Taurine, more than an energy drink additive

                                                                                         

If you have purchased an energy drink lately, you probably have read that it contains taurine. The interesting thing is that taurine is actually a mild sedative, it just so happens that it also aids in the movement of potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium in and out of cells which great helps activate the body.

So what is taurine? It is actually one of the lesser-known amino acids. One can find it high in foods like meat and fish proteins.

Taurine functions in electrically active tissues such as the brain and heart to help stabilize cell membranes. It also has functions in the gallbladder, eyes, and blood vessels and appears to have some antioxidant and detoxifying activity. Taurine is found in the central nervous system, skeletal muscle, and heart; it is very concentrated in the brain and high in the heart tissues.

Taurine is known as an inhibitory neurotransmitter, and its main use has been to help treat epilepsy and other excitable brain states. Research shows low taurine levels at seizure sites and its anti-convulsant effect comes from its ability to stabilize nerve cell membranes, which prevents the erratic firing of nerve cells.

In Japan, taurine therapy is used in the treatment of ischemic heart disease with supplements of 5–6 grams daily in three divided doses. Low taurine and magnesium levels were found in patients after heart attacks. Taurine has potential in the treatment of arrhythmias, especially arrhythmias secondary to ischemia. People with congestive heart failure have also responded to a dosage of 2 grams three times daily with improved cardiac and respiratory function. Other possible cardiovascular uses of taurine include hypertension, possibly related to effects in the renin-angiotensin system of the kidneys, and in patients with high cholesterol levels. Taurine helps gallbladder function by forming tauracholate from bile acids; tauracholate helps increase cholesterol elimination in the bile.

Other possible uses for taurine include immune suppression (by sparing L-cysteine), visual problems and eye disease, cirrhosis and liver failure, depression, male infertility due to low sperm motility, and as a supplement for newborns and new mothers. Overall, the dosage used may range from 500 mg. to 5–6 grams, with the higher amounts needed for the cardiovascular problems and possibly epilepsy.

It has been established that taurine concentration is extraordinarily high in the developing brain, and falls of sharply thereafter. This occurs at a time when the presumed synthetic pathway, via cysteine sulfinate decarboxylase, has little measurable activity, suggesting that a dietary source of taurine is essential. Moreover, it has been found that high concentrations of taurine are present in breast milk.

Is taurine more than a Red Bull soft drink additive? You bet.

About the author:
About the Author: R. Fredriksen is the Vice President of Nutrition Dome, a leading provider of Jarrow Formulas, Met-Rx, Pioneer Nutritional Formulas, Lipodrene and other quality supplements. For more information, please visit www.nutritiondome.com.


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