Taurine supplement benefit and side effects, what is the right dosage? Ray Sahelian, M.D. 500 mg tablets
Taurine is a semi-essential sulphur containing amino acid derived from methionine and cysteine metabolism and present in virtually all cells throughout the animal kingdom. The amino acid was discovered more than two hundred years ago from animal sources. Taurine is distributed in both mammals and non-mammals and its content is high in several tissues. For more than a century-and-a-half, it was regarded just as an end product of sulfur metabolism. Recently, taurine has been rediscovered and its beneficial effects in processes like epilepsy, hypertension, congestive heart failure and diabetes have been tested. As an antioxidant, it may be helpful in neurodegenerative diseases and atherosclerosis.
Mammals are able to synthesize taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid), but humans are more dependent on dietary sources.
Source Naturals buy L Taurine supplement, 500 mg, 120
tablets
L
Taurine is a crystalline, free-form amino acid. It is a soothing,
inhibitory neurotransmitter and plays a major role in stabilizing the heartbeat
and electrical activity of the nerves. It is also necessary for the proper
functioning of the "sodium/potassium ATP-ase pump", which regulates the ion
balance between the cells and the extra cellular fluid that surrounds them.
Supplement Facts
Taurine 500 mg per tablet
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This amino acid is found in higher amounts in electrically excitable tissues such as brain, retina, heart and skeletal muscles. In the central nervous system, taurine is involved in cell volume regulation and in inhibitory neuromodulation or neurotransmission.
Benefits
Antioxidant
Effect of taurine on antioxidant enzyme system in B16F10 melanoma cells.
Adv Exp Med Biol. 2009.
The aim of the present study was to examine whether taurine enhances
endogenous antioxidant enzyme activity and/or regulates ROS generation in B16F10
mouse melanoma cells. Our results suggest that taurine decreases reactive oxygen
species levels by increasing the levels of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide
dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase.
Cognitive
function, effect on mind and brain
Taurine appears
to have multiple functions in the brain participating both in volume regulation
and neurotransmission. In the latter context it may exert its actions by serving
as an agonist at receptors of the GABAergic and glycinergic neurotransmitter
systems.
The effect of subacute
supplementation of taurine on spatial learning and memory.
Exp Anim. 2009.
Although the effect of taurine on the heart and liver is well studied, there has
been no direct observation concerning the effect of taurine on spatial learning
and memory at the behavior level. In this study, we tested the effect of
subacute taurine supplementation with evaluation by the Morris water maze
method. Although swim distance to find the platform of taurine-supplemented rats
was significantly longer than that of control rats due to increase of swimming
velocity, escape latency and the efficacy of learning and memory was comparable
in both groups. These results suggest that taurine supplemented orally does not
affect the learning and memory function.
Effect on
exercise
Seven days of oral taurine supplementation does not increase muscle taurine
content or alter substrate metabolism during prolonged exercise in humans.
J Appl Physiol. 2008.
This study examined the plasma taurine response to acute oral taurine
supplementation, and the effects of 7 days of T on muscle amino acid content and
substrate metabolism during 2 h of cycling at approximately 60% peak oxygen
consumption (VO2peak). In the first part of the study, after an overnight fast,
7 volunteers ingested 1.66 g oral taurine doses with breakfast (8 AM) and lunch
(12 noon). In the second part of the study, eight men cycled for 2 h after 7
days of placebo (P) ingestion (6 g glucose/day) and again following 7 days of T
(5 g/day). Our data indicate that acute T produces a 13-fold increase in plasma
taurine concentration; despite the ability to significantly elevate plasma
taurine for extended periods throughout the day, 7 days of T does not alter
skeletal muscle taurine content or carbohydrate and fat oxidation during
exercise; and T appears to have some impact on muscle amino acid response to
exercise.
Heart tissue benefit, role in heart failure
The function of taurine in the cardiac vascular system is extensive, and the mechanism is complicated. Taurine protects cardiac cells from injury caused by ischemia. This amino acid helps prevent endothelial dysfunction caused by hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, smoking and homocysteine; suppresses the proliferation and calcification in vascular smooth muscle cells, promotes metabolism and excretion of cholesterol in animal models of hyperlipemia. This amino acid mainly acts inside the cell. However, taurine transport system becomes aberrant in pathological myocardial and vascular tissues.
J Cardiol. 2011.
Effect of taurine supplementation on exercise capacity of patients with heart
failure.
A total of 15 patients received taurine
supplementation 500 mg three times a day while the remaining 14 patients
received placebo for 2 weeks. Exercise time, metabolic equivalents METS, and
exercise distance increased significantly in patients who received the
supplement for 2 weeks.
Your taurine
page includes a question about its effect on heart arrhythmias. George Eby has a website that
reviews the role of taurine in heart rhythm disturbances. Can it be classified as human
studies? Is it reliable? I consult your website often and find it very
useful.
A Medline review in 2012 did not reveal any human
studies regarding the role of taurine supplements in terms of preventing or
treating heart rhythm disturbances. I will await to see results of published
trials before commenting on the accuracy of the opinion by George Eby whether
this amino acid plays a role in reducing the risk for arrhythmias.
Myocardial infarction
As a non-toxic endogenous antioxidant, the semi-essential amino acid taurine is a potential attenuator of oxidative damage such as that produced by ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Ischaemia-reperfusion injury is a well established if paradoxical phenomenon whereby ischaemic tissue, doomed to necrosis if it is not reperfused, is actually further damaged by oxidative attack when perfusion is restored. There is consistent experimental evidence of an important role of taurine in ischaemia-reperfusion injury, with a clinical role emerging in human trials of taurine administered prior to coronary artery bypass grafting and heart valve surgery.
Vision improvement
Dietary Taurine Supplementation Ameliorates Diabetic Retinopathy via Anti-excitotoxicity
of Glutamate in Streptozotocin-induced Sprague-Dawley Rats.
Neurochem Res. 2007; Department of Public Health, School of Preclinical
Medicine, Chengdu Medical College, Jinniu District,
Chengdu, China.
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether l taurine ameliorates the
diabetic retinopathy. Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with streptozotocin to
establish experimental diabetic model, then fed without or with 1.2% taurine for
additional 4-12 weeks. Our results showed that
chronic taurine supplement effectively improved diabetic retinopathy Chronic
taurine supplementation increased glutamate transporter expression, decreased
intermediate filament glial fibrillary acidic protein and N-methyl-D: -aspartate
receptor subunit 1 expression in diabetic retina. These results demonstrated
that chronic taurine supplementation ameliorates diabetic retinopathy via anti-excitotoxicity
of glutamate in rats.
Tinnitus or
ringing in the ears
Hear Res. 2010. The effect of
supplemental dietary taurine on tinnitus and auditory discrimination in an
animal model.
Taurine, a partial agonist at inhibitory glycine and γ-amino butyric acid
receptors, was added to the daily diet of rats to examine its effects on chronic
tinnitus and normal
auditory discrimination. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that
taurine attenuates tinnitus and improves auditory discrimination by increasing
inhibitory tone and decreasing noise in the auditory pathway.
Analogues
A large number of l taurine derivatives have been reported in the literature with partial to marked activity. Taurine derivatives like taltrimide, acamprosate and tauromustine, are already in the market as anti-convulsant, anti-alcoholic and anti-cancer agents.
L Taurine side effects,
risk, danger
No significant l taurine side effects have been reported in the medical
literature as of 2012.
Questions
My son has a mild controlled epilepsy, treated with Tegretol, but he still
has (from time to time) problems going to sleep, a problem where he jerks awake
( maybe going into a deeper sleep stage) connected with his epilepsy. We don't
want to increase Tegretol dosage. Two years ago, I used a taurine supplement for
several months with success, but can't remember the taurine dosage regimen.
Before meals or after, for this type of complaint? Peptic ulcer a risk if before
meals? Interestingly, Adenosine, 1 morn and night, has been successful for 2
years, but just lately, not so effective, so thought a 2 week stint on taurine
amino acid again , and then go back to Adenosine, would be a good idea.
The timing on the use of a taurine supplement depends on what is
being treated and on individual response. It is best to try different times to
determine which works better. Most amino acids are more effective and better
absorbed when taken on an empty stomach.
What
about the amino acid taurine for heart arrhythmias? This is an amino acid found
abundantly in the heart. It works as a modulator of nerve impulses. Do you know
of any research done in relation to heart rhythm problems?
Although some rodent studies indicate it may
play a role in reducing the risk for cardiac arrhythmias, as of 2012 I have not
come across human studies regarding its influence on heart rhythm.
What dosage do
you recommend to take for L-taurine for heart disease prevention? Is divided
dosage throughout the day better or all at once each day? Between meals or with
meals?
There is not enough research to know the answers to these questions
as of 2010.
Red Bull
L Taurine is found in the popular energy drink Red Bull.
Q. In your article you mention Red Bull drink and this amino acid. Red Bull
does not contain l-taurine but synthetic taurine which may be problematic.
A. As far as we know, taurine or l-taurine is made synthetically
and added to energy drinks and also as a supplement by itself. We are not sure
what you mean.