In animal models, taurine deficiency has been shown to cause eye damage, chronic liver disease, muscle weakening, and an increased risk of developing diabetes ( 1 ). Taurine deficiency in humans is rare, so its effects remain largely unknown.
Why is taurine bad in energy drinks?
In fact, it’s just the opposite, as the ingredient is added to popular energy drinks as a nervous system depressant and just has a stimulating effect on the brain. When you ingest taurine, it suppresses the neurotransmitter receptors responsible for triggering excitatory effects in your brain.
Is taurine bad for your kidneys?
Taurine has been shown to play a role in four different forms of kidney disease: glomerulonephritis, diabetic nephropathy, chronic renal failure, and acute kidney injury (AKI).
Does taurine have side effects?
Although the amounts of taurine present in these energy drinks were too low to produce any therapeutic effects, some participants reported mild diarrhea and constipation. However, the study authors point out that the sugar and caffeine content of many energy drinks can cause these side effects.
Who shouldnt take taurine?
In children, single amino acid supplements may cause growth problems. You shouldn’t take high doses of single amino acids for long periods of time. People who are pregnant or breastfeeding shouldn’t use taurine supplements. Breastmilk has high levels of taurine as compared with cow’s milk.
Is taurine toxic?
Due to its wide effects on the body, it has been added as an ingredient in several consumer products. However, in large doses it may have a toxic effect on the body and the current upper limit of taurine is not known.
Is taurine worse than caffeine?
Caffeine stimulates the nervous system more directly to reduce fatigue and increase alertness. Taurine may help to reduce muscle damage and fatigue. However, at the same time, it may actually cause you to feel more tired, especially in large doses.
What are the cons of taurine?
As a 2012 review notes, a lack of taurine in the body may lead to a range of health complications, including:
- kidney dysfunction.
- developmental disorders.
- damage to eye tissues.
- cardiomyopathy, which is a significant risk factor for heart failure.
Can you take too much taurine?
One 2019 report suggests that the highest daily dose of taurine you can safely consume is 3 grams per day. However, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) suggested in its 2012 guidelines that you can safely take up to 6 grams per day ( 17 , 19 ).
Does taurine cause water retention?
The results suggest that taurine loading may attenuate the rise in blood pressure associated with fluid retention during the DOCA-salt treatment and that the fall in blood pressure with its consequence for the renal circulation may be the cause of fluid retention.
Should I take taurine?
Taurine has important functions in the heart and brain. It helps support nerve growth. It might also benefit people with heart failure by lowering blood pressure and calming the nervous system. This might help prevent heart failure from becoming worse.
Does taurine increase testosterone?
5) Taurine Improves Testosterone
Taurine has been proven to raise testosterone production, while not raising the concentration of estradiol, an estrogenic hormone. A study in Amino Acids found that taurine supplementation stimulated testosterone production.
Can taurine cause seizures?
Chronic Caffeine and Taurine Exposure. Similarly to for the acutely administered caffeine and taurine groups, low doses of STZ (9 and 18 mg/kg) did not cause any seizures.
How does taurine affect the brain?
Taurine’s role in brain development and function
Taurine supports proliferation of neural progenitor cells and synapse formation in brain regions required for long-term memory (Shivaraj et al., 2012).
Does taurine affect blood pressure?
Taurine treatment remarkably improves blood pressure and vascular function, especially in prehypertensive individuals with high-normal blood pressure.
Is taurine good for anxiety?
The generalist of amino acids, taurine can help balance all types of anxiety. Like NAC, taurine helps tone down glutamate, and like inositol, it supports GABA.
How long does taurine stay in your system?
This elimination route may be explained by the enterohepatic cycle of taurine. Oral administration of taurine in healthy individuals gave a plasma elimination half-life that ranged from 0.7-1.4 h.
Do vegans need taurine?
The main taurine sources are meat, dairy, fish — and studies show cooking food doesn’t affect a food’s taurine content. Because there are few plant-based foods containing taurine, people who are vegetarian and vegan may require a taurine supplement to meet their desired daily intake.
Can taurine help you lose weight?
Taurine Helps Prevent Obesity
If you wish to combat obesity and lose weight, you should pair it with exercise and a proper diet to see optimal results. Studies show that 3 grams per day of taurine for 7 weeks reduced body weight significantly in a group of overweight or obese (but not-yet-diabetic) adults.
Does taurine affect sleep?
Taken together, taurine not only decreases activity and increases sleep, but also appears to induce a greater change in daytime sleep, compared to that of nighttime sleep.
Why is taurine in Monster?
Taurine is a key ingredient in Red Bull, Monster, Rock Star, and other energy drinks. The ingredient is added because there is evidence it helps muscle function, may aid athletic performance and endurance, helps reduce anxiety, and appears to aid blood sugar regulation and cardiac health.
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