Taurine, also called 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, is a sulfonic acid of the formula HOSO2-CH2-CH2-NH2 and has a molecular weight of 125.15 g mol−1 that is widely distributed in animal tissues. It is also characterized as an amino acid. The presence of a sulfonic group gives taurine a pKa value of 1.5 making it the most acidic amino acid. Taurine is not incorporated into proteins but is found in high concentrations in animals, including insects and arthropods, however, taurine is generally absent or only present in traces in bacteria and plants. It is one of the most abundant low-molecular-weight organic molecules present in animals. Huxtable in 1992, reported that a 70-kg human contains up to 70 g of taurine. Furthermore, taurine is found in bile and the large intestine. Taurine was first isolated from the bile of the ox, Bos Taurus, which gave it its name. Taurine is known to have many fundamental biological roles such as conjugation of bile acids, antioxidation, osmoregulation, membrane stabilization and modulation of calcium signaling, and it is essential for cardiovascular function, the development and function of skeletal muscle, the retina and the central nervous system. Taurine plays a protective role against free radicals and toxins in various cells and tissues. One of the reported functions of taurine is to protect cells against oxidation, by protecting mitochondrial integrity and respiration. However, many functions of taurine appear to be still unknown. It is now thought that taurine plays an important role in human nutrition. Furthermore, there is also indication that taurine may delay the aging process when taken as a supplement. Taurine appears to scavenge free radicals and its useful effects are attributed to its capability to stabilize biomembranes, to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS), and to decrease the peroxidation of unsaturated membrane lipids. Taurine appears to be part of the antioxidant defense systems found in mammalian cells. These systems consist of nonenzymatic antioxidants with low molecular weights including the vitamins A and E, betacarotene, uric acid, and enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), as well as glutathione reductase (GR). During the metabolism of sulphur-containing amino acids taurine is synthesized from its precursors methionine and cysteine therefore this amino acid is considered to be non-essential or conditionally essential. A clear toxicity has not been established for taurine yet but no adverse affects have been observed for any dose tested so far. Uozumi et al., in 2006, reported that the taurine transporter gene (TauT) is up-regulated during muscle differentiation. These results suggest that the taurine/TauT system provides resistance to muscle degeneration or wasting. Shao and Hathcock, in 2007, report that for doses of up to 3 g per day no side effects or toxic effects have been found. Therefore an upper dose of 3 g per day was selected for taurine supplementation as the “observed safe level” (OSL). The safety of taurine intake has been investigated since taurine is present in many energy drinks. The European Food Safety authority (EFSA) has concluded that taurine does not present any safety concerns for the levels currently used in energy drinks. In addition, a study performed in rats indicated that taurine may delay the aging progress. Diets high in meat and seafood will provide a higher intake than a vegetarian diet. Since plants contain very little taurine vegetarian may need to supplement it in addition to their vegetarian diet.
Bio-Synthesis offer quantitative amino acid analysis for taurine supplment. This method can be used for the analysis of taurine in different tissue types, plasma and other bodily fluids including dietary supplements and foods. Contact us at 800.227.0672 or write to us at info@biosyn.com.
Reference:
- Deng X, Liang J, Lin ZX, Wu FS, Zhang YP, Zhang ZW. Natural taurine promotes apoptosis of human hepatic stellate cells in proteomics analysis. World J Gastroenterol 2010;16(15): 1916-1923.
- Karl-Erik Eilertsen, Rune Larsen, Hanne K. Mæhre, Ida-Johanne Jensen and Edel O. Elvevoll; Anticholesterolemic and Antiatherogenic Effects of Taurine Supplementation is Model Dependent. In Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology » "Lipoproteins - Role in Health and Diseases", book edited by Sasa Frank and Gerhard Kostner, ISBN 978-953-51-0773-6, Chapter 11.
- Marit Espe, Elisabeth Holen; Taurine attenuates apoptosis in primary liver cells isolated from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). British Journal of Nutrition 2013-07-01. PMID 23182339.
- Huxtable RJ.; Physiological actions of taurine. Physiol Rev. 1992 Jan;72(1):101-63.
- Miyazaki T, Bouscarel B, Ikegami T, Honda A, Matsuzaki Y.; The protective effect of taurine against hepatic damage in a model of liver disease and hepatic stellate cells. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2009;643:293-303. doi: 10.1007/978-0-387-75681-3-30.
- Yoriko Uozumi, Takashi Ito, Yuki Hoshino, Tomomi Mohri, Makiko Maeda, Kyoko Takahashi, Yasushi Fujio, and Junichi Azuma; Myogenic differentiation induces taurine transporter in association with taurine-mediated cytoprotection in skeletal muscles. Biochem J. 2006 March 15; 394(Pt 3): 699–706.