Is a MAOI diet / Ayahuasca fasting necessary? What kind of dangers are there with medication interaction?

Unlike some pharmaceutical MAOI, the Harmalas, alkaloids present in the caapi vine and syrian rue are reversible inhibitors of MAO subtype A, while Tyramine, the component in some food that could cause problems in big amounts, is eliminated by the intact MAO-B.

In other words, in terms of food interaction, there is no big danger related to reversible MAOI use (in for example ayahuasca or pharmahuasca with harmalas). The necessity of the strict dieting for ayahuasca is an exageration.

Some people might report some negative symptoms such as headaches when mixing a heavy food consumption before/during/after harmala consumption but several other variables may also be involved that are unrelated to tyramine and harmala-food interaction (variables such as for example self-suggestion, exhaustion from the trip, vasodilation, etc). Headaches seem specially common when mixing beer and harmalas.

In any case, it is generally considered common sense to eat light before and after the use of ayahuasca and analogues (and psychedelics in general). Just follow your good sense and you should be fine. In relation to how long to wait after the last food before taking ayahuasca, this is very personal. Some like to have empty stomach and be fasting for 6 or more hours, but this is not necessary, and others feel it is even negative to fast for so long, because a too empty stomach might make one very tired during the ceremony, specialy at the end, and can also make purging a specially difficult or uncomfortable experience. Some consider better to have eaten something light (like some fruits or cereal or light sandwhich) a couple of hours before ingesting ayahuasca/analogues.

Remember: With the exception of moclobemide, which stands in the same category as harmalas as far as reversibility and food interaction goes, avoid all other pharmaceutical MAOIs !! Pharmaceutical irreversible MAOIs are VERY dangerous to take without taking strong precautions with food and drug interaction.

What IS dangerous is interaction between any MAOIs (including harmalas) and SSRI medication such as prozac, or also with stimulants such as amphetamines or others. If you're taking SSRI's, do not consume MAOIs!! Do not mix stimulants with MAOIs either! Mixing stimulants/SSRIs with MAOIs can cause Serotonin Syndrome which may lead to convulsions or even death.