the body. This can increase the effects of tyramine, which has been reported to cause hypertension, headache, and hypertensive crisis in numerous cases. Sensitivity to tyramine can increase up to 10-fold to 100-fold in people using an MAOI. The European Food Safety Authority states that meals containing more than 50 mg of tyramine might present a risk to patients that are using third generation MAOI medications. Meals containing more than 6 mg of tyramine are likely to present a risk to patients who are taking classic MAOI medications.
Severity Major Likelihood Likely Evidence B

Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

This is one of the most important food and drug warnings in pharmacy. Phenelzine (Nardil) blocks the enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO), which is the very same enzyme your gut and liver normally use to clear tyramine from aged, cured, and fermented foods. With that cleanup crew shut down, tyramine builds up fast and floods your body with norepinephrine, which can send your blood pressure climbing.

The risk here is real and can be serious. People on phenelzine can become far more sensitive to tyramine, and a high-tyramine meal can trigger a pounding headache, a racing heart, and a dangerous spike in blood pressure called a hypertensive crisis. Even modest amounts can matter on this drug. Please follow the low-tyramine diet your doctor gave you, and ask your pharmacist before changing anything.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. VanDenBerg CM, Blob LF, Kemper EM, Azzaro AJ. Tyramine pharmacokinetics and reduced bioavailability with food. J Clin Pharmacol. 2003;43(6):604-9. DOI
  2. Peet M, Yates RA, Carroll JA, Middlemiss DN. The interaction of tyramine with a single dose of tranylcypromine in healthy volunteers. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1981;11(2):212-4. PubMed
  3. Rapaport MH. Dietary restrictions and drug interactions with monoamine oxidase inhibitors: the state of the art. J Clin Psychiatry. 2007;68 Suppl 8:42-6.
  4. European Food Safety Authority. Scientific opinion on risk based control of biogenic amine formation in fermented foods. EFSA Journal. 2011;9(10):2393. DOI

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Tyramine Also Interacts With Other Medications

Tyramine has 180 major, 1 moderate, 171 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Phenelzine Sulfate one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 180 Moderate 1 Minor 171 No known interaction 2,478 (incl. Phenelzine Sulfate)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Tyramine

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Tyramine. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Tyramine or Phenelzine Sulfate

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Tyramine or Phenelzine Sulfate, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Phenelzine Sulfate

This page covers Tyramine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Phenelzine Sulfate page lists 144 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: 1,4-butanediol (major), Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Bitter Orange (major) and Brewer's Yeast (major).

By severity: 18 major · 111 moderate · 15 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Phenelzine Sulfate page

“Few medications demand as much dietary and supplement care as phenelzine sulfate (Nardil), an older MAOI antidepressant, and this list backs that up, with 18 of its 144 recorded interactions rated major. The two dominant themes are sedation and blood pressure.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Phenelzine Sulfate interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Tyramine as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 20 real supplement products containing Tyramine, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Tyramine. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Phenelzine Sulfate too, on top of Tyramine — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Tyramine and Phenelzine Sulfate Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Tyramine
Top half

#647 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Phenelzine Sulfate
Top half

#1,143 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Tyramine

What is Tyramine?

  • Studied for effects on blood pressure
  • Discussed in relation to migraine and headache triggers
  • Of interest in food and diet science
  • Subject of research on the nervous system

Tyramine is a natural compound formed when certain proteins break down, and it is found in aged cheeses, cured meats, fermented foods, and some other items. It is not a typical health supplement and is best known for the problems it can cause—such as dangerous spikes in blood pressure—in people taking certain medications or in those who are sensitive to it. If you have been told to follow a low-tyramine diet, talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes.

Read the full Tyramine monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Phenelzine

What Is Phenelzine Used For?

Brand name: Nardil

Phenelzine is used to treat depression — specifically the types described as atypical, nonendogenous, or neurotic depression. This often includes people who have a mix of anxiety and depression, or who have phobic or hypochondriacal features (strong fears about illness or physical symptoms).

It is generally not the first antidepressant a doctor will try. It is best suited for patients who have already tried other antidepressants without enough relief. There is less evidence supporting its use in severe depression with classic biological features (called endogenous depression).

See full Phenelzine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Tyramine

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Tyramine — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

180Major
1Moderate
171Minor
2,477No known interaction
180 Major 1 Moderate 171 Minor 2,477 No interaction
Major

180 interactions

Showing 60 of 180 major interactions — see all 180 on the Tyramine page.

Moderate

1 interaction

Minor

171 interactions

Showing 60 of 171 minor interactions — see all 171 on the Tyramine page.

No interaction 2,477 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Tyramine against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,477 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Tyramine list.

See the full Tyramine interactions page
See every supplement checked against Phenelzine Sulfate, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Tyramine monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Phenelzine Sulfate supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Phenelzine Sulfate, ranked by severity Phenelzine drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Tyramine and Phenelzine Sulfate Together: Common Questions

Can you take Tyramine with Phenelzine Sulfate?
This is rated a major interaction, so the combination is best avoided unless your doctor or pharmacist has specifically told you otherwise. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Tyramine and Phenelzine Sulfate interaction?
We rate it Major. This is a clinically significant combination that is generally best avoided, or used only under the direct supervision of your physician or pharmacist.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Phenelzine Sulfate and Tyramine?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.