Amino Acids – Toro

Supplement Facts:
Servings per container: 90
Serving size: 1 capsule

Each capsule contains:
L-Taurine: 1000mg

Other ingredients: gelatin (bovine)

L-Taurine – The All-Star Amino Acid

Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that is found in nearly every cell and tissue throughout the human body. Its strongest presence is within the most metabolically active tissues and organs such as the heart, brain, eyes, muscle, and other organs, making it central to proper metabolic function and the human biological structure.

Taurine deficiencies are common and/or associated with cardiomyopathy, renal dysfunction, neurodegenerative diseases, developmental abnormalities, and retinal damage.

Another great aspect of Taurine is that it helps stimulate the release of GABA, which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps us deal with stress, to calm anxiety, and physiologically relax. More on this in the Thea product page.

One of the biggest and most significant animal studies on Taurine was conducted and published very recently on June 8th, 2023, titled “Taurine deficiency as a driver of aging“.

The researchers found that taurine suppressed age-associated weight gain in female mice (even in “menopausal” mice), increased energy expenditure, increased bone mass, improved muscle endurance and strength, reduced depression-like and anxious behaviors, reduced insulin resistance, and promoted a younger-looking immune system, among other benefits.

“Not only did we find that the animals lived longer, we also found that they’re living healthier lives,” Yadav says.

The ‘liver’ perspective on the benefits of Taurine:

Very importantly, in the liver, Taurine (glycine too) is conjugated with bile acids to form bile salts, which are released by the gallbladder to both help us digest the fat we consume, and assimilate the fat-soluble vitamins in that fat. If bile accumulates and is not formed into the salts that can be used, this can congest the liver and gallbladder with ‘gallstones’ or formations of bile/cholesterol/other proteins.

Taurine-conjugated bile salts consist of the majority of conjugated bile salts made by the liver. Animal studies have shown that Taurine supplementation, through the synthesis of these bile salts, can prevent cholestasis which is congestion of the liver from lack of bile flow.

Decreasing congestion in the liver and gallbladder creates an upward spiral of effects because of how much the liver is responsible for. This may be why hyperglycemia is improved – as the liver can more effectively convert carbohydrate intake to glycogen – why hormones are optimized – through fat-soluble vitamins like retinol being absorbed and utilized better via the bile. The spiral of benefit continues upward from there.

Another strong clue highlighting its importance is that Taurine comprises approximately 60% of the free amino acid pool in our bodies and is concentrated in highly metabolic tissues (brain, eyes, heart, and muscle). It also has documented benefits on ‘membrane stabilization‘, and osmotic electrolyte balancing effects. To me, this says that it is an integral component in our biological crystalline water-structure, as well as our electrical function (bioenergetic perspective).

B6 deficiency, vegan/vegetarian diets, estrogen dominance, heavy metal toxicities (like cadmium), or methylation dysfunction can all lead to taurine depletion.

L-Taurine Benefits:

– Lifespan and Healthspan increase
– Neuroprotection (antioxidant and anti-pollutant)
– Anti-anxiety & anti-stress
– Liver health
– Bile formation
– Blood sugar regulation
– Blood pressure regulation
– Cholesterol-lowering
– Protective against radiation
– Electrolyte balance (ion transport)
– GABA secretion supporting
– Hormone optimizing (lower estrogen dominance, increased T and testicular function in men, reduction of PCOS in women)
– Eye Health
– Cell membrane stability (ie it helps to structure our cellular water internally)
– Enhanced redox & NAD+ levels (ie it gives electrons to oxidized/damaged constituents in our body)
– May combat hair loss

References:

1. Taurine deficiency as a driver of aging. Science, 2023; 380 (6649) DOI: 10.1126/science.abn9257. Singh, P. et al.

2. Wen C, Li F, Zhang L, Duan Y, Guo Q, Wang W, He S, Li J, Yin Y. Taurine is Involved in Energy Metabolism in Muscles, Adipose Tissue, and the Liver. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2019 Jan;63(2):e1800536. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.201800536. Epub 2018 Oct 17. PMID:
30251429.

3. Rafiee Z, García-Serrano AM, Duarte JMN. Taurine Supplementation as a Neuroprotective Strategy upon Brain Dysfunction in Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes. Nutrients. 2022 Mar 18;14(6):1292. doi: 10.3390/nu14061292. PMID: 35334949; PMCID: PMC8952284.

4. Guan L, Miao P. The effects of taurine supplementation on obesity, blood pressure and lipid profile: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Eur J Pharmacol. 2020 Oct 15;885:173533. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173533. Epub 2020 Aug 29. PMID: 32871172.

5. Oja SS, Saransaari P. Pharmacology of taurine. Proc West Pharmacol Soc. 2007;50:8-15. PMID: 18605222.

6. Jong CJ, Sandal P, Schaffer SW. The Role of Taurine in Mitochondria Health: More Than Just an Antioxidant. Molecules. 2021 Aug 13;26(16):4913. doi: 10.3390/molecules26164913. PMID: 34443494; PMCID: PMC8400259.

7. Ripps H, Shen W. Review: taurine: a “very essential” amino acid. Mol Vis. 2012;18:2673-86. Epub 2012 Nov 12. PMID: 23170060; PMCID: PMC3501277.

8. Lyu Q, Feng M, Wang L, Yang J, Wu G, Liu M, Feng Y, Lin S, Yang Q, Hu J. Taurine Prevents Liver Injury by Reducing Oxidative Stress and Cytochrome C-Mediated Apoptosis in Broilers Under Low Temperature. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2022;1370:145-152. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-93337-1_14. PMID: 35882790.

9. El-Maraghi EF, Abdel-Fattah KI, Soliman SM, El-Sayed WM. Taurine abates the liver damage induced by γ-irradiation in rats through anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic pathways. Int J Radiat Biol. 2020 Dec;96(12):1550-1559. doi: 10.1080/09553002.2020.1828656. Epub 2020 Oct 6. PMID: 32991236.

10. Miyazaki T, Matsuzaki Y. Taurine and liver diseases: a focus on the heterogeneous protective properties of taurine. Amino Acids. 2014 Jan;46(1):101-10. doi: 10.1007/s00726-012-1381-0. Epub 2012 Aug 24. PMID: 22918604. (full text on Sci-Hub)

11. Taranukhin AG, Saransaari P, Kiianmaa K, Gunnar T, Oja SS. Comparison of Toxicity of Taurine and GABA in Combination with Alcohol in 7-Day-Old Mice. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2017;975 Pt 2:1021-1033. doi: 10.1007/978-94-024-1079-2_81. PMID: 28849519.

12. Malminen O, Kontro P. Modulation of the GABA-benzodiazepine receptor complex by taurine in rat brain membranes. Neurochem Res. 1986 Jan;11(1):85-94. doi: 10.1007/BF00965168. PMID: 3008015.

13. Lafuente A, González-Carracedo A, Cabaleiro T, Romero A, Esquifino AI. Toxic effects of cadmium on GABA and taurine content in different brain areas of adult male rats. J Physiol Biochem. 2005 Sep;61(3):439-46. doi: 10.1007/BF03168450. PMID: 16440598.

14. A. Culkin et. al (2005). A Randomised Double Blind Controlled Crossover Trial of Intravenous Taurine Supplementation in Parenteral Nutrition as an Effective Treatment for Reducing Hepatobiliary Complications in Chronic Intestinal Failure
https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT00135044?term=taurine%20liver%20&rank=4

15. Kim H, Chang H, Lee DH. Simulative evaluation of taurine against alopecia caused by stress in Caenorhabditis elegans. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2013;776:267-76. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4614-6093-0_25. PMID: 23392889.

16. Yang J, Zong X, Wu G, Lin S, Feng Y, Hu J. Taurine increases testicular function in aged rats by inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis. Amino Acids. 2015 Aug;47(8):1549-58. doi: 10.1007/s00726-015-1995-0. Epub 2015 May 10. PMID: 25957528.

17. Collin C, Gautier B, Gaillard O, Hallegot P, Chabane S, Bastien P, Peyron M, Bouleau M, Thibaut S, Pruche F, Duranton A, Bernard BA. Protective effects of taurine on human hair follicle grown in vitro. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2006 Aug;28(4):289-98. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-2494.2006.00334.x. PMID: 18489269.