You’ve probably come across taurine before as it’s an ingredient in Red Bull, with the accompanying rumour that it was made from bull’s testicles - which it is not. From a linguistic standpoint, the stem of the word taurus means bull in Latin & Greek, so that’s probably where the idea stemmed from. Taurine is an amino sulfonic acid, which is naturally occurring within our body, from the nervous system to the heart, eyes, pretty much everywhere. It prevents against cell damage, supports the development and function of key systems, and also acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain.
Longevity is a big thing in the health space at present, with numerous institutions researching it more, as well as tech and bio companies coming up with interventions and “life-extending supplements”. The longevity and anti-senescence therapies (therapies that delay ageing) are estimated to reach $44.2B by 2030.1 If you’ve read the “The Telomere Effect” by Elissa Epel and Elizabeth Blackburn, you know the importance of telomeres and how they relate to ageing. Telomeres are a region of repetitive DNA sequences at the end of a chromosomes. As we age those telomeres shorten, they’re pretty much the key to ageing (and cancer too), as they protect the genetic data which makes it possible for cells to divide.2 There has been a lot of research to understand what causes telomeres to shorten more than the average person, and also how to prevent the shortening. Of course, to no surprise lifestyle factors play a major role, e.g., smoking, obesity, stress etc. - pretty much the usual cause of any disease.
The reason telomeres are important in this case, is as a 2023 study, gave animals (mice and monkeys) taurine supplements and they concluded that taurine is indeed linked with healthy ageing and also it reversed age-associated taurine loss leading to improved longevity in mice and healthier monkeys.3 If we were to take the monkeys (as they’re closer to use than mice…), when they were given taurine once a day for six months, the monkeys - which were equivalent to a 45-50 y.o. human - gained less weight and their bone density increase in the spine and legs. They also had reduced liver damaged, improved blood sugar levels, and a strengthened immune system - all of which are vital for a good and long health span. Of course, this does not mean you should start downing Red Bulls like there’s no tomorrow, I can assure you the non-taurine ingredients of the drink will definitely counteract the action of taurine in one way or another.
A 2023 review looking at existing literature, and what is known about taurine, suggested a double-blinded RCT (to remove participant and investigator bias) in humans to truly understand what the effect of taurine is in metabolic health and blood glucose control.4 Current evidence shows supplements above the current daily standard may actually improve glucose and lipid metabolism. The illustration below shows the potential mechanisms of taurine, and hence its effect on metabolic health.
A 2015 study concluded that taurine deficiency causes reduced lifespan, and the taurine itself prolongs lifespan by improving heart function.5 They also reported that it is not only important for the heart but all cells, as it ensures normal function of the mitochondria (the powerhouse of the cells).
Taurine is an abundant amino acid in humans which decreases with ageing. It has not been 100% determined whether this deficiency is a driver of ageing in humans, unlike mice and monkeys which we discussed above, thus as the review said an official RCT is indeed needed with well controlled supplementation. Considering we have an ageing population, but truly unhealthy, it would be of great value add improving the healthy lifespan of individuals with something as simple as a taurine supplement. This would ensure better quality of life for the individual and also a smaller economic burden to the healthcare system and the wider economy, and of course a better life for the individual and those around them.
To wrap up, you might be awaiting to jump on amazon and frantically search for some taurine supplement, but I have some good news, it does naturally exists in foods we consume. Those include meat, dairy, shellfish and fish, with the highest sources being scallops, tuna, tilapia, octopus, dark turkey meat, chicken thighs, beef and more. People consume adequate taurine (according to the internet), and they don’t really suggest supplementing even though no serious adverse effects have been noted with its consumption - not that I’m advocating for this! Before going to straight to order another supplement offering a big promise, Bryan Johnson style, and ending up taking tens and tens of them per day for the sake of “longevity” , think of what can be optimised and fixed from a fundamental pov, i.e., food intake, sleep, stress etc.
As usual, I’ve added some links below. I hope you enjoyed - see you next week! :)
Sajeev, S. C., & Sumant, O. (2022). Longevity and Anti-senescence Therapy Market by Therapy (Senolytic Drug Therapy, Gene Therapy, Immunotherapy), by Application (Cancer, Others), by End user (Hospital, Medical Service Institution): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-30. Allied Market Research