What does taurine do to your body

It is also important to mention the effect of taurine on the nervous system. Taurine supports communication between the neurons, protects the nerves and promotes the maintenance of the cell membranes in the body.

According to certain researches, taurine and caffeine perfectly complement each other in a way that they both improve physical and mental performance and therefore it is not a coincidence that they often used together in energy drinks. Taurine boosts physical performance by helping the flow of glucose to the muscles, thus ensuring primary energy source for operation.

Taurine is popular among body builders, as it helps in protein synthesis, thus supports the growth of muscle mass. Researches also highlight its calming effect on the nervous system, which can help us fighting anxiety. Taurine is also used by patients suffering from epilepsy for reducing seizures. Taurine is a sulphur amino acid. In contrast to other amino acids, taurine is not incorporated into protein structures.

It is found in the intercellular fluid. An adult is able to produce taurine from amino acids, however during infancy the body is unable to produce taurine, but babies receive taurine supply from breastmilk. Many foodstuffs contain taurine. Foodstuffs with a high amino acid content — namely with high protein content- such as fish contain higher levels of taurine.

Mackerel has especially high taurine content, but animal meat also represent a good taurine source. Even birds and insects contain taurine, while beef liver, chicken meat or lamb meat contain very high levels of taurine. Vegetables growing in the ground do not contain any taurine, but sea algae proves to be an excellent source of taurine. Taurine can be also found in high quantities in mussels, crabs and seafood.

The recommended daily supplementary dosage of taurine is between and mg. For athletes and people performing heavy physical work this daily quantity can be increased up to mg. According to tests this dosage does not strain the kidneys. Currently there are no such studies available, which assess the effects of long-term and high dosage taurine consumption.

The muscles contain high levels of taurine. It helps to ensure proper muscle function and protects against muscle damage. According to a review , taurine could also play an important role in the treatment of neuromuscular disorders, such as muscular dystrophy.

However, there is a need for more research in this area. Taurine may have a protective effect on the brain. As a review posted to Brain Defects Research notes, taurine supplementation works to promote healthy long-term memory storage. According to the review, the amount of taurine in the brain decreases with age. Taurine supplementation may help to maintain these levels across the lifespan.

Some scientists believe that this could fend off certain age-related neurodegenerative conditions. Some mice received the 6-week taurine supplementation, while some received a placebo.

Mice that received the taurine showed improvements in Alzheimer-like learning and memory deficits. Further research is necessary to determine whether these same benefits apply to humans.

According to the review in Brain Defects Research , taurine imbalance also seems to play a role in epilepsy , autism , particularly in people who have experienced a brain injury.

Animal studies have consistently shown that taurine helps alleviate symptoms of neurotoxicity and neurological impairment in rodents. However, there is currently insufficient evidence to confirm whether taurine helps to protect against specific neurological conditions in humans. Though there is limited research in the area, taurine may boost exercise performance in some people.

A study investigated whether taurine supplementation would improve exercise performance in trained runners.

Eight male runners took part in the study, which involved a 3km time trial on two separate occasions. Each participant took a taurine supplement on one occasion, and a placebo pill on the other. Time trial performances were significantly better after taking taurine compared to placebo. Overall, the runners in the taurine condition saw a 1. However, taurine ingestion did not significantly affect heart rate, oxygen uptake, or concentrations of lactic acid in the blood.

As such, it is still not clear how taurine improves exercise performance. Cyclists and runners have been able to cover longer distances with less fatigue 4 , Participants placed on a muscle-damaging weightlifting routine experienced fewer markers of damage and less muscle soreness 37 , In cyclists, supplementing with 1.

Taurine plays several important roles in your muscles and may aid various aspects of exercise performance by reducing fatigue, increasing fat burning and decreasing muscle damage. It may improve various other functions in your body, such as eyesight and hearing in certain populations 39 , Taurine is also present in large quantities in your eyes, with research showing that eye problems may occur when these levels start to decline. Increased concentrations are believed to optimize eyesight and eye health 42 , 43 , Because it helps regulate muscle contractions, taurine may reduce seizures and help treat conditions such as epilepsy 45 , 46 , Finally, it can protect liver cells against free radical and toxin damage.

In one study, 2 grams of taurine taken three times per day reduced markers of liver damage while decreasing oxidative stress 48 , Taurine has a wide range of potential health benefits, from reduced seizures to improved eyesight. According to the best available evidence, taurine has no negative side effects when used in the recommended amounts While there have been no direct issues from taurine supplements, athlete deaths in Europe have been linked to energy drinks containing taurine and caffeine.

This has led several countries to ban or limit the sale of taurine However, these deaths may have been caused by the large doses of caffeine or some other substances the athletes were taking. As with most amino-acid-based supplements, issues could potentially arise in people with kidney problems 51 , When consumed in reasonable amounts by a healthy individual, taurine does not have any known side effects.

However, the upper limit for toxicity is much higher — even doses above 2, mg seem to be well tolerated. Research on the safety of taurine suggests that up to 3, mg per day for an entire lifetime is still safe While some studies may use a higher dose for short periods, 3, mg per day will help you maximize the benefits while staying within a safe range 53 , While you can obtain taurine naturally from meat , dairy and fish , most people will not consume enough to meet the doses used in the studies discussed above Whether you want to improve your health or optimize your sports performance, taurine can be a very cost-effective and safe addition to your supplement regimen.

You can find many different products on Amazon , though remember that you can also obtain some taurine from animal products. A few nutrients are either difficult or impossible to get in adequate amounts from plant foods.

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