Taurine is a type of amino acid found in many foods and often added to energy drinks. Many people take taurine as a supplement, and some researchers refer to it as a "wonder molecule".   

What Is Taurine?        

Taurine is an amino sulfonic acid that occurs naturally in your body. It is particularly concentrated in your brain, eyes, heart and muscles. Unlike most other amino acids, it is not used to build proteins. Rather, it is classified as a conditionally essential amino acid.

Your body can produce taurine, and it is also found in some foods. However, certain individuals — such as those with specific illnesses like heart disease or diabetes — may benefit from taking a supplement.

Sources of Taurine

The main sources of taurine are animal foods, such as meat, fish and dairy.

Although some processed vegetarian foods contain added taurine, it is unlikely that these will offer sufficient quantities to optimize your levels.

Taurine is also often added to soda and energy drinks — which may provide 600–1,000 mg in a single 8-ounce (237-ml) serving.

Because the form of taurine used in supplements and energy drinks is usually made synthetically — not derived from animals — it is suitable for vegans.

An average diet provides about 40–400 mg of taurine per day, but studies have used 400–6,000 mg per day.

Functions in Your Body

Taurine, found in several organs, has widespread benefits.

Its direct roles include:

1.Maintaining proper hydration and electrolyte balance in your cells
2.Forming bile salts, which play an important role in digestion
3.Regulating minerals such as calcium within your cells
4.Supporting the general function of your central nervous system and eyes
5.Regulating immune system health and antioxidant function
6.Since it's a conditionally essential amino acid, a healthy individual can produce the minimal amount required for these essential daily functions.

However, higher amounts may be required in rare cases, making taurine essential for some people — such as those with heart or kidney failure, as well as premature infants that have been fed intravenously.

When a deficiency occurs during fetal development, serious symptoms like impaired brain function and poor blood sugar control have been observed.

May Fight Diabetes

Taurine may improve blood sugar control and combat diabetes.

Long-term supplementing decreased fasting blood sugar levels in diabetic rats — without any changes in diet or exercise.

Fasting blood sugar levels are very important for health, as high levels are a key factor in type 2 diabetes and many other chronic diseases.

Some animal research suggests that an increased intake of taurine could help prevent type 2 diabetes by reducing blood sugar levels and insulin resistance.

Interestingly, people with diabetes tend to have lower levels of taurine — another indicator that it may play a role in this disease.

May Improve Heart Health

Taurine may help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Research shows a link between higher taurine levels and significantly lower rates of death from heart disease, as well as reduced cholesterol and blood pressure.

Taurine may help reduce high blood pressure by decreasing the resistance to blood flow in your blood vessel walls. It may also minimize nerve impulses in your brain that increase blood pressure.

In a two-week study in people with diabetes, taurine supplements significantly reduced artery stiffness — potentially making it easier for the heart to pump blood around the body.

In another study in overweight people, 3 grams of taurine per day for seven weeks reduced body weight and improved several heart disease risk factors.

Additionally, supplementing has been found to reduce inflammation and artery thickening. When combined, these effects may drastically reduce your risk of heart disease.

May Boost Exercise Performance

Taurine may also have benefits for athletic performance.

In animal studies, taurine caused muscles to work harder and for longer and increased the muscles' ability to contract and produce force. In mice, it reduced fatigue and muscle damage during a workout.

In human studies, taurine has been shown to remove waste products that lead to fatigue and cause muscle burn. It also protects muscles from cell damage and oxidative stress.

What’s more, it increases fat burning during exercise (36Trusted Source).

Human studies indicate that trained athletes who supplement with taurine experience improved exercise performance. Cyclists and runners have been able to cover longer distances with less fatigue.

Another study supports this amino acid’s role in reducing muscle damage. Participants placed on a muscle-damaging weightlifting routine experienced fewer markers of damage and less muscle soreness.

In addition to these performance benefits, taurine may aid weight loss by increasing your body’s use of fat for fuel. In cyclists, supplementing with 1.66 grams of taurine increased fat burning by 16%.

Other Health Benefits

Taurine has a surprisingly wide range of potential health benefits.

It may improve various other functions in your body, such as eyesight and hearing in certain populations.

In one human study, 12% of participants supplementing with taurine completely eliminated ringing in their ears, which is associated with hearing loss.

Taurine is also present in large quantities in your eyes, with research showing that eye problems may occur when these levels start to decline. Increased concentrations are believed to optimize eyesight and eye health.

Because it helps regulate muscle contractions, taurine may reduce seizures and help treat conditions such as epilepsy.

It appears to work by binding to your brain's GABA receptors, which play a key role in controlling and calming your central nervous system.

Finally, it can protect liver cells against free radical and toxin damage. In one study, 2 grams of taurine taken three times per day reduced markers of liver damage while decreasing oxidative stress.

However, more research is needed on most of these benefits.

How to Supplement?

The most common dosages of taurine are 500–2,000 mg per day.

However, the upper limit for toxicity is much higher — even doses above 2,000 mg seem to be well tolerated.

Research on the safety of taurine suggests that up to 3,000 mg per day for an entire lifetime is still safe.

While some studies may use a higher dose for short periods, 3,000 mg per day will help you maximize the benefits while staying within a safe range.

The easiest and most cost-effective method to achieve this is through powder or tablet supplements.

While you can obtain taurine naturally from meat, dairy and fish, most people will not consume enough to meet the doses used in the studies discussed above.