Based on the known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the compound, researchers at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil set out to evaluate the effects of taurine supplementation as a possible anti-aging therapy in women between the ages of 55 and 70.
“Preventing the free radical buildup that occurs naturally with aging likely prevents cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, among other chronic conditions.” Ellen de Freitas, co-principal investigator of the study, in a statement issued by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), which supported the project.
From ox bile to anti-aging
Taurine, first isolated by German scientists in 1827 from ox bile, is a semi-essential amino acid found in meat, fish, eggs, and algae. It also occurs naturally in the human body and supports digestive, cardiovascular, skeletal, eye, muscle, and nervous system functions.
“Taurine is an underappreciated, but important approach to cardiovascular health and oxidative stress that is the hallmark of aging.”Dr. Mark Miller, president of Kaiviti Consulting, told NutraIngredients-USA in reviewing the study.
He added that although taurine has been used primarily as an additive in energy drinks, research “reaffirms that there are important actions to limit oxidative stress.”
The study authors suggest that taurine’s therapeutic actions in aging may be associated with its ability to scavenge the toxic effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that damage cells over time.
“We believe that taurine supplementation can improve the antioxidant defense system and could be a viable nutritional strategy to prevent oxidative damage induced by the aging process.They wrote, noting that antioxidant defense capacity and plasma taurine levels decline in older adults.
study details
Participants (24 sedentary women aged 55 to 70 years) in the double-blind randomized clinical trial were given either 1.5 g of taurine or a cornstarch placebo daily for 16 weeks. Plasma samples collected before and after the intervention were analyzed for taurine and markers of oxidative stress, including the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GR). Food consumption, functional capacity and blood minerals (selenium, zinc, magnesium and calcium) were also evaluated.
“As a main result, 16 weeks of taurine supplementation provided considerable benefits for markers of oxidative stress and increased plasma taurine concentration.”the researchers concluded. The results showed an increase in SOD and a reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of lipid peroxidation.
Next Steps: Higher Doses
In previous studies, the research team evaluated the effects of higher doses of taurine, ranging from 3 to 6 g, in obese young women and healthy young adults. Given the dearth of research on taurine in the context of aging in the scientific literature, the trial used a safe, low starting dose. Further studies will explore the effects of 3 g per day supplementation in obese women between the ages of 60 and 75 years with sarcopenia.
Font: Nutrition
101 (2022) 111706
Taurine as a possible antiaging therapy: a controlled clinical trial on the antioxidant activity of taurine in women aged 55 to 70 years.
Authors: Gabriela Ferreira Abud et al.
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