Taurine is an amino sulfonic acid that is found in high levels in the skeletal and heart muscles of humans, as well as in white blood cells, and the central nervous system. It is also found in some plants, such as seaweed, fungi and bacteria. Taurine is a main ingredient in bile and aids in the digestion of fats and the absorption of vitamins that are fat soluble. It is a necessary acid that our body produces naturally.
Austrian scientists Friedrich Tiedermann and Leopold Gmelin first identified taurine in 1827 in the bile of an ox. This is where the name originates—taurine comes from the Latin word for bull, Taurus. While we know for sure that taurine aids in the breakdown of fats and absorption of vitamins, there are many other claims that have been made concerning its usefulness in the human body. In infants and some animals, specifically cats, taurine is a requirement for eye health and development. Premature infants who cannot naturally produce taurine must have formula with taurine added to ensure proper development.
Taurine has many known benefits, although some have not been definitively proven. It may reduce high blood pressure in adults and is being tested as a potential treatment for bipolar depression. Studies on mice have shown that taking taurine supplements while on a high fat diet kept them from gaining weight. In other studies, diabetic rats saw improvement in losing weight, and lower blood sugar levels.
Taurine is possibly best known as a health supplement, and is used in a variety of products. Bodybuilders take supplements of taurine coupled with creatine which may help in reducing muscle fatigue and soreness. Energy drinks, which are becoming hugely popular, especially among the teen and young adult set, often list taurine as one of its main supplemental ingredients. Drinks like Monster™ and Rockstar™ both contain up to 2000 mg of taurine, which is within daily suggested doses of 50 mg to 3 grams.
University of London researchers claim that taurine may counteract the effects of heavy drinking on the liver because it prevents fat from building up in the organ. Although this is not the intended or most responsible use of taurine, news of this have led many to believe that drinking an energy drink with high levels of taurine may be the perfect “morning after” treatment after a night of heavy drinking.
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