Taurine is produced naturally in some body tissues and may help reduce oxidative stress associated with high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. You’ll find it in red meat, chicken eggs, shellfish, fizzy drinks and some supplements.
Researchers found that taurine levels tend to decline with age in mice and worms. Restoring them to their youthful levels via supplementation extends lifespan and healthspan for these species.
Increases Energy
Taurine, found as an energy drink additive, is an amino acid produced naturally in our bodies and found in animal products. It strengthens muscles and hearts while decreasing inflammation and oxidative stress in liver, brain and eyes; additionally it has been proven to prevent diabetes, high blood pressure and help the body burn fats more efficiently. One recent study revealed that middle-aged adults who consumed higher levels of taurine had lower risk factors for type 2 diabetes as well as reduced risks of hypertension as well as healthier hearts than those who consumed lower doses.
This study, published in Science journal, demonstrated how taurine supplementation reduced aging in mice and monkeys by increasing metabolism, improving strength and memory, lowering DNA damage levels, as well as improving pancreas function, brain activity and immunity. Furthermore, mice treated with taurine experienced better quality of life overall with lower liver and stomach fat accumulation, lower blood sugar levels and overall reduced stress levels than their counterparts who hadn’t received treatment; additionally they had greater bone density, stronger immune systems and lower stress levels than untreated counterparts.
Researchers estimate that taurine pills extended animal lifespans by 10% to 12%. Furthermore, researchers saw improvements in cellular senescence – accumulation of old cells which can cause pulmonary fibrosis or dementia; protection from telomerase deficiency which causes DNA strands to break down; and decreased inflammation.
Taurine may provide similar metabolic enhancement and longevity benefits in humans as it did for lab animals, although more testing will likely be necessary before conclusive conclusions can be reached. Researchers remain hopeful as taurine is naturally produced within human bodies and widely available as supplements at relatively low doses.
Yet anti-ageing agents like taurine are far from being an “elixir of life”, according to Dana Hunnes, senior clinical dietitian of UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. Although studies on mice and monkeys may provide promising data, larger clinical trials involving more participants, longer study duration periods and specific information regarding dosage need to take place before we can call this therapy “proof-of-concept”.
Lowers Blood Pressure
Taurine is an amino acid naturally present in our bodies and added to some energy drinks, used to promote muscle growth, lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation and support healthy weight loss. Studies also demonstrate its effect on mitochondria (powerhouse cells that produce energy needed to sustain life and organ functions) health; taurine appears to enhance this aspect while stimulating stem cell proliferation allowing replacement for aged or damaged cells. It has several uses besides these benefits but still remains unknown exactly what its effect will be within the body other than improving mitochondrial health while stimulating stem cell proliferation to replace damaged or aged or damaged cells with new ones.
Researchers discovered that taurine deficiency correlated with rapid aging across various species. As such, researchers decided to see whether taurine could slow aging in mice and worms. After feeding each with diets containing different quantities of taurine, scientists discovered that those receiving more had longer lives with less inflammation as well as reduced so-called zombie cells (old cells that stop dividing but continue wreaking havoc on other cells) suppression.
Taurine reduced skeletal structure, muscle strength and insulin resistance levels in these mice by twofold; liver fat was further decreased threefold. Taurine also significantly decreased senescent cells found in brain, gut and muscle areas while increasing liver and fat fat clearance by three times as well.
Scientists believe taurine may reverse aging in humans by increasing production of the protein known as p53, which regulates how often our cells divide, as well as activating a gene to encourage stem cells to repair tissues and organs.
Scientists found their results consistent with the concept that taurine can extend human lifespan by prolonging the lives of stem cells responsible for repairing and rejuvenating tissues in our bodies, such as organs. Studies have suggested a correlation between depleted stem cell numbers and cancer as well as other diseases of old age.
Improves Memory
Taurine is an amino acid with many physiological applications. As a GABAA receptor agonist, taurine stimulates the GABAergic system and increases neuroplasticity – this results in improved memory retention and learning capabilities as well as motor coordination improvements and cognitive functions enhancement in mice. Furthermore, taurine helps increase muscle mass in humans by serving as a cell volumizer, drawing water into cells to create an ideal environment for growth.
Scientists have successfully found a way to slow the aging process in mice by increasing their levels of taurine, an amino acid found naturally in meat, fish and dairy products. An international study published in Science revealed that mice with lower taurine intake had shorter life expectancies compared with those who received more taurine than usual.
Taurine may not directly reverse aging, but it seems to help restore mitochondrial health – the energy-generating factories within each cell that produce 90% of our body’s energy and support organ function. Studies conducted with yeast and worms also suggest this.
Researchers conducted a new study where they administered some mice taurine while others received placebo treatments. Mice were 14 months old – which is equivalent to 45 human years – when this research began, and those receiving taurine had an average lifespan extension of 12% over those not treated with taurine daily; furthermore, taurine-treated animals also enjoyed better immunity and leaner bodies than their counterparts.
Researchers speculate that taurine could inhibit senescent cells – older, damaged cells that refuse to die and begin producing pro-inflammatory factors that contribute to diseases like Alzheimer’s – as well as improve mitochondria’s capacity for sensing and responding to cellular stress.
More research needs to be conducted before concluding whether the benefits seen in mice extend to humans, but the fact that taurine significantly extends lifespan and is safe for human use makes it an attractive candidate for use as an anti-ageing compound. Taurine could be combined with drugs like metformin, rapamycin and antioxidant resveratrol for optimal effectiveness.
Enhances Brain Function
Taurine helps maintain nerve cell activity and avoid formation of plaque deposits that could lead to Alzheimer’s disease, while also supporting stem cells present in some tissues, reducing DNA damage, and improving cells’ ability to sense nutrients. Furthermore, Taurine appears to assist mitochondria – power plants within cells – function properly.
Taurine can be found in many animal products like meat, fish, dairy and eggs; as well as energy drinks. Though Taurine is not essential, it provides numerous advantages for humans, including increased endurance and strength; improved brain health benefits and the prevention of diabetes.
Studies have demonstrated that taurine levels diminish with age, prompting researchers to investigate if supplementing them would slow aging in mice. They administered either taurine or a control solution orally every day starting at 14 months old until death occurred – those given taurine survived 13% longer compared to their counterparts and allowed for assessments such as muscle function testing and cognitive testing.
The team found that Somatostatin-containing interneurons (SOM INs), which play an essential role in the somatosensory cortex, were significantly more active among taurine-treated mice compared to control mice. SOM INs respond to tactile stimuli by exerting strong inhibitory effects on excitatory neurons; experts believe the increase may have been caused by an increase in taurine levels.
Taurine not only enhanced cognitive function, but it also significantly slowed the accumulation of senescent cells – old, damaged cells that no longer divide or produce proteins – by more than twofold in mice that received taurine as opposed to controls. This effect occurred because taurine reversed aging by inhibiting activation of key protein called SMAD3.
“This study adds another piece of evidence that diet can modify aging parameters,” noted Dr. Douglas Vaughan of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine who wasn’t involved with the research study. However, Vaughan cautioned against depending on taurine supplements to increase lifespan; finding safe doses without experiencing harmful side effects may prove challenging.
