Taurine, an energy-enhancing compound found in some caffeinated beverages, may help you reach your golden age, even if you’re a living creature. A new animal study was published today. chemistry They claim that taurine supplements have extended the lifespan of worms, mice, and primates. Although the anti-aging effects of taurine have not been directly studied in humans, this result suggests that it is worth investigating.
“Taurine made animals live healthier and longer by affecting all the key hallmarks of aging,” said the lead study author. Vijay Yadav, assistant professor of genetics at Columbia University studying the biology of aging. Researchers found that taurine halted the aging process at the cellular level in several species studied. The compound prevented telomeres (the DNA sequences that line the ends of chromosomes) from shortening, halting the biological processes that trigger aging. Taurine supplementation also reduced DNA damage in aging animals while improving the ability of aging cells to detect nutrients, maintain protein function, and prevent mitochondrial breakdown.
However, don’t chug energy drinks just yet to replenish your taurine levels. Yadav cautions that without clinical trials in humans, it’s impossible to say definitively that taking taurine will guarantee longevity. Energy drinks and similar products also contain large amounts of caffeine and other compounds. He doesn’t recommend drinking them to increase taurine levels.
One chemistry, many functions
Taurine has captured the interest of the scientific community since its discovery 200-year-old ox bile. It is involved in multiple functions that sustain life, such as support. heart health, metabolism,and, new brain cell growth. Previous studies have linked taurine deficiency to poor vision, increased inflammation in the brain, and skeletal problems—all of the problems seen in age-related diseases. In addition, taurine Neuroprotective effect For toxicity, it is found in small amounts in people with neurodegenerative diseases.
Taurine levels naturally decrease as humans age. In the current study, we investigated whether taurine actively contributes to the aging process or whether it is simply an aging effect. When the authors gave middle-aged mice with low taurine levels the supplement, they found that they all lived 10 to 12 percent longer than those who didn’t get the compound. The effect of taurine supplementation on longevity was greater in female mice than in male mice, suggesting a possible sex-specific pathway.
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Mice given taurine showed signs of improved health compared with controls, which could explain their longer lifespan. Rodents that received taurine (500 and 1,000 mg/kg body weight once daily for 10 to 12 months) became leaner and more energetic. The authors suggest that the weight loss may be due to taurine-treated mice using more energy and consuming more oxygen, thus activating metabolic processes to burn fat. points out that there is It also improved bone density, improved muscle strength, memory, and immune system. Depression, anxiety behavior, and insulin resistance were reduced.
“In this study, the biological function and utility of taurine have been clarified through detailed studies.” Shigeru Murakami, a professor of biotechnology at Fukui Prefectural University in Japan, researching taurine. He was not involved in the study, which he calls “groundbreaking.” “The finding that taurine extends lifespan in some species is particularly interesting,” Murakami said. [making it] A compound full of hope for a healthy old age. ”
To study the broader effects of taurine, the researchers expanded their research to include nematodes, whose taurine levels decline with age. Similar to mice, taurine significantly increased worm lifespan by 10-23 percent compared to untreated worms.
When primates ingest taurine
To model how taurine affects aging in humans, the researchers then turned to one of our closest living relatives, the rhesus monkey. Six months of once-daily taurine administration to 15-year-old monkeys, which correspond to humans aged 45 to 50, reduced weight gain and increased bone density in the spine and legs. Taurine also reduces liver damage, improves blood sugar levels, and strengthens the immune system.
“These studies on several species show that taurine levels decline with age, and that this decline can be reversed, allowing animals to live longer and healthier. Ultimately, the findings are relevant to humans.” It has to be something,” Yadav explains.
and Article chemistry accompany researchBiologists Joseph McGann and Joseph Bauer of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine say clinical trials are needed to determine whether taurine supplements improve human health and whether they are safe to take. pointing out. The doses used in animal studies were too high to be safe for humans, write McGone and Bauer.
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However, study authors said at a press conference Tuesday that the equivalent test dose in humans would be about 3 to 6 grams per day.Study co-author Henning WackerhageA professor of exercise biology at the Technical University of Munich pointed out that some children are getting up to 6 grams of taurine a day from energy drinks without any health risks, according to a European Food Safety Authority report. . “This suggests that effective doses can be achieved in humans and provides a good starting point for therapy. [future] Human intervention. ”
Although the authors did not conduct clinical trials of taurine supplements, they studied the relationship between taurine metabolite levels in the blood of 11,966 people while measuring their overall health status. Decreased taurine levels were associated with obesity, diabetes and inflammation. On the other hand, higher taurine levels were associated with less abdominal obesity and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
Taurine levels decline with age, so a person may need to resort to other taurine-rich sources. According to the authors, diet and exercise are good ways to increase them. Animal foods such as fish and meat are rich in taurine. Fitness level can also affect taurine. In another dataset, the authors had athletes and sedentary people ride bicycles to exhaustion. Blood samples taken after training showed a 1.36-fold increase in taurine levels for all, and slightly more taurine in the athlete’s body. This result suggests that increased taurine production may be one of the causes. Anti-aging effects of exercise.
