What are the long-term health effects of taurine?
Health Benefits of Taurine
- Taurine can help Fight obesity. Taurine has a role to play in fat absorption and breakdown. ...
- Promotes Heart Health. A Japanese study shows the link between increased taurine intake and reduced risk of heart condition.
- Aids Diabetes Treatment. ...
- Fights Stress And Boosts Brain Health. ...
- Promotes Liver health. ...
- Taurine Enhances Vision. ...
- Boosts Exercise Performance. ...
Is taurine bad for You?
The main negative side effect associated with taurine supplementation is negative nitrogen balance. The University of Utah Health Care Center reports that consuming a single amino acid supplement like taurine can offset your natural nitrogen balance. This may lead to a decrease in your metabolic efficiency and a strain on your kidneys.
What is taurine and where does it come from>?
Taurine, an organic molecule, got its name after the Latin Taurus, which means bull or ox. This is because taurine was originally extracted from bull semen and ox bile. However, taurine can also be found in tissues of various animals, including ourselves – breast milk and intestines contain it.
What is taurine and is it halal?
What is Halal Taurine? It is a popular halal food additives used in food and beverage. We have been supplying halal Taurine for years. The manufacturing process of Taurine is according to Islamic law, and is free from pork products, alcohol and certain other ingredients. Halal is an Arabic word meaning lawful or permitted. In reference to food, it is the dietary standard, as prescribed in the Koran.
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What does taurine stand for?
2-aminoethanesulfonic acidTaurine (/ˈtɔːriːn/), or 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, is an organic compound that is widely distributed in animal tissues. It is a major constituent of bile and can be found in the large intestine, and accounts for up to 0.1% of total human body weight.
Is taurine and taurine the same?
Taurine is an amino acid that does not polarize light. It thus is properly called just “Taurine”, without L or D configurations. While some label Taurine as “L-Taurine”, that name is not technically correct. “Taurine” is the same exact molecule and form as what is commonly mislabeled as “L-Taurine”.
Is taurine natural or man made?
Taurine is found naturally in meat, fish, dairy products and human milk, and it's also available as a dietary supplement.
Why is taurine in energy drinks?
The inclusion of taurine in energy drinks is most likely due to its hypothesized effect on mental and athletic performance. Taurine supplementation has been linked to improved exercise capacity and may therefore help individuals to meet physical goals.
How much taurine is in Red Bull?
1000 mgSo what is in Red Bull that can “give us wings?” Each 250 ml (8.3 oz) can of Red Bull contains the following: 1000 mg of taurine, 600mg of glucuronolactone, 80 mg of caffeine, 18 mg of niacin (niacinamide), 6 mg of panto- thenic acid (calcium d-pantothenate), 2 mg of vitamin B6 (pyridoxide HCI), vitamin B2 (riboflavin) ...
Do humans need taurine?
Taurine is vital for a person's overall health. It is one of the most abundant amino acids in the muscle tissue, brain, and many other organs in the body. Taurine plays a role in several essential body functions, such as: regulating calcium levels in certain cells.
What foods are high in taurine?
Foods With TaurineScallops. Shellfish have some of the highest taurine content, especially scallops. ... Tuna. Whether you get it fresh or from a can, tuna is an excellent source of taurine. ... Tilapia. Freshwater fish are high in taurine as well. ... Octopus. ... Turkey. ... Chicken. ... Seaweed. ... Beef.
How much taurine is in eggs?
Eggs. Eggs are one of the few protein sources that some vegans eat that's high in taurine. More than half of an egg is composed of water, but eggs also contain a lot more. Eggs boast four grams per serving – or about 20 percent – which translates to 200 milligrams for the whole thing (3)!
How do vegans get taurine?
Taurine is made by the body from cysteine, which is a protein amino acid. If you eat the recommended amounts of protein, you should be getting enough cysteine to provide enough taurine. Taurine is not found in plant foods. Non-vegetarians typically eat 40 – 70 mg of taurine per day (1).
Is taurine stronger than caffeine?
Both taurine and caffeine have benefits. However, from an energy standpoint, caffeine seems to be the winner.
Does Coke have taurine?
Classic Coca-Cola is a soda – not an energy drink – with 24mg of caffeine (per 250ml). With caffeine from naturally-derived sources, guarana extract and no taurine, it was developed as a preferred option for people who want these types of ingredients in an energy drink,” Meza adds.
What does taurine do to the brain?
Taurine supports proliferation of neural progenitor cells and synapse formation in brain regions required for long-term memory (Shivaraj et al., 2012). Taurine stimulates action potentials in GABAergic neurons and specifically targets the GABAA receptor (Jia et al., 2008).
What does taurine do to your body?
Taurine has important functions in the heart and brain. It helps support nerve growth. It might also benefit people with heart failure by lowering blood pressure and calming the nervous system. This might help prevent heart failure from becoming worse.
What foods are high in taurine?
Foods With TaurineScallops. Shellfish have some of the highest taurine content, especially scallops. ... Tuna. Whether you get it fresh or from a can, tuna is an excellent source of taurine. ... Tilapia. Freshwater fish are high in taurine as well. ... Octopus. ... Turkey. ... Chicken. ... Seaweed. ... Beef.
How much taurine can I take daily?
The recommended dosage of taurine is usually less than 3,000 mg per day, MayoClinic.com explains. At this dosage, your body is able to use taurine to power vital processes and excrete any excess via the kidneys. However, at higher doses, taurine may cause unintended side effects.
How much taurine should I take for sleep?
Taurine. Taurine is a type of amino acid that aids in calming anxiety levels by supporting the function of the neurotransmitter GABA, which allows the brain to shut off and encourages rest. Supplements containing 1 to 3 grams of taurine should be taken before bedtime to see full benefits.
Where is taurine found?
It is a major constituent of bile and can be found in the large intestine, and accounts for up to 0.1% of total human body weight.
What is taurine used for?
Physiological functions. Taurine is essential for cardiovascular function and development and function of skeletal muscle, the retina, and the central nervous system. It is a biosynthetic precursor to the bile salts sodium taurochenodeoxycholate and sodium taurocholate .
What is the minimum amount of taurine in food?
Taurine is now a requirement of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and any dry or wet food product labeled approved by the AAFCO should have a minimum of 0.1% taurine in dry food and 0.2% in wet food.
What is the role of taurine in the muscular system?
Role in the muscular system. Taurine is necessary for normal skeletal muscle functioning. Mice with a genetic taurine deficiency had a nearly complete depletion of skeletal and cardiac muscle taurine levels and a reduction of more than 80% of exercise capacity compared to control mice.
How is taurine obtained?
Synthetic taurine is obtained by the ammonolysis of isethionic acid (2-hydroxyethanesulfonic acid), which in turn is obtained from the reaction of ethylene oxide with aqueous sodium bisulfite. A direct approach involves the reaction of aziridine with sulfurous acid.
Why is taurine used in cosmetics?
It has been shown to prevent the damaging effects of TGFB1 to hair follicles. It also helps to maintain skin hydration.
Does taurine help with cirrhosis?
Taurine is effective in removing fatty liver deposits in rats, preventing liver disease, and reducing cirrhosis in tested animals . Evidence indicates taurine may be beneficial for blood pressure in male rats. A single intravenous taurine supplementation resulted in measurable decreases in blood pressure.
Why do people take taurine?
People take taurine for congestive heart failure (CHF) and swelling ( inflammation) of the liver ( hepatitis ). It is also used for athletic performance, boosting energy, diabetes, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Where is taurine found in the body?
It occurs naturally in the human body and has many important functions. Taurine is found in large amounts in the brain, retina, heart, and blood cells called platelets. The best food sources are meat, fish, and eggs.
Does taurine help with cystic fibrosis?
But taking taurine doesn't seem to improve growth, lung function, or other symptoms of cystic fibrosis. Diabetes. Some early research shows that taurine can improve blood sugar and blood fats in people with diabetes. But not all research agrees.
Does taurine help with nausea?
Early research shows that taurine improves the symptoms of nausea and vomiting in patients receiving cancer drug treatment. Kidney damage caused by cancer drugs. Early research shows that taurine may help prevent kidney and liver damage caused by cancer drugs. Liver scarring (cirrhosis).
Does taurine help with heart failure?
Taurine has important functions in the heart and brain. It helps support nerve growth. It might also benefit people with heart failure by lowering blood pressure and calming the nervous system. This might help prevent heart failure from becoming worse.
Can you make taurine from breast milk?
The body usually makes taurine on its own. But some people cannot make it and need to get taurine from their diet or supplements. Breast milk is rich in taurine, but infants who are not breastfed do not get enough taurine and do not have the ability to make it, so taurine is often added to infant formulas.
Does taurine interact with lithium?
Lithium interacts with TAURINE. Taurine might have an effect like a water pill or "diuretic.". Taking taurine might decrease how well the body gets rid of lithium. This could increase how much lithium is in the body and result in serious side effects.
Is taurine in energy drinks?
Taurine in energy drinks: What is it? - Mayo Clinic. Taurine is an ingredient in many energy drinks. Is taurine safe? Answer From Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. Taurine, an amino acid important in several of the body's metabolic processes, is thought to have antioxidant properties.
Is taurine good for athletes?
But little is known about the effects of long-term supplemental taurine use. Taurine is found naturally in meat, fish, dairy products and human milk, and it's also available as a dietary supplement. While research is mixed, some studies suggest that taurine supplementation might improve athletic performance.
What is Taurine?
Taurine is a free form amino acid that is contained in foods and manufactured by the body from the amino acid known as cysteine. Taurine was first discovered in the bile of bulls and is now produced synthetically by the truckload and also found in food sources like scallops and other seafood. However, since taurine is created naturally in the human body, a balanced diet supplies all you need.
Why do people drink energy drinks with taurine?
One reason why many people like energy drinks with added taurine is because they are under the impression that it can boost cardiovascular endurance. However, this is not exactly the case.
Does taurine help with metabolic rate?
And another study found that while many energy drink manufacturers claim that taurine can boost the metabolic response to exercise, it actually had no effect on a timed run test at 80% of maximum intensity. In other words, taurine wasn’t responsible for any benefits - the caffeine was.
Is taurine a stimulant?
Many individuals believe taurine is a stimulant, much like caffeine - but the truth is that it isn’t. In fact, it's just the opposite, as the ingredient is added to popular energy drinks as a nervous system depressant and just has a stimulating effect on the brain. When you ingest taurine, it suppresses the neurotransmitter receptors responsible ...
Does taurine help with time to exhaustion?
For example, the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research reported that although consuming an energy drink with taurine prior to a workout has become increasingly popular, the truth is that it had no effect on time-to-exhaustion or perceived exertion at high intensity.
Can you add taurine to energy drinks?
That is why we don’t add any taurine to any of our products. As we mentioned earlier, some energy drink manufacturers may add taurine to reduce the jitters, which is a common side effect experienced with caffeine, but we prefer the powerful amino acid L-theanine over taurine. Many studies support that using caffeine and L-theanine together can ...
Does taurine help with muscle damage?
Taurine is Unlikely to Decrease Muscle Damage, Either. Another common selling point made by energy drink manufacturers that add taurine to their products is that taurine decreases the amount of micro-damage that occurs through vigorous exercise. Again, the studies that suggest taurine can prevent exercise-induced muscle damage use extremely small ...
What is Taurine?
Taurine is an amino acid used in foods such as meat, dairy products, fish, and dietary supplements, produced by the body from the amino acid called cysteine.
Benefits of Taurine
As previously mentioned, Taurine can help you relax and can even boost your mental and physical performance.
When Should You Take Taurine?
Since you will most likely get your Taurine from energy drinks, the best time for you to take it is about half an hour before your workouts.
Taurine in Energy Drink Side Effects
While it may sound great that Taurine is added to energy drinks for extra benefits, it’s actually not clear if its presence actually makes much of a difference.
Final Thoughts
Taurine is an essential nutrient that supports many of your body’s functions. You can actually get Taurine from meat and other foods, but energy drink brands have also started adding them to their ingredients list.
Is L taurine different to Taurine?
Taurine is an amino acid that does not polarize light. It thus is properly called just Taurine, without L or D configurations. While some label Taurine as L-Taurine, that name is not technically correct. Taurine is the same exact molecule and form as what is commonly mislabeled as L-Taurine.
What does the L stand for in L taurine?
These are labeled L (left-handed) and D (right-handed) to distinguish the mirror images. For some reason, the amino acids that make up the proteins in our bodies are all L-amino acids.
What is L taurine used for?
Taurine is an herbal supplement that can be used in the treatment for congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cystic fibrosis, and to prevent the buildup of plaque in the arteries throughout the body. Taurine occurs naturally in the human brain.
Is Taurine and L carnitine the same thing?
Taurine and L-Carnitine are two very important amino acids that our bodies need to function properly. … Taurine is also known as an amino sulfonic acid. It’s not essential, which means that our body makes it on its own.
What does taurine do to your body?
Taurine has important functions in the heart and brain. It helps support nerve growth. It might also benefit people with heart failure by lowering blood pressure and calming the nervous system. This might help prevent heart failure from becoming worse.
Does taurine help you sleep?
Taurine improves the quality of sleep. When you cannot relax or you are nervous when going to sleep, the calming effect of taurine can help you. This effect is due to the fact, that taurine increases GABA quantity, which has a soothing effect on the nervous system.
How long does it take for taurine to work?
Limited studies have been performed regarding the use of taurine to treat general heart disease, but preliminary studies show taurine’s usefulness as an adjunctive therapy in these cases. This medication should take effect after 1-2 doses, however, it can take up to a few weeks before full effects are noted.
What is taurine in energy drinks?
Taurine is an amino acid that’s found in tissue such as the heart, brain and muscles. It is excreted from the body through urine, bile acids and breastmilk. Studies have suggested that taurine supplementation might improve athletic performance, which is why it’s added to energy drinks.
What is taurine made of?
Taurine is found naturally in the flesh of animals, so it’s present in meat and fish. It was first obtained by extraction from the stomach bile of an Ox in 1827. Taurine gets its name from the Latin word ‘taurus’, which means ox or bull.
Is taurine bull pee?
Taurine is excreted from the body via urine. As taurine-boosted energy drinks like Red Bull have been marketed to make people believe that they will be ‘strong as a bull’, it’s easy to see where the connection between taurine and bull urine has come from.
Where does taurine come from?
Synthetic taurine is made in laboratories through a process called ammonolysis. First, ethylene oxide is mixed with sodium bisulfite to make isethionic acid (2-hydroxyethanesulfonic acid). Then, the process of ammonolysis starts by reacting this isethionic acid with ammonia to form taurine.
Is taurine vegan?
Synthetic taurine supplements are suitable for vegans and vegetarians. This includes the taurine in energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster. This taurine is made in laboratories from plant-based ingredients and does not come from animals.
Is there bull urine in energy drinks?
Contrary to rumours that energy drinks contain bull pee, there is no cow urine in energy drinks. Some energy drinks contain taurine. While taurine was first extracted from ox bile in the 1800s and is excreted in urine, it can also be made synthetically in a laboratory. The taurine in energy drinks is not from animals.
Does Monster have bull urine in it?
Monster energy drinks do not contain urine. Monster contains plant-based taurine that has been synthetically created in a laboratory. While taurine can be extracted from cow urine, this isn’t where the taurine in Monster energy drinks comes from.
Does Taurine Give you Energy?
I don’t think so. Besides, not every content in an energy drink is dedicated to giving energy alone.
Is L-Taurine the Same as Taurine?
Yes, it is. You probably notice some energy drinks have “ L-Taurine ” on their nutrition facts, while some have “Taurine” only. They are basically the same amino acid in charge of developing your heart and muscles.
Is Taurine Better Than Caffeine?
It depends on what specific goal you would like to achieve. Caffeine is a better stimulator of your nervous system and increases your alertness. On the other hand, taurine can help you more in muscle repair and battling fatigue.
How Much Taurine Per Day?
You’re allowed to take a lot. I bet you consume more or less at least 400mg of Taurine every day without you knowing it. That could sound too much, but it’s actually not.
What Are the Dangers of Taurine?
There are pretty few. EFSA’s suggestion is obviously high, but it’s still proven safe. However, some individuals reported side effects after taking taurine, as a supplement or an ingredient in a product.
Best Energy Drinks with Taurine
There are many more energy drinks that use taurine; however, there are only a few I could suggest for you to try.
Conclusion
While you can always get taurine from your eating regimen, you can also get it from energy drinks to feel an enhanced upgrade in your performance. If you’re working on extreme activities that put much stress on your muscles, look for energy drinks that have taurine.
Why is taurine banned in some countries?
The drink had been banned in France for twelve years due to health authorities’ concerns about unknown consequences of the ingredient taurine, a chemical forbidden in several countries. It added that it suspected the drink lessens the impression but not the effects of drunkenness when consumed with alcohol.
Why is Red Bull banned in France and Denmark?
The French ban was made on the grounds of food and nutrition laws which stipulate a maximum allowed caffeine content in products. Mr Killian Burns, communications manager of Red Bull Ireland, said the European Court of Justice decision was based on a pre-2000 situation and the situation had changed since.
Where does the amino acid taurine come from?
The finding, reported in the January issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, opens the door to better understanding taurine’s impact on the brain. While the amino acid is made naturally by the body, it’s also a much-touted ingredient in such so-called “energy drinks” as Red Bull.
Overview
Taurine , or 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, is an organic compound that is widely distributed in animal tissues. It is a major constituent of bile and can be found in the large intestine, and accounts for up to 0.1% of total human body weight. It is named after Latin taurus (cognate to Ancient Greek ταῦρος, taûros) meaning bull or ox, as it was first isolated from ox bile in 1827 by German scientists Friedrich T…
Chemical and biochemical features
Taurine exists as a zwitterion H3N CH2CH2SO−3, as verified by X-ray crystallography. The sulfonic acid has a low pKa ensuring that it is fully ionized to the sulfonate at the pHs found in the intestinal tract.
Synthetic taurine is obtained by the ammonolysis of isethionic acid (2-hydroxyethanesulfonic acid), which in turn is obtained from the reaction of ethylene oxide with aqueous sodium bisulfite. A dire…
Nutritional significance
Taurine occurs naturally in fish and meat. The mean daily intake from omnivore diets was determined to be around 58 mg (range from 9 to 372 mg) and to be low or negligible from a strict vegan diet. In another study, taurine intake was estimated to be generally less than 200 mg/day, even in individuals eating a high-meat diet. According to a third study, taurine consumption was estimated to vary between 40 and 400 mg/day.
Physiological functions
Taurine is essential for cardiovascular function and development and function of skeletal muscle, the retina, and the central nervous system. It is a biosynthetic precursor to the bile salts sodium taurochenodeoxycholate and sodium taurocholate.
Taurine functions as an antioxidant, suppressing the toxicity of hypochlorite and hypobromite produced physiologically. Taurine reacts with these halogenating agents to form N-chloro- and …
Safety and toxicity
A substantial increase in the plasma concentration of growth hormone was reported in some epileptic patients during taurine tolerance testing (oral dose of 50 mg per kg body mass per day), suggesting a potential to stimulate the hypothalamus and to modify neuroendocrine function. A 1966 study found an indication that taurine (2 g/day) has some function in the maintenance and possibly in the induction of psoriasis. Three later studies failed to support that finding. It may als…
Other uses
Since the 2000s cosmetic compositions containing taurine have been introduced, possibly due to its antifibrotic properties. It has been shown to prevent the damaging effects of TGFB1 to hair follicles. It also helps to maintain skin hydration.
Taurine is also used in some contact lens solutions.
• Taurine is used in the preparation of the anthelmintic drug netobimin (Totabin).
See also
• Homotaurine (tramiprosate), precursor to acamprosate
• Taurates, a substance group.
External links
• Mass Spectrum of Taurine
• Taurine bound to proteins in the PDB