L-Taurine - The All-Star Amino Acid
Taurine is a sulphur-containing amino acid found in nearly every cell and tissue throughout the human body. Its most robust presence is within the most metabolically active tissues and organs, such as the heart, brain, eyes, muscles, and other organs. It is central to proper metabolic function and the human biological structure.
Taurine deficiencies are common and/or associated with cardiomyopathy, renal dysfunction, neurodegenerative diseases, developmental abnormalities, and retinal damage. B6 deficiency, vegan/vegetarian diets, estrogen dominance, heavy metal toxicities (like cadmium), or methylation dysfunction can all lead to taurine deficiency.
Another great aspect of taurine is that it helps stimulate the release of GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps us deal with stress, calm anxiety, and physiologically relax. More on this is on the Thea product page.
One of the most extensive and significant animal studies on taurine was conducted and published very recently, on June 8th, 2023. The study, titled 'Taurine deficiency as a driver of aging,' explored the effects of taurine deficiency on various aspects of health and longevity in mice.
The benefits of taurine are not limited to a single aspect of health. The researchers found that taurine supplementation suppressed age-associated weight gain, increased energy expenditure, improved bone mass, muscle endurance and strength, reduced depression-like and anxious behaviours, insulin resistance, and promoting a younger-looking immune system. This wide-ranging impact is truly remarkable.
"Not only did we find that the animals lived longer, we also found that they're living healthier lives," Yadav says.
The 'Liver' perspective on the benefits of taurine:
Very importantly, in the liver, taurine (and glycine, too) is conjugated with bile acids to form bile salts, which are released by the gallbladder to help us digest the fat we consume and assimilate the fat-soluble vitamins in that fat. If bile accumulates and is not formed into the salts that can be used, this can congest the liver and gallbladder with 'gallstones' or formations of bile/cholesterol/other proteins.
Taurine-conjugated bile salts comprise the majority of conjugated bile salts made by the liver. Animal studies have shown that Taurine supplementation, through the synthesis of these bile salts, can prevent cholestasis, which is liver congestion caused by a lack of bile flow.
Decreasing congestion in the liver and gallbladder creates an upward spiral of effects because of how much the liver is responsible for. This may be why hyperglycemia is improved - as the liver can more effectively convert carbohydrate intake to glycogen - why hormones are optimized - through fat-soluble vitamins like retinol being absorbed and utilized better via the bile. The spiral of benefit continues upward from there.
Another strong clue highlighting its importance is that taurine comprises approximately 60% of our bodies' free amino acid pool and is concentrated in highly metabolic tissues (brain, eyes, heart, and muscle).
It also has documented benefits on 'membrane stabilization' and osmotic electrolyte balancing effects. 'Membrane stabilization' refers to the ability of taurine to maintain the integrity and function of cell membranes, which are crucial for the health and function of all cells in the body. This, along with its osmotic electrolyte balancing effects, makes it an integral component in our biological crystalline water structure and electrical function (bioenergetic perspective).
