Three papers about Taurine. Taurine is a supplement that I wish the ITP program could test. Taurine has many interesting effects. It has distinct effects on mitochondrial health and on cardiovascular health.
The Role of Taurine in Mitochondria Health: More Than Just an Antioxidant - PMC (nih.gov)
“Taurine is a naturally occurring sulfur-containing amino acid that is found abundantly in excitatory tissues, such as the heart, brain, retina and skeletal muscles. Taurine was first isolated in the 1800s, but not much was known about this molecule until the 1990s. In 1985, taurine was first approved as the treatment among heart failure patients in Japan. Accumulating studies have shown that taurine supplementation also protects against pathologies associated with mitochondrial defects, such as aging, mitochondrial diseases, metabolic syndrome, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and neurological disorders. In this review, we will provide a general overview on the mitochondria biology and the consequence of mitochondrial defects in pathologies. Then, we will discuss the antioxidant action of taurine, particularly in relation to the maintenance of mitochondria function. We will also describe several reported studies on the current use of taurine supplementation in several mitochondria-associated pathologies in humans.”
Taurine and its analogs in neurological disorders: Focus on therapeutic potential and molecular mechanisms - PMC (nih.gov)
“Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid and known as semi-essential in mammals and is produced chiefly by the liver and kidney. It presents in different organs, including retina, brain, heart and placenta and demonstrates extensive physiological activities within the body. In the several disease models, it attenuates inflammation- and oxidative stress-mediated injuries. Taurine also modulates ER stress, Ca2+ homeostasis and neuronal activity at the molecular level as part of its broader roles. Different cellular processes such as energy metabolism, gene expression, osmosis and quality control of protein are regulated by taurine. In addition, taurine displays potential ameliorating effects against different neurological disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, epilepsy and diabetic neuropathy and protects against injuries and toxicities of the nervous system.”
https://www.biomolther.org/journal/view.html?volume=26&number=3&spage=225&year=2018
“Taurine is an abundant, β-amino acid with diverse cytoprotective activity. In some species, taurine is an essential nutrient but in man it is considered a semi-essential nutrient, although cells lacking taurine show major pathology. These findings have spurred interest in the potential use of taurine as a therapeutic agent. The discovery that taurine is an effective therapy against congestive heart failure led to the study of taurine as a therapeutic agent against other disease conditions. Today, taurine has been approved for the treatment of congestive heart failure in Japan and shows promise in the treatment of several other diseases. The present review summarizes studies supporting a role of taurine in the treatment of diseases of muscle, the central nervous system, and the cardiovascular system. In addition, taurine is extremely effective in the treatment of the mitochondrial disease, mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS), and offers a new approach for the treatment of metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, and inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis.”
The intracellular concentration of taurine is commonly 5–50 mM and the plasma concentration of taurine is approximately 100 μM. When taurine is supplemented, the plasma taurine content usually reaches its peak within 1 h to 2.5 h of taurine intake. In an analysis on the pharmacokinetics of oral taurine supplementation (4 g) in healthy adults. These individuals, who had fasted overnight, showed a baseline taurine content in a range of 30 μmol to 60 μmol. Then, 1.5 h after taurine intake, the plasma taurine content increased to approximately 500 μmol. Plasma taurine content subsequently decreased to baseline level 6.5 h after taurine intake.