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Taurine - reminder and update
Posted by Jackie
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Taurine - reminder and update April 19, 2018 12:12PM |
For the benefit of our many new readers, this review and update is a reminder about the important role the amino acid, Taurine, plays in health and longevity. And, most importantly for Afibbers, Taurine’s role in electrically stabilizing and supporting nerve cell membranes (especially, heart cells) to help promote stable heart rhythm.
While taurine is by no means a new discovery, as it has been studied for many decades and over the past ten years or so, more interest and studies focus on taurine’s important function in neurological issues. This may be due to the rising popularity of vegetarian and vegan diets which are known to be taurine deficient or the increasing incidence of neurological conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s as well as arrhythmias in those who lack taurine in nerve and muscle tissue - perhaps corresponding to food sources of taurine and/or reduced food intake in the aging population since aging bodies often can’t produce optimal taurine.
Taurine is an end product of L-cysteine metabolism
• Taurine is a derivative of L-Methionine >>> L-Cysteine >>> Taurine
• Taurine synthesis occurs in the liver and the brain
[www.tysonnutraceuticals.com]
Taurine sources are from protein foods such as meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish and shellfish. Amounts vary. Chemical additives such as MSG and aspartame lower the body’s concentration of taurine.
There are many new observations on Taurine functions worth noting. I’m sharing some of the latest. In the archives, there are several explanatory Taurine posts to review the history and more detail if you are not familiar with why taurine is very important. Start here first:
What About Taurine?
[www.afibbers.org]
Taurine Updates
[www.afibbers.org]
For this post, the following clips from a 2016 publication, Blaylock Wellness Report, (Taurine: The Miracle Amino Acid ) offer incentive to assess your intake of taurine.(1)
Author and retired neurosurgeon, Russell L Blaylock, MD, notes that taurine is the most abundant amino acid in the body with high concentrations in the brain, heart and retina. He says we typically think of amino acids as building blocks for proteins and explains how taurine is different…in that it “acts alone to carry out many critical functions" noted in the long list that follows and includes not only his findings but other resources as well. I have a long list of study references.
Functions of taurine
• Heart rhythm and heart rate; contractile function,
• Helps modulates heart muscle calcium- very important for afibbers
• Improves heart muscle strength
• By reducing atherosclerosis, taurine adds an additional benefit by
preserving the heart’s blood flow It also plays a role in protecting the brain
and detoxification.
• We also know that calcium plays a major role in heart-muscle function and, by regulating cellular calcium, taurine not only improves heart-muscle
contraction but also prevents it from becoming over-irritable, which can lead to arrhythmia. Blaylock June 2009
• Stabilizes blood pressure by dampening the sympathetic nervous system,
• Immune system – supports via antioxidant properties
• Stabilizes glucose metabolism,
• Reduces nerve pain including diabetic neuropathy,
• Fights diabetes damage,
• Protects vision and retinal health,
• Fat metabolism,
• Helps prevent hearing loss,
• Counteracts toxic substances,
• Helps protect during chemotherapy as well as helps kill breast and colon cancer by stimulating the p53 gene,
• Is protective to the liver; stimulates bile production,
• Helps decrease risk of muscle damage from intense exercise,
• Helps promote sleep,
• Boosts antioxidant defense
Dr. Blaylock writes: “the heart normally has a very high concentration of taurine as well as glutamate, another amino acid that drives heart muscle contraction and regulates heart nerves. However, excessive glutamate can make the heart irritable, leading to arrhythmia. Taurine counteracts this excitation to help prevent this from happening.” (1)
“Taurine deficiencies have been found in those with irregular heartbeats including PACs and PVCs as well as Afib. A study dosing with 10 to 20 grams of taurine a day reduced PACs by 50 percent and prevented all PVCs.” (1)
Confirming Dr. Blaylock’s observations, long-time natural-health advocate, Normal Shealy, MD, PhD offers a list (2012) of conditions found to be deficient in taurine. (2)
• Depression
• Epilepsy
• Hypertension
• Obesity
• Anxiety
• Autism
• Cancer
• Gall stones
• Cardiac arrhythmias
• Diabetes and metabolic syndrome
• Immune deficiency
• Blood clotting problems
• Alcoholism
• Candidiasis
• Zinc deficiency
• Retinitis pigmentosa
• Macular degeneration
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Vegans
• People on low protein diets!
• Taurine is depleted in all stress situations
For an in-depth reference or guide on amino acid function, the classic book by Eric Braverman, MD. The Healing Nutrients Within, 3rd Edition, 2012, is invaluable. Although technical, it’s written in terms that are understandable. Dr. Braverman starts with an explanatory chapter: Amino Acids – The Building Blocks of Life and clarifies essential and non-essential amino acids so we know what we need to optimize health and longevity. The book’s subtitle: How to use amino acids to achieve optimal health and fight cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, heart disease and more….. says it all. Very important reference tool.
Cautions:
There are few adverse reactions associated with taurine supplements. However, those with ulcers should use taurine carefully because taurine can increase secretion of stomach acid. Taking with food or milk of magnesia alleviates the problem. Do not take with aspirin.
If you take medications, take taurine with the guidance of your healthcare practitioner as taurine may change or reduce your need for certain medications. (3)
Taurine does lower blood pressure so be aware when taking anti-hypertensive medications. Also taurine can affect platelet aggregation and also lower glucose levels so medication dosages need to be discussed with your healthcare practitioner.
Check for interactions on WebMD
[www.webmd.com]
Pets need taurine too. Commercial pet food is typically lacking taurine. Cats, especially, need taurine and go blind when deficient. Cats and dogs can develop cardiomyopathy when taurine deficient and it’s found this is reversible with optimal repletion.
[jbiomedsci.biomedcentral.com]
[www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Dosing of Taurine
Dr. Blaylock - Dosing varies with conditions being treated. For maintenance, 1,000 mg (1 gram) three times a day. For serious illness, the dose may be as high as 4 – 10 grams three times a day. Best absorbed on empty stomach unless you have reactive hypoglycemia and then may have to take with food. Diabetics should take on empty stomach at least 45 minutes before or after a meal (1) – page 9
Dr. Braverman- 1 – 5 grams daily without significant documented risk. Higher doses up to 15 – 20 grams have been used intravenously.
My comment: I take the powdered form of taurine – ¼ tsp = 1.5 grams on empty stomach 2 – 3 times a day and one at bedtime. Great for relaxing.
That’s the summary of current news and observations.
Hope this is helpful.
Jackie
A Few Additional Current Reports
A 2013 report from Life Extension elaborating on the important functions of taurine in our body.
The Forgotten Longevity Benefits of Taurine
[www.lifeextension.com]
2015 Life Extension – (Taurine) Grow New Brain Cells
[www.lifeextension.com]
References
1) Taurine: The Miracle Amino Acid
The December 2016 Blaylock Wellness Report [www.blaylockreport.com]
2) TAURINE–The Hidden Deficiency Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D. [normshealy.com]
(3) Taurine – Powerful Health Promoter Designs for Health – Product Data Sheet
Ten Benefits of Taurine
[main.poliquingroup.com] 20122 (with references)
NCBI/Pub Med Resources List on Taurine
[www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Taurine: the appeal of a safe amino acid for skeletal muscle disorders
J Transl Med. 2015; 13: 243.
PMCID: PMC4513970 PMID: 26208967
[www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Recent Taurine Study Results
Mol Med Rep. 2017 Oct;16(4):4259-4264. doi: 10.3892/mmr.2017.7117. Epub 2017 Jul 31.
Acute and chronic effects of taurine magnesium coordination compound on cardiac sodium channel Nav1.5.
Zhao L1, Yang XX2, Yin YQ3, Wu H3, Kang Y3, Lou JS3.
Abstract
It has been previously demonstrated that taurine magnesium coordination compound (TMCC) produces antiarrhythmic effects in vivo.
The present study investigated the acute and chronic effect of TMCC on sodium channels in HEK cells stably expressing human cardiac Nav1.5 sodium channels. The current amplitude, activation and inactivation kinetics, recovery time from inactivation, and use dependent block of sodium channels were analyzed using the whole cell patch clamp technique. Western blotting was used to analyze Nav1.5 expression following chronic TMCC treatment. In HEK cells expressing Nav1.5 channels, TMCC acutely inhibited Na+ currents in a dose dependent manner. In addition, acute application of TMCC shifted the activation and inactivation curves, and prolonged the recovery time from inactivation, but did not exhibit a use dependent block of Nav1.5. By contrast, chronic TMCC treatment only produced a use dependent block of Nav1.5 and downregulated Nav1.5 expression.
The results of the present study suggested that TMCC may produce antiarrhythmic actions via acute inhibition of sodium channel currents and chronic downregulation of Nav1.5 expression.
PMID: 28765943 DOI:10.3892/mmr.2017.7117
[www.spandidos-publications.com]
J Biomed Sci. 2010 Aug 24;17 Suppl 1
2. doi: 10.1186/1423-0127-17-S1-S2.
Physiological roles of taurine in heart and muscle.
Schaffer SW1, Jong CJ, Ramila KC, Azuma J.
Abstract
Taurine (aminoethane sulfonic acid) is an ubiquitous compound, found in very high concentrations in heart and muscle.
Although taurine is classified as an amino acid, it does not participate in peptide bond formation. Nonetheless, the amino group of taurine is involved in a number of important conjugation reactions as well as in the scavenging of hypochlorous acid. Because taurine is a fairly inert compound, it is an ideal modulator of basic processes, such as osmotic pressure, cation homeostasis, enzyme activity, receptor regulation, cell development and cell signalling.
The present review discusses several physiological functions of taurine. First, the observation that taurine depletion leads to the development of a cardiomyopathy indicates a role for taurine in the maintenance of normal contractile function. Evidence is provided that this function of taurine is mediated by changes in the activity of key Ca2+ transporters and the modulation Ca2+ sensitivity of the myofibrils. Second, in some species, taurine is an established osmoregulator, however, in mammalian heart the osmoregulatory function of taurine has recently been questioned. Third, taurine functions as an indirect regulator of oxidative stress. Although this action of taurine has been widely discussed, its mechanism of action is unclear. A potential mechanism for the antioxidant activity of taurine is discussed. Fourth, taurine stabilizes membranes through direct interactions with phospholipids. However, its inhibition of the enzyme, phospholipid N-methyltransferase, alters the phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine content of membranes, which in turn affects the function of key proteins within the membrane. Finally, taurine serves as a modulator of protein kinases and phosphatases within the cardiomyocyte. The mechanism of this action has not been studied.
Taurine is a chemically simple compound, but it has profound effects on cells. This has led to the suggestion that taurine is an essential or semi-essential nutrient for many mammals.
PMID:20804594 PMCID: PMC2994395
DOI: 10.1186/1423-0127-17-S1-S2
[www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
While taurine is by no means a new discovery, as it has been studied for many decades and over the past ten years or so, more interest and studies focus on taurine’s important function in neurological issues. This may be due to the rising popularity of vegetarian and vegan diets which are known to be taurine deficient or the increasing incidence of neurological conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s as well as arrhythmias in those who lack taurine in nerve and muscle tissue - perhaps corresponding to food sources of taurine and/or reduced food intake in the aging population since aging bodies often can’t produce optimal taurine.
Taurine is an end product of L-cysteine metabolism
• Taurine is a derivative of L-Methionine >>> L-Cysteine >>> Taurine
• Taurine synthesis occurs in the liver and the brain
[www.tysonnutraceuticals.com]
Taurine sources are from protein foods such as meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish and shellfish. Amounts vary. Chemical additives such as MSG and aspartame lower the body’s concentration of taurine.
There are many new observations on Taurine functions worth noting. I’m sharing some of the latest. In the archives, there are several explanatory Taurine posts to review the history and more detail if you are not familiar with why taurine is very important. Start here first:
What About Taurine?
[www.afibbers.org]
Taurine Updates
[www.afibbers.org]
For this post, the following clips from a 2016 publication, Blaylock Wellness Report, (Taurine: The Miracle Amino Acid ) offer incentive to assess your intake of taurine.(1)
Author and retired neurosurgeon, Russell L Blaylock, MD, notes that taurine is the most abundant amino acid in the body with high concentrations in the brain, heart and retina. He says we typically think of amino acids as building blocks for proteins and explains how taurine is different…in that it “acts alone to carry out many critical functions" noted in the long list that follows and includes not only his findings but other resources as well. I have a long list of study references.
Functions of taurine
• Heart rhythm and heart rate; contractile function,
• Helps modulates heart muscle calcium- very important for afibbers
• Improves heart muscle strength
• By reducing atherosclerosis, taurine adds an additional benefit by
preserving the heart’s blood flow It also plays a role in protecting the brain
and detoxification.
• We also know that calcium plays a major role in heart-muscle function and, by regulating cellular calcium, taurine not only improves heart-muscle
contraction but also prevents it from becoming over-irritable, which can lead to arrhythmia. Blaylock June 2009
• Stabilizes blood pressure by dampening the sympathetic nervous system,
• Immune system – supports via antioxidant properties
• Stabilizes glucose metabolism,
• Reduces nerve pain including diabetic neuropathy,
• Fights diabetes damage,
• Protects vision and retinal health,
• Fat metabolism,
• Helps prevent hearing loss,
• Counteracts toxic substances,
• Helps protect during chemotherapy as well as helps kill breast and colon cancer by stimulating the p53 gene,
• Is protective to the liver; stimulates bile production,
• Helps decrease risk of muscle damage from intense exercise,
• Helps promote sleep,
• Boosts antioxidant defense
Dr. Blaylock writes: “the heart normally has a very high concentration of taurine as well as glutamate, another amino acid that drives heart muscle contraction and regulates heart nerves. However, excessive glutamate can make the heart irritable, leading to arrhythmia. Taurine counteracts this excitation to help prevent this from happening.” (1)
“Taurine deficiencies have been found in those with irregular heartbeats including PACs and PVCs as well as Afib. A study dosing with 10 to 20 grams of taurine a day reduced PACs by 50 percent and prevented all PVCs.” (1)
Confirming Dr. Blaylock’s observations, long-time natural-health advocate, Normal Shealy, MD, PhD offers a list (2012) of conditions found to be deficient in taurine. (2)
• Depression
• Epilepsy
• Hypertension
• Obesity
• Anxiety
• Autism
• Cancer
• Gall stones
• Cardiac arrhythmias
• Diabetes and metabolic syndrome
• Immune deficiency
• Blood clotting problems
• Alcoholism
• Candidiasis
• Zinc deficiency
• Retinitis pigmentosa
• Macular degeneration
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Vegans
• People on low protein diets!
• Taurine is depleted in all stress situations
For an in-depth reference or guide on amino acid function, the classic book by Eric Braverman, MD. The Healing Nutrients Within, 3rd Edition, 2012, is invaluable. Although technical, it’s written in terms that are understandable. Dr. Braverman starts with an explanatory chapter: Amino Acids – The Building Blocks of Life and clarifies essential and non-essential amino acids so we know what we need to optimize health and longevity. The book’s subtitle: How to use amino acids to achieve optimal health and fight cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, heart disease and more….. says it all. Very important reference tool.
Cautions:
There are few adverse reactions associated with taurine supplements. However, those with ulcers should use taurine carefully because taurine can increase secretion of stomach acid. Taking with food or milk of magnesia alleviates the problem. Do not take with aspirin.
If you take medications, take taurine with the guidance of your healthcare practitioner as taurine may change or reduce your need for certain medications. (3)
Taurine does lower blood pressure so be aware when taking anti-hypertensive medications. Also taurine can affect platelet aggregation and also lower glucose levels so medication dosages need to be discussed with your healthcare practitioner.
Check for interactions on WebMD
[www.webmd.com]
Pets need taurine too. Commercial pet food is typically lacking taurine. Cats, especially, need taurine and go blind when deficient. Cats and dogs can develop cardiomyopathy when taurine deficient and it’s found this is reversible with optimal repletion.
[jbiomedsci.biomedcentral.com]
[www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Dosing of Taurine
Dr. Blaylock - Dosing varies with conditions being treated. For maintenance, 1,000 mg (1 gram) three times a day. For serious illness, the dose may be as high as 4 – 10 grams three times a day. Best absorbed on empty stomach unless you have reactive hypoglycemia and then may have to take with food. Diabetics should take on empty stomach at least 45 minutes before or after a meal (1) – page 9
Dr. Braverman- 1 – 5 grams daily without significant documented risk. Higher doses up to 15 – 20 grams have been used intravenously.
My comment: I take the powdered form of taurine – ¼ tsp = 1.5 grams on empty stomach 2 – 3 times a day and one at bedtime. Great for relaxing.
That’s the summary of current news and observations.
Hope this is helpful.
Jackie
A Few Additional Current Reports
A 2013 report from Life Extension elaborating on the important functions of taurine in our body.
The Forgotten Longevity Benefits of Taurine
[www.lifeextension.com]
2015 Life Extension – (Taurine) Grow New Brain Cells
[www.lifeextension.com]
References
1) Taurine: The Miracle Amino Acid
The December 2016 Blaylock Wellness Report [www.blaylockreport.com]
2) TAURINE–The Hidden Deficiency Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D. [normshealy.com]
(3) Taurine – Powerful Health Promoter Designs for Health – Product Data Sheet
Ten Benefits of Taurine
[main.poliquingroup.com] 20122 (with references)
NCBI/Pub Med Resources List on Taurine
[www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Taurine: the appeal of a safe amino acid for skeletal muscle disorders
J Transl Med. 2015; 13: 243.
PMCID: PMC4513970 PMID: 26208967
[www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Recent Taurine Study Results
Mol Med Rep. 2017 Oct;16(4):4259-4264. doi: 10.3892/mmr.2017.7117. Epub 2017 Jul 31.
Acute and chronic effects of taurine magnesium coordination compound on cardiac sodium channel Nav1.5.
Zhao L1, Yang XX2, Yin YQ3, Wu H3, Kang Y3, Lou JS3.
Abstract
It has been previously demonstrated that taurine magnesium coordination compound (TMCC) produces antiarrhythmic effects in vivo.
The present study investigated the acute and chronic effect of TMCC on sodium channels in HEK cells stably expressing human cardiac Nav1.5 sodium channels. The current amplitude, activation and inactivation kinetics, recovery time from inactivation, and use dependent block of sodium channels were analyzed using the whole cell patch clamp technique. Western blotting was used to analyze Nav1.5 expression following chronic TMCC treatment. In HEK cells expressing Nav1.5 channels, TMCC acutely inhibited Na+ currents in a dose dependent manner. In addition, acute application of TMCC shifted the activation and inactivation curves, and prolonged the recovery time from inactivation, but did not exhibit a use dependent block of Nav1.5. By contrast, chronic TMCC treatment only produced a use dependent block of Nav1.5 and downregulated Nav1.5 expression.
The results of the present study suggested that TMCC may produce antiarrhythmic actions via acute inhibition of sodium channel currents and chronic downregulation of Nav1.5 expression.
PMID: 28765943 DOI:10.3892/mmr.2017.7117
[www.spandidos-publications.com]
J Biomed Sci. 2010 Aug 24;17 Suppl 1
2. doi: 10.1186/1423-0127-17-S1-S2.
Physiological roles of taurine in heart and muscle.
Schaffer SW1, Jong CJ, Ramila KC, Azuma J.
Abstract
Taurine (aminoethane sulfonic acid) is an ubiquitous compound, found in very high concentrations in heart and muscle.
Although taurine is classified as an amino acid, it does not participate in peptide bond formation. Nonetheless, the amino group of taurine is involved in a number of important conjugation reactions as well as in the scavenging of hypochlorous acid. Because taurine is a fairly inert compound, it is an ideal modulator of basic processes, such as osmotic pressure, cation homeostasis, enzyme activity, receptor regulation, cell development and cell signalling.
The present review discusses several physiological functions of taurine. First, the observation that taurine depletion leads to the development of a cardiomyopathy indicates a role for taurine in the maintenance of normal contractile function. Evidence is provided that this function of taurine is mediated by changes in the activity of key Ca2+ transporters and the modulation Ca2+ sensitivity of the myofibrils. Second, in some species, taurine is an established osmoregulator, however, in mammalian heart the osmoregulatory function of taurine has recently been questioned. Third, taurine functions as an indirect regulator of oxidative stress. Although this action of taurine has been widely discussed, its mechanism of action is unclear. A potential mechanism for the antioxidant activity of taurine is discussed. Fourth, taurine stabilizes membranes through direct interactions with phospholipids. However, its inhibition of the enzyme, phospholipid N-methyltransferase, alters the phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine content of membranes, which in turn affects the function of key proteins within the membrane. Finally, taurine serves as a modulator of protein kinases and phosphatases within the cardiomyocyte. The mechanism of this action has not been studied.
Taurine is a chemically simple compound, but it has profound effects on cells. This has led to the suggestion that taurine is an essential or semi-essential nutrient for many mammals.
PMID:20804594 PMCID: PMC2994395
DOI: 10.1186/1423-0127-17-S1-S2
[www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
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