L-Taurine - The All-Star Amino Acid
Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that is found in nearly every cell and tissue throughout the human body. Its strongest presence is within the most metabolically active tissues and organs such as the heart, brain, eyes, muscle, and other organs, making it 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.
Another great aspect of Taurine is that it helps stimulate the release of GABA, which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps us deal with stress, to calm anxiety, and physiologically relax. More on this in the Thea product page.
One of the biggest and most significant animal studies on Taurine was conducted and published very recently on June 8th, 2023, titled "Taurine deficiency as a driver of aging".
The researchers found that taurine suppressed age-associated weight gain in female mice (even in "menopausal" mice), increased energy expenditure, increased bone mass, improved muscle endurance and strength, reduced depression-like and anxious behaviors, reduced insulin resistance, and promoted a younger-looking immune system, among other benefits.
"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 (glycine too) is conjugated with bile acids to form bile salts, which are released by the gallbladder to both 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 consist of 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 congestion of the liver from 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 the free amino acid pool in our bodies 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. To me, this says that it is an integral component in our biological crystalline water-structure, as well as our electrical function (bioenergetic perspective).
B6 deficiency, vegan/vegetarian diets, estrogen dominance, heavy metal toxicities (like cadmium), or methylation dysfunction can all lead to taurine depletion.
L-Taurine Benefits:
- Lifespan and Healthspan increase
- Neuroprotection (antioxidant and anti-pollutant)
- Anti-anxiety & anti-stress
- Liver health
- Bile formation
- Blood sugar regulation
- Blood pressure regulation
- Cholesterol-lowering
- Protective against radiation
- Electrolyte balance (ion transport)
- GABA secretion supporting
- Hormone optimizing (lower estrogen dominance, increased T and testicular function in men, reduction of PCOS in women)
- Eye Health
- Cell membrane stability (ie it helps to structure our cellular water internally)
- Enhanced redox & NAD+ levels (ie it gives electrons to oxidized/damaged constituents in our body)
- May combat hair loss
Matt's thoughts: Another slam-dunk product from my friend Adam Marafioti, the owner of Lifeblud. I take one capsule of his taurine every morning with breakfast along with all of my other supplements and love the way it makes me feel when I'm consistently taking it.
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