Why does Ayahuasca interact negatively with some foods & Drugs?
The traditional Amazonian shamanic plant medicine are very powerful allies in restoring harmonious balance within your body systems. They want to create aliveness and thus some of them clear any blockages or toxins in very unusual ways. Personally, I have worked with various plants which have literally kicked my butt. I consider myself quite healthy, nevertheless, the plants will clear any potential harmful toxins whether known or unknown. The medicinal plants we use, including but not limited to Ayahuasca are biochemically and energetically very powerful and do not mix well with certain substances. They work with your body holistically to restore health. Holism or holistic treatment involves treating the body as a whole, including the mind and spirit as well as take into account your diet, the lifestyle, the environment and the circumstances in which that body operates. It also recognizes and works with the two-way interaction between the body and its environment. This is why we take great care in asking and understand your journey to minimize any risks to you while you journey with these powerful allies. Everything you ingest may or may not have an interaction with the plant medicine, if unsure, simply ask.
Many pharmaceutical drugs, natural supplements and herbs are not compatible with Ayahuasca and some medical or psychological conditions are also not appropriate for treatment with this medicine. The family of enzymes know as monoamine oxidase ("MAO-A") breaks down certain neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) in the body such as : serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, nor-epinephrine, melatonin, and other amines (including tyramine). The Ayahuasca vine contains the alkaloids harmine, harmaline and tetrahydroharmine. Harmine and harmaline inhibit the action of MAO-A enzymes (preventing the breakdown of the relevant neurotransmitters, causing them to build up) while tetrahydroharmine interferes with the dissipation of serotonin. Therefore, any drugs or foods which increase the concentration of these neurotransmitters in the body (esp. serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine) or further inhibit MAO-A enzymes should be avoided when drinking Ayahuasca. It is the responsibility of all guests to consult with us and their doctors about the safety of ceasing medication within the time frame required. Also, a full disclosure of medical conditions past and present are mandatory at the time of application for a retreat or ceremony.
Below is a list of SOME medical conditions, pharmaceuticals and supplements that are not compatible with drinking Ayahuasca. Please speak with us and your doctor if your condition is not listed. We highly recommend all participants get a full medical checkup prior to working with powerful plant medicine, including an ECG to screen for any heart function abnormalities as these can be undetected until you test for it. The consequences of not fully disclosing your medical condition can be fatal.
Medical conditions not suitable for treatment with Ayahuasca.
- Mental illness
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar disorder
- Other dis-associative conditions including antisocial, suicidal tendencies and mood disorders
- Serious heart conditions
Pharmaceuticals and Supplements not to be mixed with Ayahuasca
We require all participants to refrain from taking any pharmaceuticals or supplements during their stay unless it has been approved by us on special circumstance. Some medications need to be stopped well in advance (at least 1 month) of drinking Ayahuasca or other Master Plants. Different substances require longer to clear from your system so please speak with us and consult your doctor to establish how long you need to stop taking them and what are the side effects may be when you do so.
Policy Regarding Medications
All medications taken within the past year must be disclosed in confidence to Maestra Laynah prior to completing the registration process. Failure to do so will put you and your health at risk. In general, one should not be taking any other substances or medications, including herbal medicines, when taking Ayahuasca or dieting other medicinal plants, both for your safety and to not interfere with the efficacy of the plants or their energies. All prescription medications, certain supplements, and illegal drugs should be ceased at least 2 to 8 weeks prior to drinking Ayahuasca depending on the specific type of medication or supplement. Synthetic hormones taken for hypothyroidism are an exception. You may continue to take your hypothyroid medication during your course of ayahuasca, but are still required to inform Maestra Laynah that you are taking the medication. Many over the counter medications, such as antihistamines, require only 48 hours of non-use prior to Ayahuasca, although we still recommend ceasing them 2 weeks in advance. Specific medications, such as MAOIs and SSRIs, pose substantial health complications in conjunction with Ayahuasca and therefore require a longer cessation period. Please consult the comprehensive list below for detailed descriptions of specific medications and the recommended cessation period. And remember, always consult your doctor when ceasing any prescription medication. Some medications have moderate to serious withdrawal effects, so added time might be necessary to safely ween yourself off your medication(s). When consulting your doctor, please inform him that you will be taking a reversible MAOI.
This list is by all mean incomplete due to the enormous amount of medication available on the market. More will be added as I find supporting documentations on their effect with Ayahuasca. When all fails, exercise cautions.
Antidepressants: Recommended washout period is a minimum of 2 weeks with the exception of Fluoxetine/Prozac which requires a minimum of 5 weeks.
| Drug | Examples |
| Dopamin reuptake inhibitor (DARI) | Amineptine, Penmetrazine, Vanoxerine, Modafinil |
| Norepinephrine-dopamin reuptake | Drugs with Bupropion, Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDVP), eg. Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin XL, Wellbutrin SR, Zyban |
| Norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (NRI) or (NARI) | Atomexetine, Maprotiline, Reboxetine, Viloxazine |
| Serotonin-norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (SNDRI) | Nefazodone, Serzone, Nefadar |
| Serotonin – norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI) | Duloxetine, Milnacipran, Ventilafaxine |
| Selective serotinin reuptale inhibitors (SSRI) | Alaproclate, Etoperidone, Citalopram, Escitalopram, Fluoxetine (Prozac), Fluvoxamine, Paroxetine, Sertraline, Zimelidine |
| Selective serotonin reuptake enhancer (SSRE) | Tianeptine |
| Tricyclic antidepressants (“TCAs”) | Amitriptyline, Amoxapine, Butriptyline, Clomipramine, Desiparmine, Dibenzepin, Dothiepin, Doxepin, Imipramine, Iprindole, Lofepramine, Melitracen, Nortriptuline, Opipramol, Protriptuline, Trimipramine |
| Tetracyclic antidepressants (TeCA) | Maprotiline, Mianserin, Nefazodone, Trazodone |
| Noradrenergic and specific serotenergic antidepressant (NaSSA) | Mirtazapine, Remeron, Avanza, Zispin |
Other MAO inhibitors: Recommended washout period is a minimum of 7 – 10 days.
| Drug | Examples |
| Other MAO inhibitors
(which can be used in the form of antidepressants not listed above) |
Brofaromine, Moclobemide, Harmaline, Iproclozide, Iproniazid, Isocarboxazid, Nialamide, Phenelzine, Selegiline, Toloxatone, Tranylcypromine |
Medication (prescription and non-prescription): Recommended washout period is a minimum of 2 weeks.
| Drug | Examples |
| ADHD / anti-narcoleptic medication / amphetamines
(which can be used in the form of antidepressants not listed above) |
Drugs with dextroamphetamine, pemoline, listexamfetamine, levoamphetamine, methamphetamine, eg. Adderall, Adderall XR, Dexedrine, ProCentra, Dextrostat, Ritalin, Concerta, Vyvanse, Focalin, Stratera |
| Alcoholism medication | Drugs with dislfiram, eg. Antabuse |
| Antibiotics (strong) | Drugs with linezolid, eg. Zyvox
Also certain antimalaria medication containing doxycycline or mefloquinine hydrochloride (eg Lariam) |
| Antipsychotics | Various, eg. drugs with levomepromazine |
| Anxiety medication / sedatives / benzodiazepines | Any sedative or benzodiazepine, for example: diazepam (Valium), tomazepam |
| Appetite suppressants / diet pills | Drugs with sibutramine, phendimetrazine, pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine, phenylpropanolamine, phentermine, ephedrine, amfepramone, benzphetamine, eg. Sibutramine, Phendimetrazine, Reductil, Meridia, Sibutrex |
| Asthma drugs | Inhalants which contain albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin), metaproterenol (Alupent, Meraprel), or other beta-adrenergic bronchodilators
Drugs with theophylline (Theo-Dur) and Ephedrine, a bronchodilator contained in Maras, Quadrinal |
| Blood Pressure medication / anti-hypertensives / beta-blockers / diuretics / calcium-channel blockers | High blood pressure meds eg. guanadrel (found in Hylorel), guanethidine (ismelin), hydralazine (Apresoline), methyldopa (Aldomet), reserpine (Serpasil)
Low blood pressure meds such as: sympathomimetic amines including: dopamin (found in Intropin), epinephrine (Adrenalin), isoproterenol (Isuprel), metaraminol (Aramine), Methyidopa (Aidomer), norepinephrine (Levophed) |
| Cold / flu / sinus / allergy medication / antihistamines | Drugs containing pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, dextromethorpan, propylhexedrine, pheiramine, chlorphenamine, brompheniramine, levomethamphetamine, eg. Robitussin, Dimetall, Vicks, nasal sprays. |
| Diabetes medication | Oral hypoglycemic agents and insulin – may result in a drop in blood sugar |
| Heart medication | Various, eg. drugs containing quinidine |
| Muscle-relaxants | Drugs with cyclobenzaprine, eg. Flexeril, Amrix, Fexmid |
| Pain-killer / headache medication / opioids | Drugs with cyclobenzaprine, eg. Flexeril, Amrix, Fexmid |
| Parkinson’s disease medication | Drugs with L-DOPA |
| Seizure medication | Drugs with carbamazipine, clonazepam (Ayahuasca may also result in a drop in the blood levels of drugs used to control seizures, thereby increasing the chance of a seizure) |
| Sleep medication / benzodiazepines | Various, eg. drugs from benzodiazepine family, Valium, Stillnox |
Recreational drugs: Recommended washout period is a minimum of 2 weeks (although for some drugs the washout period is shorter, eg. cannabis, caffeine).
| Drug | Examples |
| Amphetamines | Amphetamine, MDMA / ecstasy, Dextroamphetamine, Metampheramine, DOM, 2-CB |
| Dissociative anaesthetics | Phencyclidine / PCP, Ketamine / K, Dextromethorphan / DXM |
| Lysergamides | Ergilines / LSA, LSD / acid |
| Opiates | Heroin, opium, methadone |
| Stimulants | Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), cocaine, cannabis, caffeine (in large amounts) |
| Tryptamines | DMT, Psilocin/Psilocybin / shrooms |
Alcohol: Recommended washout period is a minimum of 12 hours.
Hormones
- Synthroid or other synthetic thyroid hormone medications are safe to use with ayahuasca. You do not need to stop or alter your medication dosage. However, we generally proceed more cautiously at first to see how your body physically responds to the medicine during the first ceremony to avoid any possible discomfort.
- Testosterone : The effects of MAO inhibitors on testosterone level have not been established with mixed results in low-power studies. [4, 5] Furthermore, an ill-defined relationship between testosterone levels and MAO activity may exist. [6]
-
4. Mokhtari, Mojgan. (2007). Effect of Selegiline on Concentration of Testosterone and Spermatogenesis in Rats. Asian Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances. 2. 229-233. 10.3923/ajava.2007.229.233.
5. Markianos M, Alevizos V, Stefanis C (1991). “Plasma sex hormones and urinary biogenic amine metabolites during treatment of male depressed patients with the monoamine oxidase inhibitor moclobemide”. Neuro Endocrinology Letters.
6. Redmond DE Jr, Baulu J, Murphy DL, Loriaux DL, Zeigler MG, Lake CR. The effects of testosterone on plasma and platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) an plasma dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) activities in the male rhesus monkey. Psychosom Med. 1976 Sep-Oct;38(5):315-26. doi: 10.1097/00006842-197609000-00004. PMID: 824661.
Herbs & Lifestyle supplements: Recommended washout period is a minimum of 24 hours (Keep in mind that any herbs or supplements that fall into one of the categories outline in the table of medications above is probably contraindicated with Ayahuasca).
| Herb/supplement | Examples |
| Blood pressure supplement | L-Theanine |
| Energy boosters | Rhodiola rosea, other supplements containing excessive amounts of caffeing or affecting ephedrine, serotonin or dopamine levels, eg. Kava, Ephedra, Ginseng, Yohimbe, Sinicuichi |
| Mood boosters | Hypericum perforatum (known as “St-John’s Wort”), inositol, rhodolia rosea, s-adenosyl-l-methionine (known as “SANe”), L-Theanine, Kava, Ephedra |
| Protein / exercise supplements | Most protein powder containing tyramine and tryptophan |
| Sleep aids | 5-HTP, L-DOPA (used to treat Parkinson’s disease), L-Phenylalanine, L-Tryptophan, L-Tyrosine |
“Because here is the sober psychedelic fact of the matter. While some visions experienced in the throes of ayahuasca, peyote, mushrooms, San Pedro and other agents are in fact prescient, insightful, revelatory and wise, other visions are mere head salad. If you are going to journey with the aid of psychoactive substances, you must learn to discern the difference between manna from the gods and mental cole slaw. The former may set you on a new, luminous life path. The latter may send you down a rabbit hole.” Chris Kilham – the Medicine Hunter