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The intake of taurine as a supplement has seen an increase in the present day because of all the right reasons concerning health and fitness. This lesser-known amino acid has garnered much attention lately due to its capabilities of doing good to the immune and the central nervous system.
Along with stimulating metabolism, taurine is also known to boost memory power and improve cognitive functions.
Although it occurs naturally in many foods and drinks, it is sometimes added as an ingredient in energy drinks and supplements.
Taurine comes with a host of health benefits. However, given that its name is not as popular as most other ingredients in health foods, one might wonder about the nature of it.
What is taurine?
Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that occurs naturally in our bodies and is especially concentrated in the eyes, heart, brain, and muscles. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and lead to muscle growth.
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However, the purpose of taurine seems to be a bit out of the ordinary in this case, as it is not used for the synthesis of protein in the body. Instead, it is considered to be an essential amino acid that is only required by the body during times of severe stress or illness.
It could be obtained from some food, apart from the fact that our body also naturally produces amounts of it. Healthy adults do not usually suffer from a deficiency of this amino acid.
However, since infants cannot make taurine in their systems, they have to depend on breast milk or taurine-supplemented formula to get the required doses.
Contrary to popular belief, taurine is not extracted from the urine or semen of bulls. It was first separated from the bile of an ox in the year 1827. Hence, the amino acid derives its name from the Latin name for an ox which is Bos taurus.
Benefits of taurine
Even when it is produced naturally by the body, there can be advantages to taking taurine in supplement form. However, its consumption should strictly be on the advice of a medical expert.
Following is a list of all the benefits of taurine that one could have by consuming this amino acid supplement.
1. May help fight diabetes
Taurine may help fight diabetes (Image via Pexels)
Taurine possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that might improve insulin sensitivity. This could reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and manage the level of blood sugar, especially in those who have the condition.
Recent studies suggest that it has a significant role in the management of diabetes and that people with the condition had 25% less taurine than those without it.
It has also been suggested that taurine could possess protective factors against complications caused by diabetes which might include nerve and kidney damage and heart disease.
2. Improving metabolism
Taurine plays a vital role in managing our metabolism and digestion. It helps the liver to produce bile salts that help break fatty acids down in the intestines. This is the body’s primary way of breaking down cholesterol.
The average adult breaks down almost 500 mg of cholesterol which is then converted to bile. It is one essential amino acid that helps the system carry out this function.
3. Keeping the heart safe
Researchers have discovered a vital link between taurine deficiency and cardiomyopathy, an ailment that puts high pressure and strain on the heart causing it to work harder than is required of it. This stands to be one of the major factors for congestive heart failure.
In a 2014 review, taurine has been shown to slow down the progression of atherosclerosis in animals. Atherosclerosis is a condition that defines the buildup of fat or plaque in the arteries due to high levels of cholesterol. This is a huge cause of stroke.
It has also been found that people who worked out before and after consuming taurine supplements for about two weeks showed lower blood cholesterol levels and exhibited lower levels of inflammation compared to the ones who took a placebo.
4. Protecting eye health
The amino acid is found in the highest concentration in the retina of the eye. The presence of taurine in the eye helps prevent retinal degeneration.
Researchers have also found that a lack of sufficient amounts of taurine may have a role in the emergence of eye disorders such as diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. This finding suggests the use of taurine as a potential ingredient for treating such conditions.
5. May help against brain aging and neurological disorders
As per a 2017 review published in the Brain Defects Research, supplementation of taurine could promote improved and long-term memory storage.
According to the study, the amount of taurine in the brain reduces with age. Therefore, taurine supplementation might help maintain the levels of the amino acid in the brain across one’s lifetime. Some researchers have suggested that this could prevent certain neurodegenerative conditions that might occur with age.
Certain animal studies have shown that taurine supplementation in mice with Alzheimer's Disease tends to help with memory deficits. It has also been shown to help alleviate symptoms of neurotoxicity and neurological impairment in mice.
Although it might be tempting to try out taurine, one should always consult a physician before starting on such supplements. This is because even when supplements have not been known to have any adverse effects on health as of yet, excessive consumption of the same may lead to side effects such as nausea or stomach ache.
The benefits of taurine have been known to make major positive differences in people’s lifestyles owing to its protective factors against degenerative illnesses.
