The Amazing Benefits of Taurine
Taurine is largely known as that ingredient that is in energy drinks and largely flies under the radar of other nutrients when it comes to supplementation. But could this amino acid be one of the most important nutrients to support energy, slowing down ageing, exercise performance and reduce the effects of stress?
What is it?
Taurine is a naturally occurring sulphur containing amino acid (1). It is particularly concentrated in your eyes, brain, heart and muscles (1). Unlike its fellow amino acids, this amino acid is not used to build proteins in your body and instead takes on many more roles in your body.
Heart Health
Taurine is protective against many signs of ageing. One way it slows down ageing is how it acts on the cardiovascular system. Taurine has a protective effect against coronary vascular diseases by reducing blood pressure through its ability to relax the arteries (1). Research has shown that a taurine deficiency alone may contribute to the development of hypertension (1).
So how do you take it to support high blood pressure aka hypertension?
Combining taurine with magnesium has shown to be very effective. The dose of 600mg of magnesium combined with 6 g of taurine per day to lower blood pressure has shown to be a therapeutically effective dose (1). This is a relatively high dose and it is recommended to work with a health care practitioner when supplementing at this level.
Neuroprotector
Taurine is abundant in the brain (2). It has demonstrated anxiolytic effects by inhibiting glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter (2). If you suffer from anxiety, taking a supplement daily that includes taurine may help reduce your overall levels of anxiety.
It has also shown to be supportive in treating addiction as it is a dopamine modulator supporting this neurotransmitter to not rule the roost when it comes to our responses to stimuli. This modulates our reward and motivation mechanisms leading to a more subtle experience of stimulus (2).
Taurine and Women's Health
Taurine has shown to increase important antioxidants in the body that protect mitochondria, the part of the cell we make ATP energy from.
A study was performed in women of 55-70 years of age. The women who received Taurine had a significant increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD, antioxidant enzyme) (3). Superoxide is one of the main reactive oxygen species in the cell, meaning it causes inflammation and as a consequence ageing if it is not recycled efficiently (4). SOD is this antioxidant recycler (4). If we have a build up of inflammatory by-products without the potential to reduce this we can also feel fatigue and the mitochondria in our cells won't produce energy as effectively (4).
SOD also protects Nitric Oxide from breaking down. Nitric oxide is a potent arterial relaxer in the body influencing blood pressure and exercise performance(4).
Taurine and Exercise for Women
When we age inflammation contributes to blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability which can lead to impairment in our memory and other cognitive processes (5). Taurine was investigated alongside exercise to see if it reduced this inflammation in elderly women (5). Not only did exercise and taurine decrease inflammation, but it worked to maintain the BBB integrity in elderly women reducing and preventing cognitive decline (5). Interestingly only the participants taking taurine and exercising had an improvement in mental state (5).
Taurine, PMS and Menopause
Due to its cardiovascular protective effects mentioned above taurine can be really supportive for women going through menopause. With the decline in estrogen in menopause, taurine picks up the cardiovascular protective effects of this hormone and helps to buffer the oxidative stress that can occur for women. Its mood benefits help to calm and support women’s moods whether its in PMS or menopause.
Taurine also prevents oxidative damage, and inflammation in the liver(6). In this way it contributes to supporting healthy detoxification of estrogen. Furthermore it prevents unhealthy deposits of fat that can contribute to Fatty liver disease (6).
To support liver health and methylation, I use a combination of Taurine, magnesium and methylated B vitamins when I support women with menopause and PMS concerns.
How do I take this amazing amino acid?
Taurine is included in many magnesium powders. A lot of these products use about 1.5 g per day. There are higher therapeutic doses. I usually prescribe 1000-1.5g of Taurine with a magnesium bis-glycinate. I recommend working with a healthcare practitioner when supplementing higher than 1.5g per day so that the right dose can be found for your particular health concern.
If you are after support please book a consultation or a clarity call.
References
1. Xu, Y. J., Arneja, A. S., Tappia, P. S., & Dhalla, N. S. (2008). The potential health benefits of taurine in cardiovascular disease. Experimental and clinical cardiology, 13(2), 57–65.
2. El Idrissi, A., & Trenkner, E. (2004). Taurine as a modulator of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission. Neurochemical research, 29(1), 189–197. https://doi.org/10.1023/b:nere.0000010448.17740.6e
3. Abud, G. F., De Carvalho, F. G., Batitucci, G., Travieso, S. G., Bueno Junior, C. R., Barbosa Junior, F., Marchini, J. S., & de Freitas, E. C. (2022). Taurine as a possible antiaging therapy: A controlled clinical trial on taurine antioxidant activity in women ages 55 to 70. Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.), 101, 111706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2022.111706
4. Fukai, T., & Ushio-Fukai, M. (2011). Superoxide dismutases: role in redox signaling, vascular function, and diseases. Antioxidants & redox signaling, 15(6), 1583–1606. https://doi.org/10.1089/ars.2011.3999.
5. Matheus Uba Chupel, Luciele Guerra Minuzzi, Guilherme Furtado, Mário Leonardo Santos, Eef Hogervorst, Edith Filaire, and Ana Maria Teixeira. 2018. Exercise and taurine in inflammation, cognition, and peripheral markers of blood-brain barrier integrity in older women. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 43(7): 733-741. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2017-0775 Qi
6. Song, Junxia Guo, Yanzhen Zhang, Wen Chen,The beneficial effects of taurine in alleviating fatty liver disease, Journal of Functional Foods, Volume 77, 2021,104351,
ISSN 1756-4646,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2020.104351.