News & Publications

• Taurine supplementation can help regulate blood glucose and lower blood pressure, reducing risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  Obesity Diabetes Cholesterol Triglycerides Blood Pressure Metabolic Syndrome Taurine Stroke Cardiovascular Supplements

  Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that includes hypertension, high blood glucose, excess abdominal fat, and abnormal blood lipids. Having metabolic syndrome markedly increases a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. A recent meta-analysis found that taurine supplementation improves conditions associated with metabolic syndrome.

  Researchers analyzed the findings of 25 studies (with more than 1,000 participants) investigating links between taurine supplementation and metabolic syndrome. They also explored the effects of taurine dose and examined secondary outcomes of taurine supplementation, including body composition, lipid profile, and blood glucose control.

  They found that taurine doses ranged from 0.5 to 6 grams, with study durations ranging from five days to one year. On average, taurine supplementation reduced systolic blood pressure by 4 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure by 1.5 mmHg, fasting blood glucose by 6 milligrams per deciliter, and triglycerides by 18 milligrams per deciliter. The researchers did not observe an effect on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The reduction in diastolic blood pressure and fasting blood glucose was dose-dependent, with higher doses eliciting more robust effects.

  These findings suggest that taurine supplementation improves factors associated with metabolic syndrome. Interestingly, other research shows that an acute bout of exercise increases blood taurine levels, providing a mechanistic link between exercise and better metabolic health.

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• Taurine supplementation extends life by 12 percent in animal studies, pointing to a potentially promising anti-aging strategy that may highlight the r www.cuimc.columbia.edu
  Aging Inflammation DNA Damage Mitochondria Taurine

  Taurine is an amino acid that participates in immune health and neurological function. Findings from a recent study suggest that taurine influences longevity. Mice that received supplemental taurine lived as much as 12 percent longer than those that didn’t.

  Researchers conducted a multi-part experiment in several species. First, they measured blood taurine concentrations in mice, monkeys, and humans at different ages and found that taurine decreased in all three species over time. Notably, taurine concentrations were 80 percent lower in older adult humans than in young children.

  Then they gave middle-aged mice either taurine (1,000 milligrams per kilogram of body weight) or an inactive substance once daily until their natural deaths. Among mice that received taurine, median lifespan increased by 10 to 12 percent, roughly equivalent to about eight years in humans. They repeated their experiment in monkeys, worms, and yeast and observed similar effects. They also found that taurine reduced several hallmarks of aging in all the species studied, including cellular senescence, mitochondrial dysfunction, DNA damage, and inflammation.

  Finally, they measured blood taurine concentrations in humans following an acute bout of exercise. They found that exercise increased the levels of taurine metabolites in the blood, providing a potential mechanism for the anti-aging effects of exercise.

  These findings suggest that supplemental taurine reverses age-related taurine declines and extends both healthspan and lifespan in several species. Learn about other nutrients that influence aging in this episode featuring longevity expert Dr. Bruce Ames.

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• 10 potential "longevity vitamins" including ergothioneine, PQQ, queuine, taurine, lutein, zeaxanthin, astaxanthin & more. www.ucsf.edu
  Aging Vitamin A Antioxidant Protein Taurine Polyphenol Carotenoids

  A new study by my mentor Dr. Bruce Ames proposes that 10 known compounds be classified as potential longevity vitamins due to their interaction with proteins that protect against diseases of aging. The concept is based on the Triage Theory, which classifies proteins and enzymes as either survival proteins, needed for survival and reproduction, or longevity proteins, which protect against future damage and are sacrificed in case of vitamin shortage, leading to an acceleration of insidious diseases of aging.

  These putative “longevity vitamins” include: ergothioneine (a fungal antioxidant found in mushrooms), queuine (a bacterial metabolite found in the gut), PQQ (a bacterial metabolite in soil that is taken up by plants ), lutein and zeaxanthin (concentrated in leafy greens), lycopene (found in tomatoes), alpha- and beta-carotene, and cryptoxanthin (all plant antioxidant carotenoids), astaxanthin (a marine carotenoid found in salmon and krill), and taurine (found in meat).

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