The Many Benefits of Taurine

Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid meaning it has a sulfuric compound in it called sulfhydryl. Unlike typical amino acids, it is not used to synthesize proteins; however, it has a wide variety of other important roles to play in the body.

Health Benefits of Taurine

• Taurine is important for the support of healthy nerve transmission and muscle function to promote a calming effect. It can be used alone or with other calming ingredients to maintain healthy emotional balance, calming and mental focus. It also helps modulate the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Here are 12 more of my essential nutrition tips to promote a calm and relaxed feeling. 

• Taurine is a prime osmolyte, meaning it is a regulator of fluid levels in cells.

• Taurine is a critical antioxidant and one of the few that can cross the blood-brain barrier. This barrier acts as a filter to prevent some substances from reaching the brain.

• Taurine is involved in detoxification. It’s essential to produce bile in the liver, a major avenue for removal of harmful substances from the body. The thicker the bile, the more sluggish the liver. Here's what makes your bile thick and how to keep your bile healthy. 

• Taurine is found in high concentrations in electrically active tissue such as the brain, retina, heart, and muscle. It supports the stability of membranes and assists in the movement of electrolytes, including calcium ions, in and out of cells, which is critical for proper nerve transmission and muscle contraction.

• Taurine also normally stabilizes the generation of energy in mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells.

• Taurine directly interacts with genes and the endoplasmic reticulum where proteins are assembled to support normal metabolism and energy generation.

• Research in animals has found taurine may even assist the body in normal glucose regulation, insulin excretion and lipid levels in the blood. Here’s why you want to stay off the blood sugar rollercoaster and how to do it! 

All of these interactions make taurine a vital player in normal mood, metabolism, energy generation and exercise performance.