Scientists have found that not only does a lack of the amino acid taurine in the body prematurely age animals, but oral taurine supplements may slow aging and extend healthy lifespans.
An international team of researchers found that taurine supplementation slowed aging in worms, mice and monkeys, and extended the healthy lifespan of middle-aged mice by up to 12 percent.
“For the past 25 years, scientists have been trying to find factors that not only extend our lifespan, but also our healthy lifespan, the length of time we stay healthy in old age.” To tell Columbia University biologist Vijay Yadav, senior author of the study.
“This study suggests that taurine may be an elixir of life that helps us live longer and healthier among us.”
Taurine It is naturally present in meat, fish and dairy products, but less abundant in plants. Humans can synthesize taurine, but its nutritional sources are often needed early in life This is because the newborn’s body does not have the capacity to produce it.
Studies on taurine show that Benefits in Diabetes and antioxidant effectHowever, in many cases its role is unknown.
“If taurine regulates all of these processes that decline with age, we realized that taurine levels in the bloodstream could impact overall health and longevity. says Yadav. To tell.
“We began to investigate whether taurine deficiency was responsible for the aging process and initiated large-scale experiments in mice.”
Not just a mouse. Yadav et al. also analyzed blood taurine levels at different ages in monkeys and humans. For the latter, we used different data. study.
In various species, including humans, taurine levels were found to decrease with age by an estimated 80% over a normal human lifetime.
However, when oral taurine supplementation was given to middle-aged worms and mice, the median life span was increased by 10 to 23 percent and 10 to 12 percent, respectively.
In mice, taurine supplementation improved muscle strength, coordination, memory and markers of aging. Mice that lack key transporters that bring amino acids into cells have shorter adult lifespans.
Taurine given to middle-aged rhesus monkeys (Macaw) Over the course of 6 months, significant improvements were seen in bone density, blood sugar levels, and markers of liver and immune function.
“We found that not only were the animals living longer, but they were also living healthier lives.” explain Yadav.
The analysis also found that people with obesity and diabetes had low blood taurine levels, while those who exercised had high blood taurine levels.
“This is interesting to us because it might explain some of the health benefits and anti-aging effects of exercise,” says Henning Wackerhage, a molecular exercise physiologist at the Technical University of Munich.
“Taurine appears to affect all known hallmarks of aging,” the researchers said. write in their published paper.
Physiologists Joseph McGann and Joseph Bauer of the University of Pennsylvania, who were not involved in the study, said: write “In particular, a causal link has yet to be verified,” the Perspective said.
In this light, taurine is widely found in infant formulas and energy drinks, and while no significant risk has been suggested, it is important to consider potential risks and interactions with other factors. I am adding.
“Focusing solely on increasing taurine in the diet risks poor nutritional options because a plant-rich diet is associated with human health and longevity.” Write McGann and Bauer.
“Therefore, as with any intervention, taurine supplementation aimed at improving human health and longevity should be approached with caution.”
Large, long-term, randomized, controlled trials in humans are needed, and although there are no known toxic effects associated with taurine, the doses used in the studies have rarely been used in humans.
With amazing advances in medicine, people are living longer, and it is important to improve quality of life. Scientists have previously found clues to “beautiful” aging in telomeres and poop transplants, and now taurine looks promising.
“Based on studies in several animal species and interventions in monkeys, it’s difficult to say at this time whether taurine supplementation will be an anti-aging therapy, but at least it makes sense to test it.” said Yadav. To tell.
This research chemistry.
