Taurine: Benefits, Foods and Supplements
Learn more about how taurine plays an important role in our body's health.
What is taurine?
Taurine is a naturally occurring sulfur-containing amino acid found throughout the body, including the brain, eyes, heart and muscles. Taurine is also found in certain foods and the body can even produce it by itself.
What are the benefits of taurine?
Taurine plays an important role in the body’s heart health, immune system and brain. It also helps:
- Blood pressure regulation
- Maintain proper hydration and electrolyte balance in your cells
- Form bile salts, which play an important role in digestion
- Regulate minerals such as calcium within your cells
- Support the general function of your central nervous system and eyes
- Regulate immune system health and antioxidant function
- Support vision
Foods rich in taurine
The body makes enough taurine in the liver from other amino acids, but you can also get taurine from eating certain foods.
Taurine is found naturally in high-protein foods, including:
- meat, especially dark meat poultry
- seafood, especially shellfish
- dairy products
- seaweed
Taurine in energy drinks
Taurine is also a main ingredient in many energy drinks. Most research has shown that the taurine in energy drinks is not the problem, but rather the caffeine and sugar content. The safety of drinking energy drinks regularly is still unclear, but we do know that caffeine and sugar can lead to high blood pressure, increased heart rate and other health problems, especially in children. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that energy drinks are not appropriate for children and adolescents, due to the high levels of caffeine.
Taurine supplements
Most people do not need a taurine supplement as the body gets enough protein from their diet or the body makes adjustments to make sure it’s getting what it needs by creating and making taurine out of other amino acids.
However, if your healthcare clinician recommends a taurine supplement, the most common dosage range is 500-3,000 mg per day.
Taurine is becoming a popular supplement for improving athletic performance. And some studies have shown that creatine and taurine together can enhance athletic performance. Creatine boosts energy production during exercise, while taurine helps with muscle recovery, reduces fatigue and supports nerve function. However, there is still more research that needs to be done to support taurine as a supplement for improving athletic performance.