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Taurine is a type of chemical called an amino sulfonic acid. It occurs naturally in the human body and has many important functions. Taurine is found in large amounts in the brain, retina, heart, and blood cells called platelets. The best food sources are meat, fish, and eggs.
The body usually makes taurine on its own. But some people cannot make it and need to get taurine from their diet or supplements. Breast milk is rich in taurine, but infants who are not breastfed do not get enough taurine and do not have the ability to make it, so taurine is often added to infant formulas. It is also added to the formulas used for tube-feeding in adults.
People take taurine for congestive heart failure (CHF) and swelling (inflammation) of the liver (hepatitis). It is also used for athletic performance, boosting energy, diabetes, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
- Congestive heart failure (CHF). Oral taurine may improve left ventricular function, heart failure-related symptoms, and exercise capacity in patients with CHF.
Login for details - Hepatitis. Oral taurine may improve liver function in patients with acute or chronic hepatitis.
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- Obesity. Oral taurine does not appear to improve body weight in adults who are obese or overweight.
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- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Login for details
- Athletic performance. Research on the use of taurine for improving endurance or power output is limited and conflicting; however, it may improve performance by a small amount in some athletes.
Login for details - Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Login for details
- Autism spectrum disorder. Login for details
- Chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). It is unclear if oral taurine is beneficial in patients with CINV.
Login for details - Chemotherapy-induced nephrotoxicity. It is unclear if oral taurine is beneficial for preventing or treating chemotherapy-induced nephrotoxicity.
Login for details - Cirrhosis. It is unclear if oral taurine is beneficial in patients with cirrhosis.
Login for details - Cognitive function. It is unclear if oral taurine is beneficial for improving cognitive function; however, taking an energy drink (Red Bull Energy Drink) containing taurine and other ingredients may modestly improve some measures of cognitive function.
Login for details - Cystic fibrosis. Oral taurine may reduce steatorrhea in children with cystic fibrosis, but it does not seem to improve other measures of nutritional status.
Login for details - Diabetes. It is unclear if oral taurine is beneficial in patients with diabetes.
Login for details - Epilepsy. Login for details
- Exercise-induced muscle soreness. Small clinical studies suggest that oral taurine may modestly improve exercise-induced muscle soreness.
Login for details - Fatigue. It is unclear if oral taurine is beneficial for improving fatigue.
Login for details - Helicobacter pylori. It is unclear if oral taurine can aid in the eradication of helicobacter pylori (H. pylori).
Login for details - Hyperlipidemia. It is unclear if oral taurine is beneficial for lowering lipid levels.
Login for details - Hypertension. Oral taurine may modestly reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension; however, the long-term antihypertensive effects of taurine are unclear.
Login for details - Infant development. Higher maternal intake of taurine from the diet may be linked to increased newborn length and weight; however, feeding taurine-containing formula to newborns does not appear to improve infant development.
Login for details - Iron deficiency anemia. It is unclear if oral taurine is beneficial in patients with iron deficiency anemia.
Login for details - Muscular dystrophy. It is unclear if oral taurine is beneficial in patients with muscular dystrophy.
Login for details - Postoperative recovery. It is unclear if oral taurine is beneficial for improving postoperative recovery.
Login for details - Psychosis. It is unclear if oral taurine is beneficial in patients with psychosis.
Login for details - Sleep deprivation. Oral taurine has only been evaluated in combination with other ingredients; its effect when used alone is unclear.
Login for details - Tourette syndrome. Oral taurine may improve tic severity in children with Tourette syndrome who are taking tiapride at a dose of 300 mg or less. Taurine may not be effective in children taking higher doses of tiapride.
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Taurine has important functions in the heart and brain. It helps support nerve growth. It might also benefit people with heart failure by lowering blood pressure and calming the nervous system. This might help prevent heart failure from becoming worse.
When taken by mouth: Taurine is LIKELY SAFE for adults when used in amounts found in foods. Taurine is POSSIBLY SAFE for adults when used as a medicine for up to 3 months.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Taurine is LIKELY SAFE when used in amounts found in foods. There isn't enough reliable information to know if taurine is safe to use as a medicine when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.Children: Taurine is LIKELY SAFE for children when used in amounts found in foods. Taurine is POSSIBLY SAFE for children when used as a medicine for up to 4 months.
Lithium
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Taurine might have an effect like a water pill or "diuretic." Taking taurine might decrease how well the body gets rid of lithium. This could increase how much lithium is in the body and result in serious side effects. Talk with your healthcare provider before using this product if you are taking lithium. Your lithium dose might need to be changed.
Herbs and supplements that might lower blood pressure: Taurine might lower blood pressure. Using it along with other herbs and supplements that have this same effect might increase the risk of blood pressure dropping too low in some people. Some of these herbs and supplements include andrographis, casein peptides, cat's claw, coenzyme Q10, fish oil, L-arginine, lycium, and others.
Alcohol: Taking taurine, including energy drinks, might increase how much alcohol you want to drink.
Fats and fat-containing foods: Taurine might increase how much fat the body absorbs.
The following doses have been studied in scientific research:
BY MOUTH:
- For congestive heart failure (CHF): 1.5-6 grams of taurine has been taken daily, divided into two or three doses.
- For hepatitis: 1.5-4 grams of taurine has been taken daily for up to 3 months.
2-Aminoethylsulfonic Acid, 2-Aminoethane Sulfonic Acid, Acide Aminoéthylsulfonique, Acide Kétoisocaproïque de Taurine, Acid Aminoethanesulfonate, Aminoethanesulfonate, Aminoéthylsulfonique, Dibicor, Éthyl Ester de Taurine, L-Taurine, Taurina, Taurine Ethyl Ester, Taurine Ketoisocaproic Acid.
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