Nardil requires dietary caution to avoid:

• A. Foods high in tyramine
• B. Excessive caffeine
• C. High-sodium foods
• D. Dairy products

Answer: (A)

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (like Nardil) require avoiding foods high in tyramine because the drug blocks the breakdown of tyramine in the gut and liver. Tyramine acts like a natural amphetamine, causing the release of norepinephrine from nerve endings. With MAO inhibition, this surge can be large, leading to a dangerous hypertensive crisis, severe headache, and potential stroke. That’s why foods that are aged, fermented, or otherwise tyramine-rich—such as certain aged cheeses, cured or smoked meats, some fermented soy products, and specific wines or beers—must be avoided or limited.

Excessive caffeine can raise blood pressure but isn’t the specific interaction MAOIs produce; high-sodium foods affect blood pressure generally but don’t involve the tyramine-NE release mechanism; and dairy products aren’t inherently dangerous on an MAOI unless they’re part of a tyramine-rich aged product.