Tyramine is a product of
tyrosine decarboxylation that occurs during pickling,
fermenting, aging and the curing and
smoking of foods. Many folks think that it is a hidden cause of recurrent
headaches.
Tyramine is degraded by the MAO enzymes in the body, and severe hypertension can occur if an MAO inhibitor is combined with one of the many tyramine-containing food items such as beer and aged cheeses.