Support for Cardiovascular System and Skeletal Muscles
Background and Benefits of Taurine
Taurine is the common name for 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid. It is a component of animal tissue that comprises up to 0.1 percent of a human’s total body weight.
The German scientists Friedrich Tiedemann and Leopold Gmelin first isolated taurine in the year 1827 from ox bile. The name taurine comes from the Latin word “taurus” meaning bull. Taurine is derived from the amino acid cysteine. It is chemically known as an amino sulfonic acid, although it’s typically referred to as just an amino acid.
Taurine is synthesized by the pancreas in mammals. Common dietary sources of taurine are meat and fish, so strict vegetarians receive a negligible amount of taurine in their diets. Taurine is also synthesized in commercial quantities, usually by reacting sodium bisulfite with ethylene oxide. The reaction of azirdine in sulfurous acid is a less common means of synthesizing taurine. Commercial uses of taurine primarily include pharmaceutical products and pet food.
Taurine plays an essential role in many parts of the body, especially the cardiovascular system, central nervous system, retina and skeletal muscle. It is specifically used in biological functions such as antioxidation, calcium signaling, membrane stabilization and osmoregulation.
Uses of Taurine
The most common use of taurine in nutritional supplements is to support cardiovascular functions. Early research also suggests that daily supplements of taurine may help to maintain normal liver function. Some studies show that taurine may increase performance in endurance exercises such as running and bicycling.
Signs You May Need Taurine
A taurine deficiency is rare in humans since they normally manufacture taurine naturally. Taurine supplements are most beneficial for people who follow a strict vegetarian diet, as this can prevent them from obtaining adequate amounts of cysteine needed to derive taurine.
People with heart conditions and those with liver conditions may also have low taurine levels. A study of rats that received low taurine diets showed that they were more vulnerable to liver damage from carbon tetrachloride.
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