Taurine supplement benefit and side effects, what is the right dosage?  Ray Sahelian, M.D. 500 mg tablets

Taurine is a semi-essential sulphur amino acid derived from methionine and cysteine metabolism. 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, taurine 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. Taurine is an antioxidant, 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 of taurine.

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Source Naturals L Taurine supplement, 500 mg, 120 Tablets

L Taurine is a crystalline, free-form amino acid. Taurine is a soothing, inhibitory neurotransmitter and plays a major role in stabilizing the heartbeat and electrical activity of the nerves. Taurine 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.


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Taurine - 500 mg

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Taurine is a simple sulfur-containing amino acid present in virtually all cells throughout the animal kingdom. 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. In other tissues taurine has also been thought to act as an antioxidant in cell protection and to have beneficial effects on cardiovascular functions.

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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 Apr; Ito K, Arko M, Kawaguchi T, Kuwahara M, Tsubone H. Department of Comparative Pathophysiology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
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 Aug; Galloway SD, Talanian JL, Shoveller AK, Heigenhauser GJ, Spriet LL. Department of Sports Studies, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom.
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.

Benefit of taurine for heart tissue

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. Taurine mainly acts inside the cell. However, taurine transport system becomes aberrant in pathological myocardial and vascular tissues. In addition, taurine improves cardiovascular function in fructose-induced hypertension and an iron-overload murine animal models.

Your taurine page includes a question about its effect on heart arrhythmias. You answered that you hadn't seen human studies regarding that. George Eby has a website that reviews the role of taurine in heart rhythm disturbances. If possible, please comment on the information presented there. Can it be classified as human studies? Is it reliable? Useful? I consult your website often and find it very useful.
    A Medline review in September 2009 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.

Benefit of Taurine in 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.

Benefit of taurine for vision
Dietary Taurine Supplementation Ameliorates Diabetic Retinopathy via Anti-excitotoxicity of Glutamate in Streptozotocin-induced Sprague-Dawley Rats.
Neurochem Res. 2007 Aug 31; Department of Public Health, School of Preclinical Medicine, Chengdu Medical College, 601 Rongdu Road, Jinniu District, Chengdu, 610081, 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. After that, the protective effects of dietary taurine supplementation on diabetic retinopathy were estimated. 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.

Taurine amino acid as antioxidant
Effect of taurine on antioxidant enzyme system in B16F10 melanoma cells.
Adv Exp Med Biol. 2009; College Pharmacy, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, Korea.
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.

Taurine 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
No significant l taurine side effects have been reported in the medical literature as of October 2008.

L Taurine supplement questions
Q. 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.
   A. 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.

Q.  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 with this amino acid and heart rhythm problems?
   A. Although some rodent studies indicate taurine amino acid may play a role in reducing the risk for cardiac arrhythmias, as of November 2008 I have not come across human studies regarding l taurine supplementation and evaluation of heart rhythms.

Red Bull taurine
L Taurine is found in the popular energy drink Red Bull.

Q. In your article on L-taurine, 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.