Taurine On Trial

TAURINE IS ONE OF THE MOST ABUNDANT AMINO ACIDS IN YOUR BODY, YET YOU’VE PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF IT. IN FACT, IT IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE SECOND MOST ABUNDANT IN THE BODY’S MUSCLES AFTER GLUTAMINE.

Not only has taurine been widely used by the pharmaceutical industry, along with caffeine, to improve mental focus, but it also commonly features as the go-to ingredient in most energy drinks and pre-workout formulas available on the market today aimed at boosting athletic performance.

- Werner Beukes

DOES IT DELIVER AN ENERGY BOOST OR SHOULD PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING CLAIMS BE WATERED DOWN?

TAURINE: WHAT IS IT?

Taurine, also known as L-Taurine or 2-aminoethane sulphonic acid, is classified as a non-essential or conditional amino acid, which means that the human body is capable of manufacturing it.

Taurine was isolated in the 19th century from ox bile and derives its name from the Latin word for ox or bull. It is produced in the liver and brain via cysteine or methionine. The brain, heart and skeletal muscle tissue contain high concentrations of taurine.

Taurine can also be derived from sources outside the body in the form of foods such as eggs, meat and fish. It has acquired a reputation for its ability to increase a muscle cell's capacity to hold more water, thereby increasing its volume, and it's also used to temper anxiety and hyperactivity.

Although dieticians recommend a daily dose no higher than 500mg of taurine when taking it synthetically, higher amounts from food have not shown any toxic effects.

THE RESEARCH

Some studies suggest that taurine may improve athletic performance, which explains the reason why it is so abundantly used in energy drinks. Scientists report improved mental performance when combining taurine with caffeine, but the combination remains controversial.

Doctors have found that taurine has multiple benefits for the heart, including the reduction of hypertension and the prevention of plaque build-up in the arteries. It can also lower the amount of inflammation in the body because it exerts antioxidant like effects to protect the body's cells from damage. Researchers also recorded an increase in fat oxidation with an acute dose of 1,660mg of taurine supplementation in trained cyclists.