Learn how taurine can reduce your risk of harmful health conditions and potentially help you live a longer life.
You likely have a baseline understanding of some essential nutrients and their role in your body. For example, you might prioritize fiber to support your digestive health while experiencing constipation. And when you’re looking to build muscle, you know to amp up your intake of protein, which assists in building and repairing cells and tissue.
But there’s one valuable nutrient that may have flown under the radar during your high school nutrition lessons: taurine. Ahead, an expert explains all the benefits taurine has to offer — including how it can help improve your longevity.
Taurine, Explained
A sulfur-containing amino acid, taurine is available in animal proteins — specifically eggs, meat, and seafood — but it's also produced naturally in the body via the metabolism of cysteine (another amino acid), per research published in Hypertension. Its highest concentrations are found in the brain, muscles, eyes, and reproductive organs, says Laura Kunces, Ph.D., R.D., the vice president of medical strategy at Thorne, an Equinox Circle partner. “Because it's in all those important organs, it has so much impact on every metabolic system,” she explains.
Taurine plays a role in multiple physiological processes, including glucose and lipid regulation, energy metabolism, and a healthy inflammatory response, according to research published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Medicine. It’s involved in regulating cell function by helping to manage how water moves in and out of cells to maintain hydration, and it also assists in digestion by supporting the formation of bile salts, says Kunces. And as a potent antioxidant, taurine may benefit the cardiovascular system, she notes. For example, in a 2016 study on 120 individuals with prehypertension, researchers found that supplementing with 1.6 grams of taurine daily for 12 weeks significantly decreased blood pressure and suggested it may be useful to treat the health condition.
On the same token, taurine deficiency has been linked with serious health concerns. “There has been literature out there that suggests a lower level of taurine is linked to neuromuscular, neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's,” says Kunces. “We've seen in research that a lower level of taurine may be linked to higher rates of obesity, type II diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), inflammation, and liver disease.” (It’s important to note that chronic disease doesn’t stem from a single nutrient deficiency, but taurine has been shown to play a role in their development, says Kunces.)
The problem: “The body’s ability to produce taurine naturally becomes less efficient with age, making it even more important to prioritize the nutrient in your diet,” says Kunces. “Being able to maintain an optimal level as you age — when your body's not making it as well — can be really beneficial in supporting healthspan and potentially even lifespan,” she adds.
Taurine’s Longevity Benefits
In addition to mitigating the risk of serious health conditions, maintaining your taurine levels may enhance longevity, according to recent animal-model research from Columbia University. Published in Science in June, the study found that blood concentration levels of taurine decline with age in mice, monkeys, and humans. But when middle-aged mice were fed a taurine solution daily, their median life span increased by 10 to 12 percent. The taurine-fed mice had improved bone, muscle, brain, gut, pancreas, muscle, fat, and immune function compared to the control mice. What’s more, the researchers found that taurine supplementation increased the healthspan of monkeys and life span of worms.
While investigating the mechanisms at play, the study authors found that taurine decreased DNA damage, minimized inflammation, quelled the dysfunction of mitochondria, and reduced cellular senescence (when cells stop multiplying but don't die off) — all of which can contribute to aging when left unremediated. “For the last 25 years, scientists have been trying to find factors that not only let us live longer but also increase healthspan, the time we remain healthy in our old age,” Vijay Yadav, Ph.D., the study leader and an assistant professor of genetics and development at Columbia University said in a press release. “This study suggests that taurine could be an elixir of life within us that helps us live longer and healthier lives.”
Although a long-term, randomized control trial in humans is needed to further back up the healthy-aging effects in humans, this new research is promising, says Kunces. “We know that taurine is a relatively safe product, and the science is strong in the models the researchers used,” she notes. “It's exciting to see this, and I think it's going to help move the science along with taurine and other metabolites, their relationships to chronic disease, and how we can improve healthspan.”
How to Maintain Your Taurine Levels
There’s no easy way to determine if you’re deficient in taurine, as it’s not measured in a typical blood test, says Kunces. However, staying on top of your intake doesn’t have to be complicated. Consuming animal products will help you maintain your taurine levels. But if you’re following a plant-based diet or lean more “flexitarian,” you may want to consider taking a supplement, Kunces recommends. “A supplement may also be wise if you’re particularly concerned about the chronic diseases associated with low taurine levels and you have a family history of the conditions,” she notes.
Taurine supplements are relatively safe, and there aren’t any serious side effects when consumed at appropriate doses, says Kunces. Start with a dose of 1.5 grams spread throughout the day, or 500 milligrams taken three times daily, she recommends. “When you consume taurine, its half-life — when half of it is left in your system — is only four hours,” she explains. “So that’s why spacing your supplement usage throughout the day is your best bet.”
Ultimately, “taking a supplement is a great option for individuals who don’t think their diet is optimized or they have a higher need than others,” says Kunces. “You should do it regularly just to make sure you’re topping off the level.”
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