Taurine is an amino acid found in foods, like beef, fish, chicken and turkey. It contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action that helps to boost immunity and maintain high health, as well as prevent early aging.
Taurine is considered to be a non-essential amino acid, because it is produced in large quantities by the liver, heart, eye retinas and muscles.
Taurine supplementation, however, can boost physical performance and help to treat high blood pressure. This supplement can be found in capsule or powder form in pharmacies or natural health stores.
Health benefits
Taurine can be used to achieve the following health benefits:
1. Prevent early aging
Because of its antioxidant effects, taurine can protect healthy skin cells against free radicals and prevent the development of wrinkles and flaccidity.
2. Boost physical performance
Taurine can improve physical performance because it can increase oxygenation capacities. This helps to promote effective muscular contractions and reduce muscular fatigue. This can lead to increased resistance and can promote muscle gains.
3. Manage high blood pressure
Taurine helps to manage high blood pressure by inhibiting angiotensin II. These are a group of amin acids that increase water retention in the body, which leads to higher blood pressure.
In addition, taurine also contains vasodilating properties, which can boost circulation and prevent high blood pressure. Check out other ways to lower blood pressure naturally using lifestyle measures.
4. Reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels
Taurine helps with the production of biliary salts, which are compounds that aid in digestion and absorption of dietary fat. Bile also helps with the elimination of cholesterol through the stool, which can help to manage cholesterol levels in the blood.
Due to its antioxidant effects, taurine also prevents the oxidation of fat cells, which helps to regulate triglyceride and cholesterol levels in the blood. These effects can prevent atherosclerosis, heart attacks or strokes over time.
5. Help to manage diabetes
Taurine improves the way insulin works to manage glucose levels in the blood, and therefore diabetes.
Taurine also contains antioxidant functions that improve the way the pancreas works. Pancreas is responsible for insulin production, and taurine can help to regulate how insulin is released and how it works to absorb glucose in the blood.
6. Treat and prevent eye disease
Taurine is present in the eyes, and supplementation has shows to have positive effects on degenerative eye diseases.
It also contains an antioxidant effect that protects retina cells and helps to prevent eye diseases that can lead to blindness, like diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma.
7. Strengthen the liver
Because of its antioxidant effects, taurine can strengthen the liver and promote toxin and heavy metal elimination to help detox the body.
Taurine also protects the liver from damage caused by free radicals and chronic medication use.
8. Help to prevent cancer
Taurine helps to fight free radicals that can start to accumulate in the body and damage healthy cells. This damaging process can eventually lead to the development and growth of cancerous cells.
Taurine also contains anti-inflammatory action that can strengthen the immune system. This can help with the prevention of some types of cancer. However, more studies are needed to support taurine’s effect against cancer.
Foods that are rich in taurine
The following tables outlines the amount of taurine found in 100 g of each food item:
To obtain all the benefits that taurine has to offer, it is important to incorporate these foods into a healthy and balanced diet, and to exercise regularly.
Recommended amount
Because taurine is naturally produced in the body, there is no specific recommended amount you need to ingest.
It should be included in a healthy and balanced diet, and can be naturally ingested from regularly eating beef, chicken, fish and seafood.
Taurine supplements
Taurine supplements can be recommended to complement the treatment of cardiovascular disease and liver disease. It can also be used to boost physical performance when working out.
The recommended dose of taurine supplements can vary depending on each person’s health goals. The general recommended dose is 0.5 to 3 g per day, which can be taken in the morning or at night.
To improve physical performance, it can be taken 10 minutes to 2 hours before working out.
Nonetheless, you should speak to your doctor or a registered dietitian before taking this supplement. A healthcare professional will evaluate your health status and suggest a dose that is appropriate for your health needs and goals.
Side effects and contraindications
Although it is considered to be safe, high amounts of taurine can cause symptoms like headaches, diarrhea or stomach ache.
People with kidney disease and children should not take taurine supplements. They are also not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
People who take medications should speak to their doctor before taking taurine supplements, as they can alter the effects of some medications.
