Introduction
Taurine is a compound that is like an amino acid. It has been used to improve blood flow and athletic performance. Taurine has also been used to improve brain function and as an antioxidant to help slow damage to cells. It can be taken as a pill or powder.
Dosages
2 to 5 grams daily
What Research Shows
May Be Effective
- Heart failure —may ease symptoms and improve function D1-D3
- Psychosis—may improve symptoms when used with standard treatment H1, H2
- Retinitis Pigmentosa —may reduce the loss of visual field I1
Unlikely to Be Effective
- Low birth weight—unlikely to promote growth F1, F2
Not Enough Data to Assess
- Athletic performance A1
- Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting B1, B2
- Chronic hepatitis C1
- High blood pressure E1, E2
- Obesity G1
- Visual fatigue J1
Editorial process and description of evidence categories can be found at EBSCO NAT Editorial Process.
Editorial process and description of evidence categories can be found at EBSCO NAT Editorial Process.
Safety Notes
It is likely safe to take taurine in small doses for a short time. Not enough studies have been done to say whether it is safe to take for a long period. It is also not known whether it is safe to take by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Interactions
Talk to your doctor about any supplements or therapy you would like to use. Some can interfere with treatment or make conditions worse.
References
REFA Athletic performance
REFA1 Waldron M, Patterson SD, et al. The effects of an oral taurine dose and supplementation period on endurance exercise performance in humans: a meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2018;48(5):1247-1253.
REFB Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting
REFB1 Islambulchilar M, Asvadi I, et al. Taurine attenuates chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Amino Acids. 2015 Jan;47(1):101-109.
REFB2 Islambulchilar M, Asvadi I, et al. Effect of taurine on attenuating chemotherapy-induced adverse effects in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. J Cancer Res Ther. 2015 Apr-Jun;11(2):426-432.
REFC Chronic Hepatitis
REFC1 Hu YH, Lin CL, et al. Dietary amino acid taurine ameliorates liver injury in chronic hepatitis patients. Amino Acids. 2008 Aug;35(2):469-73. Epub 2007 Aug 10.
REFD Heart Failure
REFD1 Azuma J, Sawamura A, et al. Therapeutic effect of taurine in congestive heart failure: a double-blind crossover trial. Clin Cardiol. 1985 May;8(5):276-282.
REFD2 Azuma J, Sawamura A, et al. Usefulness of taurine in chronic congestive heart failure and its prospective application. Jpn Circ J. 1992 Jan;56(1):95-99.
REFD3 Ahmadian M, Dabidi Roshan V, et al. Taurine Supplementation Improves Functional Capacity, Myocardial Oxygen Consumption, and Electrical Activity in Heart Failure. J Diet Suppl. 2017 Jul 4;14(4):422-432.
REFE High blood pressure
REFE1 Sun Q, Wang B, et al. Taurine supplementation lowers blood pressure and improves vascular function in prehypertension: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Hypertension. 2016;67(3):541-549.
REFE2 Schwarzer R, Kivaranovic D, et al. Randomised clinical study: the effects of oral taurine 6g/day vs placebo on portal hypertension. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2018 Jan;47(1):86-94.
REFF Low Birth Weight
REFF1 Verner A, Craig S, et al. Effect of taurine supplementation on growth and development in preterm or low birth weight infants. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007 Oct 17;(4):CD006072.
REFF2 Cao SL, Jiang H, et al. Effects of Taurine Supplementation on Growth in Low Birth Weight Infants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Indian J Pediatr. 2018 Oct;85(10):855-860.
REFG Obesity
REFG1 Zhang M, Bi LF, et al. Beneficial effects of taurine on serum lipids in overweight or obese non-diabetic subjects. Amino Acids. 2004 Jun;26(3):267-271.
REFH Psychosis
REFH1 O’Donnell CP, Allott KA, et al. Adjunctive in first-episode psychosis: a phase 2, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. J Clin Psychiatry. 2016;77(12):e1610-e1617.
REFH2 Firth J, Rosenbaum S, et al. Adjunctive nutrients in first-episode psychosis: A systematic review of efficacy, tolerability and neurobiological mechanisms. Early Interv Psychiatry. 2018 Oct;12(5):774-783.
REFI Retinitis Pigmentosa
REFI1 Pasantes-Morales H, Quiroz H, et al. Treatment with taurine, diltiazem, and vitamin E retards the progressive visual field reduction in retinitis pigmentosa: a 3-year follow-up study. Metab Brain Dis. 2002 Sep;17(3):183-197.
REFJ Visual Fatigue
REFJ1 Zhang M, Bi LF, et al. Effects of taurine supplementation on VDT work induced visual stress. Amino Acids. 2004 Feb;26(1):59-63.