Dr Gabriel UguruCommon energy drinks contain caffeine and other ingredients, including the non-essential amino acid, taurine. Taurine, chemically known as 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, is naturally synthesised by the body from two amino acids, methionine and cysteine. Taurine cannot be found in plants and can only be supplemented by eating meats and fish, especially shellfish like scallops, mussels, and clams. Therefore, any vegan deficient in either of the two amino acids, methionine or cysteine, could be deficient in taurine.
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Taurine, which was first isolated in 1827 from ox bile, is today being marketed as a dietary supplement with such good vibes as it is essential for metabolism, boosts physical performance, helps regulate blood pressure and cholesterol, protects the musculoskeletal system, etc. However, energy drinks are rich in taurine for their vaunted ability to influence high exercise performance and strength. It has been demonstrated that combined actions of caffeine and taurine may prevent fatigue in animal models.
Taurine levels in the body decline with age and supplementing it could be of health benefit vis-a-vis age-associated issues. Vijay Yadav and coworkers writing in the 8 June edition of the journal, Science, reported that feeding high quantities of taurine to ageing monkeys, mice and worms has an unexpected effect of actually extending their lifespans.
Male mice given taurine had increased muscle endurance and stronger bones with a 10% lifespan extension. Female mice on the other hand when given taurine, showed a reduction in negative behaviours associated with depression and anxiety, and they displayed good immunity. There was also a 12% increase in their lifespan when compared with those not given taurine. In general, mice fed the amino acid for 2 years had sharper memories and stable blood sugar levels, and their DNAs were less prone to damage.
Taurine-fed worms (Caenorhabditis elegans) were healthier and lived longer. Middle-aged monkeys (Macaca mulatta), ie the human equivalent of 45 – 50 years old, when fed with taurine for 6 months showed a significant reduction in signs of liver damage. The monkeys had lower body weights, denser bones, lower blood sugar, and less DNA damage when compared with control monkey groups not given the amino acid.
Analyses of taurine blood level data collected from about 12,000 people in the UK over a 25-year period showed that people with high levels of taurine in their blood were healthier with lower rates of obesity, diabetes and cholesterol.
A study previously conducted by Cristini de Freitas and coworkers, which was published in the September 2022 issue of the journal, Nutrition, did show that taurine can reduce oxidative stress damage in women aged between 55 and 70 years. The amino acid does this by modulating the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase so that its level is maintained in the bloodstream.
However, before you rush off to binge on the taurine dietary supplement or guzzle gallons of energy drinks, aiming for longevity by slowing ageing, be warned that taurine might have a negative effect on your liver and some people have reported nausea and vomiting after taking the dietary supplement. Also, according to the scientists, “The chemical mechanisms by which taurine actually influences cells at a molecular level are not fully understood.”
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