Tyramine

Tyramine

Reactions to tyramine (an amino acid-like molecule) or phenylalanine (another amino acid-like molecule) can result from eating the following foods:

Fermented cheeses
Fermented
Sausage
Chocolate
Sour Cream
Red wine
Avocado
Beer
Raspberries
Yeast
Picked Herring

Symptoms of tyramine intolerance can include urticaria (hives), angioedema (localized swelling due to fluid retention), migraines, wheezing, and even asthma. In fact, some researchers suggest that as many as 20 percent of migraines are caused by food intolerance or allergy, and tyramine intolerance is one of the most common of these toxic food responses.

Tyramine and Migraines

Tyramines are derivatives of amino acids called tyrosine. After long periods of time, some of the tyrosine amino acids in foods such as aged cheeses or meats will naturally be converted by bacteria into tyramines. This same process can also occur in your intestinal tract if digestion is slow allowing bacteria the time to convert tyrosine into tyramine. For this reason, tyramine-sensitive individuals should take steps to support their digestive system as well as reduce foods containing pre-formed tyramine in their meal plan.

Although the reason tyramine causes toxic food responses such as migraines is not clearly understood, research suggests that people suffering from migraines may not adequately neutralize tyramine. While normally neutralized through a detoxification process in the intestine and liver before it is absorbed into the body, tyramine sensitive individuals are believed to have increased amounts of unneutralized tyramine that gets absorbed and circulated to the brain where it may interfere with normal brain functions causing the pain that is experienced as a migraine. Foods that help support the detoxification of tyramine include such sulfur-containing foods as:

Onion
Brussels Sprouts
Garlic
Broccoli

Food with tyramine is ingested. Tyramine is not neutralized in the liver and goes into circulation going to the brain where it leads to migraine.

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