What is Taurine?

Taurine is an amino acid that is naturally produced by the body and is found in various foods. It plays a vital role in many physiological processes, including the modulation of neurotransmitter activity and the maintenance of cell membrane stability.

How does it work?

Taurine works by regulating the activity of several neurotransmitters, including GABA and glutamate, which play crucial roles in the central nervous system. It also acts as an antioxidant and has been shown to protect cells against oxidative stress.

What are the active ingredients that are important for its medicinal properties?

Taurine is the active ingredient that is important for its medicinal properties.

What forms does it come in?

Taurine is available in supplement form and is also found naturally in foods such as meat, fish, and dairy products.

What if I have an imbalance or deficiency?

A deficiency in taurine can lead to a variety of health problems, including developmental delays, vision problems, and cardiovascular issues.

When was it first used for medicinal purposes?

Taurine has been used for medicinal purposes for many years, with early research dating back to the 1950s.

What does Taurine help with?

Taurine is an amino acid your body makes on its own. You also get it from meat, fish and shellfish. Levels run highest in the heart, eyes, muscles and inner ear.

• High blood pressure
  Good evidence — several human clinical trials, doses not listed on file. Several clinical trials found drops in both the top and bottom blood pressure numbers with steady taurine use. Researchers think taurine calms stress hormones like adrenaline and helps balance salt and water. That is the proposed mechanism, not a trial result, and the file lists no doses.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T0
• A weak heart, or heart failure symptoms
  Good evidence — human trials in mild-to-moderate heart failure. In trials of people with mild to moderate heart failure, those taking taurine could exercise longer and reported fewer symptoms. The heart muscle holds some of the highest taurine levels in the body. Low levels have been linked to weaker heart function, which is a link, not proof of cause.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T0
• Fatty liver and liver strain from alcohol
  Early evidence — clinical studies in liver disease, sizes not on file. Clinical studies found benefits in people with fatty liver disease and with alcohol-related liver injury. Taurine is well established to help make bile acids, which the liver uses to handle fats. That part is basic biochemistry rather than a trial of this remedy. Lab work also suggests it shields liver cells from oxidative damage.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T0
• Blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes
  Early evidence — research in people with type 2 diabetes, sizes not on file. Studies in people with type 2 diabetes found modest gains in blood sugar control. Markers of inflammation also improved in that research. Taurine may make cells respond better to insulin, but that remains a proposed mechanism.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T0
• High cholesterol and triglycerides
  Early evidence — human studies, mostly in people with raised levels. Studies found lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides with consistent taurine use. The change looked larger in people whose levels were high to start. The proposed route is bile acid production, which helps the body clear cholesterol.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T0
• Tiredness during exercise and poor endurance
  Early evidence — small studies in athletes, results mixed. Athletes who took taurine before exercise often reported less fatigue and better endurance. These studies are small and the results vary. Lab work links taurine to calcium control inside muscle cells and to less exercise-related oxidative stress.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T0
• Anxiety and feeling wound up
  Evidence doesn't support this — early human research only, not yet consistent. Early research hints at lower anxiety and a calmer mood, with no drowsiness reported. This work is small, and it is too soon to say what taurine does here. In lab studies, taurine switched on calming brain receptors, much as GABA does.
  Evidence grade D · Traditional tier T0
• Eye and retina health
  Not yet tested in people — biology and link studies; no human trial on file. Taurine is the most plentiful amino acid in the retina, and it is known to be needed there. That is established biology, not a trial of taurine pills. Low taurine has been linked to retinal breakdown, and researchers are studying taurine as a way to protect the retina, including in people on drugs that drain it.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T0
• Protecting your hearing
  Not yet tested in people — lab and animal work only. Taurine sits in high amounts in the inner ear. Lab and animal work suggests it helps protect the fine hair cells that pick up sound. No human trial on file has tested it for noise damage or age-related hearing loss.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T0

What Taurine has not been shown to do

• It has not been shown in people to prevent noise-induced or age-related hearing loss.
• It has not been shown in people to prevent or reverse retinal disease, including in those taking drugs that lower taurine.
• It has not been shown to treat a diagnosed anxiety disorder; the human work there is early and thin.
• It has not been shown to cure heart failure; trials looked at symptoms and exercise tolerance in mild to moderate cases.
• It has not been shown to work as a general body cleanse or detox; the liver research is about fatty liver and alcohol-related injury.
• Nothing on file supports using taurine in place of prescribed blood pressure or heart medicine.

How to read this:

Each grade above reflects the evidence for that one use, not for taurine as a whole. A means steady results from randomised human trials. B means at least one good human trial. C means small or mixed human studies. D means the human evidence is weak or clashes. Insufficient means no human study is on file, only lab work, animal work or basic biology. This page reports what studies found. It is not medical advice, and it is not a claim that taurine treats any condition. Talk with your own clinician before you start it, above all if you take heart or diabetes medicine.

What can Taurine help prevent?

• Age-related retinal degeneration: taurine is essential for retinal cell survival and low levels are consistently linked to retinal damage
• Cardiovascular disease risk: through blood pressure reduction and antioxidant protection of arterial walls
• Diabetic neuropathy: by protecting nerves from the oxidative stress associated with chronically high blood sugar

Which foods are rich in it?

Taurine is found naturally in foods such as meat, fish, and dairy products. Some of the top food sources of taurine include:

• Beef
• Chicken
• Salmon
• Shellfish
• Eggs
• Cheese

What are possible side effects?

Taurine is generally considered safe and well-tolerated, with few reported side effects. In rare cases, some people may experience mild gastrointestinal issues such as nausea or diarrhea.

What’s the recommended daily dose?

The recommended daily dose of taurine varies depending on age, sex, and health status. In general, adults can safely take up to 3 grams of taurine per day.

How many days does it take to work?

The time it takes for taurine to work varies depending on the individual and the health condition being treated. Some studies have shown that taurine can have immediate effects on exercise performance, while other benefits may take several weeks or months to become apparent.

What time of day is best to take it?

There is no specific time of day that is best to take taurine. It can be taken at any time that is convenient for the individual.

Is it best to take it with or without food?

Taurine can be taken with or without food, although taking it with a meal may help improve absorption.