Taurine is not only a component of energy drinks, but also of the human organism. There, taurine contributes to fat digestion, among other things. Taurine gained its notoriety as an additive in energy drinks such as Red Bull
The substance is to strengthen the effect of the caffeine likewise contained in the beverages and help to a better efficiency. However, taurine also occurs as a natural compound in the body. Read here what exactly taurine is, what it does in the body and what side effects it can have in energy drinks.
What is taurine made of?
Taurine is an amino sulfonic acid and is a breakdown product of the amino acids methionine and cysteine. The human body produces taurine itself, so the organic substance does not necessarily have to be ingested through food.
The production of taurine in the human organism.
Although the word taurine comes from the Greek word tauros for bull, the substance is by no means obtained from bull testicles, as is often claimed. Instead, the taurine found in foods is artificially produced in a laboratory. However, taurine also occurs naturally in the human organism: In adult humans, the substance is formed in the liver and brain with the participation of vitamin B6. Taurine is particularly concentrated in muscle cells, the brain, the heart, the blood and the eyes. The body forms up to 125 milligrams of taurine daily. In addition, we take in up to 400 milligrams through food. A healthy person weighing 70 kilograms has up to 70 grams of taurine in the body. Thus, taurine is present in the human organism at approximately one gram per kilogram of body weight.
Taurine in breast milk
Since newborns cannot yet produce taurine themselves in the body, babies are initially supplied with the organic acid through their mother’s milk. Breast milk contains between 25 and 50 milligrams of taurine per liter.
What foods contain taurine?
Taurine also occurs naturally in our food, and exclusively in animal foods or animal protein. Foods containing taurine are for example:
- Meat
- Offal
- Fish and seafood
- Eggs
- Milk
What does taurine do?
Taurine performs several important functions in the body, although not all biochemical effects have been studied. Among the proven effects of taurine is the formation of so-called bile acid conjugations. Thus, taurine is involved in fat digestion: The substance is coupled to the bile acids produced in the liver and thus improves their solubility. The dissolved bile acids form a bond with dietary fats in the small intestine so that they can be absorbed into the blood. Taurine also has the following effect in the body:
- Taurine plays a role in the development of the central nervous system and signal transmissions in the brain.
- Taurine makes a significant contribution to the development and functioning of the eyes – more specifically, the retina.
- It also contributes to cardiac function, as taurine has an antiarrhythmic effect. That is, taurine regulates the heartbeat and thus ensures a regular beating of the heart.
- Taurine also has an antioxidant effect, because it protects the tissue from cell-damaging free radicals.
- Animal studies have also shown an anti-inflammatory effect of taurine.
- Also, studies give evidence that taurine lowers blood sugar as well as cholesterol levels. However, this is not yet clearly clarified.
- Taurine does not act in the body as often assumed stimulating or pick-me-up. On the contrary, the substance has a calming and antispasmodic effect in high doses.
Consequences of a taurine deficiency
A taurine deficiency is very rare, but can be caused, for example, by a long-standing vegan diet or by a limited availability of cysteine, methionine or vitamin B6. Low taurine levels can lead to immune system disorders. In addition, a low concentration of taurine in the muscles is typical of chronic kidney failure. Also, a deficiency of taurine can cause inflammation in tissues.
Taurine as a dietary supplement
If there is a medical need, taurine can be supplied externally on a long-term basis.In the form of dietary supplements, the substance is taken as a capsule or tablet, or as a powder to be stirred into liquid. Taurine is available as a monosupplement, but also in combination with other substances in dietary supplements. Dietary supplements with taurine can be bought in pharmacies or on the Internet. Since the taurine used here is produced synthetically, it is vegan. Taurine is also frequently included in parenteral nutrition – i.e. artificial nutrition via nutrient infusions. Especially premature babies, whose liver cannot yet produce the substance on its own and who require artificial nutrition, are given taurine in infusions. In particular, the focus here is on the full development of the eyes, in which taurine plays a role.
Taurine: dosage
How much taurine a day should be supplied to the body through food, supplements or energy drinks maximum, can not be answered. Studies on the recommended daily dose are still pending. According to estimates, humans consume between 40 and 400 milligrams of taurine daily. The average dosage of taurine in dietary supplements is between 500 and 2,000 milligrams a day. However, doses of over 3,000 milligrams also appear to be unproblematic. So far, there are no known cases of overdose with taurine. However, it should be kept in mind that the body produces taurine itself and that we also consume additional taurine through food, so that a healthy person in principle does not need an additional supply of the substance.
Taurine in energy drinks
Artificially produced taurine is added to almost all energy drinks. The reason is the alleged increase in physical and mental performance. However, this effect could not be clearly demonstrated in studies. It has also not been proven that taurine enhances the effect of the caffeine contained in energy drinks and thus has a stimulating effect. Only the caffeine contained in the drinks and the sugar have a stimulating effect. As already mentioned, high doses of taurine tend to have a calming effect. It is also unclear what effects taurine has in combination with other ingredients of energy drinks such as inositol, guarana and glucuronolactone. In animal studies, taurine influenced insulin levels and thus accelerated metabolism. This could be a possible explanation for the alleged reinforcing effect of taurine in energy drinks. However, this assumption could not be confirmed in humans. According to the fruit juice and soft drink regulations, energy drinks have been allowed to contain a maximum of 4,000 milligrams of taurine per liter since 2013. One can of Red Bull
(250 milliliters), for example, contains 1,000 milligrams of synthetic taurine.
Side effects of taurine
So far, there are no known side effects of taurine – when taken with food or dietary supplements. The situation is different with taurine in energy drinks. Basically, the side effects of taurine in combination with the other ingredients of these drinks have not been sufficiently researched, and it is unclear what happens if you take too much taurine in energy drinks. Therefore, the substance should be viewed with a critical eye in the context of this use. Especially the combination of taurine and caffeine is suspected to bring health risks. Some side effects are suspected here, but these require further research. These possible side effects include:
- Restlessness and nervousness
- Palpitations
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- Nausea
- Seizures
- Circulatory collapse
Due to the uncertain effect, the aforementioned maximum amount of taurine in energy drinks was established. In addition, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) recommends children, pregnant women and nursing mothers not to consume energy drinks.
Dangerous mix: taurine, caffeine and alcohol
Sometimes popular are mixtures of energy drinks with vodka or other alcohol. However, this mix probably poses significant health risks. This is because the combination of caffeine, alcohol and taurine could pose more serious risks, such as kidney failure and cardiac arrest, in addition to the side effects already mentioned. Appropriate research on this is also still pending.
Taurine for better performance in sports?
Some bodybuilders take taurine as a dietary supplement, as the substance is supposed to support muscle building. So far, however, there is no scientific evidence of a promoting effect on athletic performance. Although taurine has been shown to increase muscle growth in animal studies, this has not been confirmed in humans. Drinking energy drinks in conjunction with sports is also controversial. While some studies describe a supportive effect on athletic performance, other studies cannot confirm this and warn against the drinks. This is because energy drinks extract fluid from the body and can therefore dehydrate it, especially during physical exertion.
So how dangerous is taurine?
Taurine as an organic acid in the body and in food is not harmful. On the contrary – the body actually needs it, which is why it produces it itself. In the case of excessive taurine intake through, for example, dietary supplements, the excess taurine is excreted through the kidneys. For this reason, people with kidney problems should refrain from an additional intake of taurine or consult their doctor. Acute danger exists only with extreme consumption of energy drinks, especially (but not only) in combination with alcohol. If you drink too much of it, it is most likely harmful to your heart, among other things. Especially with energyshots, the danger of overdose is great, because here you consume a high dose of taurine and caffeine in a small amount of liquid.
Taurine as a drug?
It is possible that taurine may be used as a drug for various diseases in the future. While the relevant research is still in its early stages, it is believed that taurine may have a positive effect on certain eye diseases, heart rhythm problems, high blood pressure and heart failure. In addition, taurine has antioxidant and calming effects. Therefore, the substance could also be used in diseases with oxidative stress, such as diabetes or arteriosclerosis.
History: Where does taurine come from?
Taurine was first discovered in 1827 by chemists Leopold Gmelin and Friedrich Tiedemann. While studying digestive processes in cattle, they managed to extract a substance from the gallbladder of an ox. Accordingly, the scientists named the substance taurine – after the Greek word tauros for bull.
