Taurine is supplied as white crystals or white crystalline powder. It is commonly used in energy drinks. Though it’s considered safe, some are convinced it has potentially dangerous health effects.
What Is Taurine?
Taurine is a white crystal powder that is odorless and tastes slightly acidic. It is a kind of amino acid with sulfur in the body of the non-protein element. Taurine helps promote infant brain and intelligence development. This product is used in infant formulas and energy drinks, and it also helps prevent cardiovascular disease, improve memory function and resist the outside environment skin invasion.
Possible Side Effects of Taurine
Taurine is generally considered a safe ingredient. Taurine is a conditional amino acid, meaning it can be manufactured naturally by our bodies, means that side effects are minimal as it is a natural substance. It is important, however, not to overuse Taurine as a supplement. The side effects may:Negative Nitrogen Balance, Drug Interactions
GRAS Affirmation: Yes
Generally recognized as safe (GRAS) is an American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designation that a chemical or substance added to food is considered safe by experts, and so is exempted from the usual Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) food additive tolerance requirements. Taurine is considered safe by FDA.
Suggested Dosage
Taurine is recommended to use between 1-2g in supplement form, which is adequate for the desired effects as mentioned previously.
Excess Taurine is excreted from the body by the kidneys, and there is little evidence from research conducted to show that an excessive intake of Taurine can cause any form of toxicity.
Special Populations Precaution
There is a lot of concern about diet and nutrition for these population, like Newborns, children, pregnant, sensitive to Taurine populations. Better consult to your doctor if you would like to intake Taurine.
Related Research
1. Taurine postponed the replicative senescence of rat bone marrow-derived multipotent stromal cells in vitro. [Mol Cell Biochem. 2012 Jul] Author: Ji H, Zhao G, Luo J, Zhao X, Zhang M.
2. Evaluation of potential synergistic action of a combined treatment with alpha-methyl-prednisolone and taurine on the mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. [Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol. 2011 Apr] Author: Cozzoli A, Rolland JF, Capogrosso RF, Sblendorio VT, Longo V, Simonetti S, Nico B, De Luca A.
3. Combined administration of taurine and monoisoamyl DMSA protects arsenic induced oxidative injury in rats. [Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2008 Oct-Dec] Author: Flora SJ, Chouhan S, Kannan GM, Mittal M, Swarnkar H.
4. Risk assessment for the amino acids taurine, L-glutamine and L-arginine. [Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2008 Apr] Author: Shao A, Hathcock JN.