Yerba Mate (an MAOI?!)

[TrippleBee]

I have read recently that Yerba Mate, the south american herb/tea, which I absolutely love and drink alot of, is a mild MAO inhibitor? Obviously if SWIM is deciding on taking various substances and that is true, this could potentially cause a problem. Does anyone have any information or insight into this, as lots of people in the world drink this regularly and would not think anything of it before taking ......... well I can't think of anything right now, but you do see my concern?

[darawk]

It's very possible that it is a mild MAOI. The beta-carbolines in coffee are too. It's mild enough that it isn't likely to interact strongly with anything else you're doing, i'd think. At most, it'd prolong and enhance a high a bit - like the way cigarettes do for MDMA and cocaine(nicotine is also an MAOI).

[Mr. Bob]

Does anyone know if it would be safe to take 5 HTP or L-Tryptophan with it?

[Potter]

I can't imagine it wouldn't be safe. Even if Mate is an inhibitor, it's going to be mild enough that 5-htp and tryptophan should be fine.

[Moonage Daydream]

SWIM has had Yerba Mate along with large amounts of amphetamine in her body (though admittedly never on the same day as the speed) and nothing remotely untoward has occured. In fact only positive things like a slight return of stimulation....................................... .................................................. .................Only mild thing to note is overheating, but this passes rather quickly.

[ImSoHappy]

Its primarily just caffeine....

[testodan]

SWIM heard is a MAO B inhibitor and if is true, ingesting tryptophan/5-htp wouldn't cause any problem.

[coelho]

Well... Yerba mate is a traditional drink in the southern states of Brasil, and many people drinks it as if it were water, without even considering it would have any "side effects", like reacting with some foods (which happens with stronger MAOIs), and, in fact, swim never ever heard anybody talking about anything related to any health problems/bad effects for combining it with anything.
So, swim is pretty sure any MAO-inhibitory effetcs it may have are too weak for being noticeable when its drank as a tea (or Chimarrao as people calls it there.)

[testodan]

If yerba was a MAO A inhibitor might raise some concerns since both serotonin and norandrenaline are being affected by MAO A and all the antidepressant medications along with many other substances influence particularly serotonin to a greater degree than dopamine and phenylathylamine in the case of being a MAO B inhibitor.Just look at the contradictions most of MAO A inhibitor drugs have such as high tyramine foods etc.

[·.·.·.·.·.·]

Yerba mate is a very low MAOI, so SWIY can feel safe to consume serotonin agonists or any other drugs when drinking it. SWIM and a lot of experienced drug users have done it many times.

Also heard that in the northeast of Argentina, in the Misiones province, is very common to drink "mate de cucu" (referring to psilocybes, there called cucumelos) to slightly potentiate the effects of psilocybin.