What is Taurine?
Knowledge is power. So here's a quick guide to Taurine and its health benefits.
Sources of taurine: chicken liver, lamb, meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, dairy products
If you drink a lot of energy drinks, you may have come across taurine before because its a key ingredient in the likes of Red Bull and Monster.
If you were breast-fed as a baby you definitely have, because it’s also present in human milk. Taurine is also found in meat and fish and can can also be synthesised by the body from two amino acids, methionine and cysteine.
Health benefits of taurine
Taurine is often called an amino acid, but that's not the case. Although similar, it is actually a sulfonic acid, and one of the few sulfonic acids that occur naturally. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, but taurine performs different roles in the body and is particularly important to both the brain and heart.
Taurine's key health benefits include:
- helping to reduce cholesterol and triglyceride plasma levels
- helping to remove cholesterol from blood and from the body
- acting as an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory
- playing a role in the metabolism of fats and glucose
- help reduce blood pressure
- eliminate cardiac arrhythmias or heart rhythm problems in combination with l-arginine
Safe levels of taurine
Since most dietary taurine comes from meat, fish and dairy, vegetarians and vegans can be taurine deficient. Other groups at risk of taurine deficiency include the obese and those with diabetes.
If you do want to boost your taurine levels, forget energy drinks. They tend to include all sorts of chemicals your body can do without so opt for real food sources instead.
If you’re in a risk group and don’t eat foods that contain high levels of taurine, or consume a diet lacking in protein and the amino acids, methionine and cysteine, it might be worth considering supplements. Most taurine supplements are made synthetically and so are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Taurine is classified by the FDA as GRAS - Generally Recognised As Safe for human consumption.
Intertek estimates that omnivorous diets provide up to 400mg of taurine per person per day so bear this in mind when taking taurine as a supplement.
The FDA has established 3,000mg per day as the observed safe level for taurine dietary exposure in humans. A single 250ml can of Red Bull contains 1,000mg of taurine.
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Article last updated: 17th January 2021