There has been a lot of confusing and negative press about taurine over the years, but is taurine bad for you? What about this amino acid has everyone so on edge?
Today we are going to answer the important questions like:
- Is taurine bad for you?
- Is taurine safe?
- Does taurine cause cancer?
- And much more!
Before we get into whether taurine is bad for you or not, let’s discuss what taurine is.
What is taurine?
Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that's important for various bodily functions. Although it’s often categorized as a non-essential amino acid, meaning your body can produce it, it’s also found in certain foods, particularly in meat and fish.
There are many benefits of taurine for your body. It can help with:
Bile salt formation: Taurine helps in the formation of bile salts, which are essential for fat digestion and absorption.
Cell membrane stabilization: Taurine plays a role in maintaining the stability of your cell membranes, which protects your cells from damage.
Oxidative stress: Taurine has antioxidant effects, helping to reduce oxidative stress in cells.
Regulation of calcium levels: Taurine helps regulate calcium levels in cells, which is vital for muscle function.
Neurological development: Taurine is important for brain development and function, including neurotransmitter activity.
Cardiovascular health: Taurine may help to regulate blood pressure and support heart function, contributing to overall cardiovascular health.
Eye health: Taurine is found in high concentrations in the retina, where it helps maintain proper function in your eyes.
You can get taurine from dietary sources such as meat, fish, dairy, and eggs, or through supplements. While most people get enough taurine through their diet, certain conditions may lead to deficiencies, and supplementation might be beneficial for those people.
Does taurine cause cancer?
Does taurine cause cancer? Well, there is no strong evidence that it does. So if you are wondering if taurine is bad for you, you’ll be excited to know that.
In fact, some studies suggest that taurine may have protective effects against cancer due to its antioxidant properties and role in cellular health.
Research on taurine and cancer is still ongoing. It's important to consider that cancer is influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics, lifestyle, and environmental exposures.
If you have concerns about taurine or its effects on health, it’s best to consult a healthcare professional for personalized advice.
Is taurine bad for you?
So where do all the rumors about taurine come from? Taurine is bad for you right? It must be!
Let’s take a look at the science to see, once and for all, if taurine is bad for you.
In certain doses, taurine is not bad for you. It is considered safe to use in the United States.
So is taurine safe to consume?
Yes, taurine is not bad for you and is generally considered safe to consume. There are just a few instances in which taurine can be bad for you.
While normal dietary intake of taurine is safe, taurine is bad for you if you intake excessive supplementation. We simply haven’t studied what the effects might be. This is why it's best to stick to recommended doses if you’re using supplements.
Taurine is bad for you if you have certain health conditions, specifically kidney problems. If you have issues with your kidney health, you should consult a healthcare provider before taking taurine supplements.
And lastly, taurine is bad for you if you are taking certain medications. Taurine is not bad for you under normal circumstances but if you are taking any of these medications, you should consult with a doctor before taking taurine:
Antihypertensive medications: Taurine may lower blood pressure, so if you’re taking medications for hypertension, combining them with taurine could lead to excessively low blood pressure.
Diuretics: Since taurine can affect fluid balance and blood pressure, it might interact with diuretics, which also influence fluid levels.
Anticonvulsants: Taurine is thought to have a calming effect on the nervous system, so it may interact with medications used for seizures.
Lithium: Some studies suggest that taurine may affect lithium levels in the body, so monitoring is essential if you’re on lithium for bipolar disorder.
Certain heart medications: Because taurine can impact cardiovascular function, it might interact with heart medications, particularly those affecting heart rate and rhythm.
As long as you aren’t taking any of those medications, and don’t have kidney issues, taurine is not bad for you.
What might be bad for you is the vessel you get your taurine in.
The concern with energy drinks
Taurine is not bad for you on your own. In fact, your body makes it naturally, and we consume it regularly in meat and dairy products. Where things get tricky is when you are getting taurine through an energy drink.
Taurine is popularly added to energy drinks, and not all those drinks are the healthiest for consumption.
While taurine in energy drinks may not pose a risk, other ingredients in these beverages could be problematic. Energy drinks often contain caffeine, sugar, and various herbal extracts, making their safety less certain.
Most healthy adults can usually tolerate energy drinks. However, for some individuals, these drinks can lead to dehydration and difficulty sleeping, as well as feelings of nervousness and tension. These issues are primarily attributed to the caffeine content.
Due to the caffeine, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises that children and teenagers should avoid energy drinks.
It may be helpful to monitor your caffeine and sugar intake from energy drinks to prevent excessive calorie consumption and minimize the risks associated with high caffeine levels.
Some energy drinks also contain herbal extracts like guarana and ginseng which can interact with medications and have varying effects on different individuals.
This is not to mention any preservatives or artificial sweeteners manufacturers may have used in their energy drinks.
As such, it’s best to get your taurine intake from your diet or through trusted supplements rather than through energy drinks.
The best way to take taurine
If you want to get more taurine in your diet, the best foods to eat include beef, pork, lamb, salmon, tuna, shrimp, scallops, eggs, and some dairy products.
Of course, if you really want to regulate how much taurine you are consuming, you may prefer to use a taurine supplement. Just make sure to speak with a doctor to ensure there won’t be any interactions with medications you are currently taking.
It’s better not to get your taurine intake from energy drinks. Instead, look for specific taurine supplements or other trusted supplements that contain taurine.
One example is Frog Fuel Power Protein. This incredible supplement is FDA-tested and trusted by doctors for use in medical facilities – so you know this taurine is not bad for you!
It also contains a healthy dose of collagen protein – and there are so many benefits of collagen that you can get alongside the benefits of taurine!
FAQs about the safety of taurine
Here are answers to common questions about whether taurine is bad for you:
What are the negatives of taurine?
There really aren’t any negatives of taurine unless it will interact with a medication you are taking. You just have to take it at the recommended doses.
There have been some side effects reported in people who take excessive taurine, like vomiting, nausea, liver pain, headache and stomach pain. These side effects have not occurred when taurine is taken at normal doses.
Is taurine bad for you in energy drinks?
As we mentioned above, taurine isn’t bad for you itself, but the energy drink might be. One study found that people were more susceptible to blood clotting after drinking an (unspecified) energy drink that contained taurine – but it also included a lot of other ingredients.
No studies of taurine on its own have shown signs of blood clotting in participants.
Is taurine made from bull sperm?
No, taurine is not made from bull sperm, and it’s unclear exactly where that rumor started. Taurine was first observed in bulls, but not in the sperm! Perhaps that is where the story came from.
But we have taurine in our bodies as well, and it’s found all over! In our gut, in our eyes, in our nerves, you name it!
The taurine found in supplements is usually plant-based, so not only does it not come from bull sperm, it’s safe for vegans and vegetarians to consume.
Is taurine worse than caffeine?
This is a very subjective question. How bad do we think caffeine is? Obviously, excessive caffeine can have negative effects like increased heart rate and blood pressure, insomnia, jitters, anxiety, digestive issues, and more.
Taurine isn’t going to cause most of those symptoms in high doses. So in that sense, taurine is not bad for you compared to caffeine.
Is taurine bad for your heart?
Actually, taurine is not bad for your heart – it can be incredibly good for it! Taurine has been shown to help lower blood pressure by improving blood vessel function and promoting vasodilation, which can enhance blood flow.
Some studies suggest that taurine may help lower LDL cholesterol levels and improve overall lipid profiles, which is beneficial for heart health.
Research also indicates that taurine supplementation can improve heart function in individuals with heart failure by enhancing contractility and reducing oxidative stress.
Can taurine damage kidneys?
Taurine on its own will not damage your kidneys. That being said, it has been shown to affect four different forms of kidney disease: glomerulonephritis, diabetic nephropathy, chronic renal failure, and acute kidney injury (AKI).
If you have any of those types of kidney disease, you should not supplement with high doses of taurine and should consult with a doctor about the effects of taurine on your kidneys.
How much taurine is okay per day?
The most common dosage for taurine ranges from 500–3,000 mg per day.
An EFSA report from 2012 suggests that up to 6,000 mg of taurine daily is safe, which shows that it’s hard to overdose on taurine as long as you are following daily dosage guidelines.
Who shouldn’t take taurine?
People with kidney disease or who are taking certain medications (listed above) should not take taurine supplements. In addition, you shouldn’t take taurine supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Breast milk already has high levels of taurine as compared with cow's milk. In fact, taurine is added to infant formula made with cow’s milk. If you take taurine supplements while breastfeeding, you may give your baby more than the recommended daily dose of taurine.