Taurine
An overlooked amino acid that may be one of the most important. 2023 research showed taurine supplementation extended lifespan in middle-aged mice — and human levels predict healthy aging.
Strong for congestive heart failure (Japanese clinical use), blood pressure reduction in hypertensives, and exercise performance (modest). Moderate for anxiety, blood sugar, and bile flow. Longevity evidence is striking in animals but still emerging in humans. Effects: 4–8 weeks for cardiovascular markers.
Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid the body uses for bile salt synthesis, cell membrane stabilisation, calcium signalling, and antioxidant defence. It's the most abundant free amino acid in the heart, brain, and white blood cells. Levels drop significantly with age — by 80% from young adulthood to old age. A 2023 Nature paper (Singh et al.) caused a stir: taurine supplementation extended healthy lifespan in mice by ~10–12% and improved nearly every aging biomarker. Human evidence is still building, but cardiovascular and metabolic effects are well-established. Cheap, safe, and very plausibly one of the most important supplements that nobody talks about.
- Form
- Plain L-taurine capsules or powder. Mildly sweet, dissolves in water.
- Dose
- 1–3 g/day for general use. The mouse longevity work translated to ~3–6 g/day human equivalent. Cardiovascular trials use 3 g/day. Start at 1 g and titrate.
- Timing
- Anytime. With or without food. Often paired with pre-workout or pre-bed (mild calming effect).
- Schedule
- Daily.
- Side effects
- Very well-tolerated even at high doses. Mild GI upset uncommon. Drowsiness in some.
- Interactions
- Mild blood-pressure lowering (additive with antihypertensives — usually helpful). Lithium (may increase lithium levels). Generally clean.
- Contraindications
- Bipolar disorder on lithium (theoretical interaction). Pregnancy / lactation — limited high-dose safety data, RDA-equivalent intake is safe.
- Lab markers
- Plasma taurine (research-grade, not routinely available). Cardiovascular markers: BP, lipid panel.
- Food sources
- Shellfish (scallops, mussels, clams), fish (especially dark meat tuna, swordfish), red meat, poultry dark meat, organ meats. Not found in plants — vegans and vegetarians have measurably lower taurine and may benefit most from supplementation. Energy drinks contain taurine in modest amounts (500–1,000 mg per can).
Pairs with
Magnesium (synergistic for cardiovascular and neuromuscular function). NAC + glycine (sulfur amino acid stack, mitochondrial support). Caffeine (taurine takes the edge off — combined in most energy drinks for a reason).
within Amino acids & derivatives