Anti-aging Boost Faded with Taurine Disappointment (Regarding Herber Damper)
Enthusiasm for a potential fountain of youth has once again hit a roadblock. While earlier studies indicated taurine as a possible anti-aging agent, a recent analysis published in Science presents a stark contrast. So, is the quest for an elixir of life yet another false promise?
Two years ago, researchers revealed findings in Science suggesting that an everyday amino acid could promote health and longevity in animals. Lead researcher, Vijay Yadav of Columbia University in New York, stated at the time, "Taurine could be a life elixir within us that helps us live longer and healthier."
It was reported that mice, monkeys, and even humans had less taurine in their blood as they aged. However, the twist here is that the new study challenges this notion. After analyzing data over extended periods, another research team asserted that the concentration of the amino acid in the blood does not decrease with age but rather increases in humans, rhesus monkeys, and female mice. In male mice, it remains constant.
Taurine's Mysterious Role in the Body
First isolated from ox bile in 1827, taurine is a component that our bodies naturally produce and is present in the blood, muscles, and various organs like the brain, heart, and liver. Its functions remain unclear, though it is believed to play a crucial role in brain development, cell membrane stabilization, and energy metabolism, among other aspects. Taurine may also protect cells from oxidative stress.
The human body generates taurine on its own, but the amino acid is supplemented through food consumption, especially by eating fish and meat. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) estimates that daily intake ranges between 10 and 400 milligrams, primarily through natural means.
Taurine: An Ingredient in Energy Drinks
Taurine, synthetically producible in a cost-effective manner, has been added to energy drinks for some time. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) deems amounts of up to 6 grams per day safe. Cats, unable to produce sufficient quantities of taurine themselves, may suffer health issues without this amino acid.
In Yadav's 2023 study, it was observed that mice, monkeys, and even humans had less taurine in their blood as they aged. Blood samples from people over 60 years old contained only about one-fifth of the concentrations measured in children and adolescents.
Following this observation, the team found that mice fed taurine had longer lifespans by approximately 10-12%. This translates to seven or eight years in human terms. Taurine also increased the lifespan of worms but not yeast. Older animals given taurine were healthier than untreated counterparts, with benefits such as improved muscle and bone strength, reduced depression and anxiety, and slower weight gain in female mice. Similarly, middle-aged rhesus monkeys treated with taurine daily for six months experienced improved health.
However, the new study led by Rafael de Cabo from the U.S. National Institute on Aging in Baltimore re-examined the link between taurine and aging and discovered that the relationship was not as straightforward as initially believed. In response to Yadav's study, they analyzed data from nearly 1000 people from the U.S. and the Balearic Islands, in addition to rhesus monkeys and mice. They concluded that taurine levels showed a sex-specific increase with age in all groups, except male mice, where levels remained unchanged. Moreover, no association was found between blood taurine levels and health, suggesting that taurine is not a reliable biomarker for aging.
With the possibility of Taurine falling to the wayside like other substances once believed to slow aging, researchers remain hopeful. Ongoing studies, such as Wackerhage's in Munich, may provide more clarity about how taurine supplementation affects humans.
Taurine, like other substances such as Resveratrol, Metformin, and Rapamycin, requires careful consideration. If one is contemplating taurine supplementation, consulting a doctor is strongly recommended.
[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1097276522013885[2] https://www.nature.com/articles/s42404-022-02213-1[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6037141/[4] https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.17.20246225v2[5] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04844-z
The study published in Science has challenged the notion that taurine decreases in the blood with age, stating that it actually increases in humans, rhesus monkeys, and female mice, while remaining constant in male mice.
Despite the recent analysis contradicting earlier findings, ongoing research by scientists like Wackerhage in Munich may offer more insights into the role of taurine in human health and aging.
In addition to exploring the impact of taurine on aging, a broader understanding of its functions in the body, such as its role in brain development, cell membrane stabilization, and energy metabolism, remains crucial for the scientific community, health-and-wellness enthusiasts, and employment policies related to employment in the field of science.
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