What taurine? Benefits, side effects of the energy drink supplement

fitness

To Mark Laranilla

June 14, 2023 | 3:30 PM

Shine, Taurine, Shine — it’s your turn to be in the spotlight.

Found in food and many energy drinks, this supplement has received a lot of attention ever since medical experts dubbed it the “immortality elixir.”

The glowing mention comes after new research reveals that taurine may slow the aging process and extend healthy life expectancy.

But before you chug a taurine-rich energy drink like Rockstar, Celsius or Red Bull, consider taurine and what it can and can’t do for you.

What is Taurine?

“Taurine is an amino acid that is made by the body,” Dr. Lisa Young, a professor of nutrition at New York University, told the Post in an email.

It is important for infants and young children and is abundant in breast milk. According to a 2020 report in Amino Acids magazine.

This compound also plays several important roles in adults.

Taurine is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that aids in digestion, energy production, immune response, neurodevelopment, brain function, vision, nerve and muscle conduction, and more.

Sorry vegans, most plants don’t contain it, but the seaweed used to make sushi does.

“Vegans may benefit from supplements, but until large-scale studies confirm their efficacy and safety, we need to proceed with caution,” Dr. Young said.

Most people get plenty of taurine from animal foods, Dr. Young says, but taurine levels in the body “decline with age.”

Seafood, especially shellfish, are rich in taurine. Scallops, clams, mussels, shrimp, octopus, tuna, cod and oysters are rich sources of this compound.

Meats such as beef, chicken, turkey, salami, bologna, veal, ham, and pork also contain taurine. According to a report published in the journal Atherosclerosis.

Dairy products such as yogurt, ice cream, and pasteurized milk are low in taurine.

Benefits of taurine

There are several medical situations where taurine supplements can help.

for example, 2008 Study in Laboratory and Clinical Cardiology Discovered It is thought to improve cardiac function in patients with chronic heart failure and may reduce blood pressure in hypertensive patients.

Many reports suggest that taurine may potentially enhance exercise performance, alleviate muscle spasms, and improve overall cardiovascular health.

taurine supplement

In addition to powdered supplements and capsules, taurine is also found in varying amounts in the following energy drinks and bars.

• 3D energy drink
• AMP energy drink
• Celsius Live Fit
• cocaine energy drink
• energy lash sticks
• full throttle energy drink
• ghost energy
• Jaguar Fox Gaming Energy Bar
• Juvee Rejuvenating Energy Drink
• sell energy bars
• monster energy
• prime energy drink
• PureBoost Clean Energy Drink
• red bull energy drink
• red taz energy drink
• rockstar energy drink
• VOOM Pocket Rocket Caffeine Kick Energy Bar

side effects of taurine

There is not much information about safe dosages or evidence that taurine is dangerous in high doses. A 2019 study found “The highest taurine level is 3″[grams]No adverse effects were seen. ”

Taurine can also interfere with certain medications, so it’s important to consult a health professional before taking taurine supplements if you’re also taking prescription medications.

It’s not the addition of taurine to the diet via energy drinks that worries health experts most, but the other ingredients in the drink, such as artificial sweeteners.

“These drinks tend to be high in caffeine and sugar,” Dr. Young notes. “It also contains other ingredients that can be harmful in large amounts.”