Is taurine the ‘immortality elixir’? Maybe if you’re a bug, a mouse, a monkey,

CNN
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Taurine, an amino acid commonly used by bodybuilders and added to energy and sports drinks, could be an “immortality elixir,” at least when it comes to extending the health and lifespan of nematodes, according to the authors of a new study. It is said that there is a possibility. rats and monkeys.

Is it beneficial or potentially harmful to people? No one knows, so save your money, experts say.

Middle-aged female mice given high levels of taurine lived an average of 12 percent longer than those not given taurine, while male mice lived about 10 percent longer, said lead study author and associate professor of genetics and development at Columbia University. said Vijay Yadav of At a press conference in New York City.

“This study suggests that taurine may be a panacea for life within our bodies,” Yadav said in an earlier news release about the study. published on thursday Published in Science magazine.

considered a non-essential amino acid, Taurine present in the brain, retina, and almost everywhere logic and organ tissue in the body. the study discovered that it might be anti-inflammatory drug and neuroprotective Present in older brains, but potentially harmful Brain development in adolescents. Associated with taurine deficiency heart, kidney and retinal damage.

Levels of taurine, which is absorbed from foods such as shellfish and meat and distributed by the liver, decline with age, but “but supplementing to youthful levels has the effect of making mice live healthier and longer.” said co-author Henning Wackerhage. A professor of exercise biology at the Technical University of Munich in Germany said at a press conference:

Studies have shown that monkey trials that take taurine supplements are leaner, have better blood sugar levels, less liver damage, increased bone density, a younger-looking immune system, and less weight gain. was found to be

“These studies in several species show that taurine levels decline with age, and that this decline can be reversed, allowing animals to live longer and healthier,” Yadav said. rice field. “At the end of the day, the discovery must be relevant to humans.”

But worms, mice and monkeys are not humans, and it will be years before science proves taurine’s anti-aging benefits in humans — even if it exists, experts warn.

“This doesn’t sound like primetime talk. If people started eating more animal-based foods to increase their taurine intake, it could be harmful,” said the nutrition researcher. said Dr. Walter Willett, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition, a leading expert. He is a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School. He was not involved in the research.

“In our cohort of over 130,000 men and women followed for up to 30 years (over 30,000 deaths), increased animal protein intake was associated with increased overall mortality and mortality from most major diseases. ,” Willett said in an email. “Further studies in humans using taurine supplements would be interesting, but are far from suggestive of their use.”

The only human experiment in the study found that exercise, which is said to be the secret to longevity, boosts taurine levels in people. But exercise also reduces cholesterol. Improve blood flow. lower blood pressure; It strengthens muscles, including the heart, and boosts energy. Improve sleep. and fight chronic diseases.

“I really don’t like the idea of ​​extreme increases in human lifespan because we just don’t know,” said Gordon Lithgow, professor and associate director of academic affairs at the Buck Institute in Novato, Calif. talk. .

“I’m not saying it’s impossible, but we need proper double-blind clinical trials in people to see what happens,” Lithgow said in the lab. . did research About the worms included in the new study.

Unfortunately, many drugs, supplements, herbs and vitamins that appear to be beneficial can fail spectacularly once the scientific scrutiny is over, he said.

“Take vitamin E. People have been taking vitamin E for decades, and it certainly does nothing and can actually be harmful. I understand,” Lithgow said. “We’ll have to wait for clinical trial data. That’s the only real measure in biomedicine.”

Despite these caveats, “I can’t help but be excited about this study,” Lithgow said. “Despite a gap of about 400 million years between worms and humans, similar restoration of this natural metabolite (taurine) in both worms and primates has beneficial effects.” can be seen.”

The study took over a decade and involved more than 50 scientists from laboratories around the world to investigate the effects of taurine on several species, including yeast, nematodes, mice and monkeys.

The taurine-fed worms lived longer and appeared healthier, but taurine “had no effect on the yeast,” Yadav said. However, taurine-supplemented mice “were leaner, had increased energy expenditure, increased bone density, improved muscle strength, decreased depressive and anxious behavior, improved memory, and reduced insulin resistance.” , the immune system looked younger.”

How does taurine do this? The answer is not yet clear, Wackerhage “But it’s my subjective opinion that taurine somehow seems to affect the aging engine compartment.”

At a metabolic level, taurine appears to improve mitochondrial health, Yadav said. United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation.

Tissue analyzes from taurine-supplemented mice show that this amino acid causes so-called “zombie” cells, or senescent cells, that refuse to die and begin to pump out inflammatory factors that cause diseases such as Alzheimer’s and accelerate aging, causing damage. It has also been shown to suppress old cells that have been exposed.

Studies have found that taurine also increased the number of stem cells present in some tissues, reduced DNA damage, and improved the cells’ ability to sense nutrients.

“Taurine puts the brakes on aging. I don’t keep the car in reverse gear,” Yadav said. “The aging process slows down, which is why animals live longer and healthier.”

Early results on other potential anti-aging compounds, such as the diabetes drug metformin. Antifungal antibiotic rapamycin. Resveratrol, an antioxidant found in grapes. NAD+ precursors that support healthy aging have generated massive sales to the youth-seeking masses for these compounds, despite a lack of scientific evidence.

“I don’t recommend buying off-the-shelf,” Yadav says. “Our view is that[people]will have to wait until clinical trials in humans are completed.

Yadav added that users should ensure that commercial taurine supplements are “not adulterated.”

This is a big problem, he said, because supplements are not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration. Associate Professor of Medicine Peter Cohen Supplement Research Center At the Cambridge Health Alliance in Somerville, Massachusetts.

Many supplements contain more or less of what is listed on the label, but some contain unknown additives.Recent Research by Cohen For example, I found that Melatonin Mi contains: 347% of melatonin Some contained only cannabidiol or CBD, which is what the label says, and what is not on the label.

“It’s okay to get excited about a drug because it has to go through a rigorous FDA approval process before you can get your hands on it,” Cohen said. “But because the supplement is unregulated, it can mislead the public. They might read about this study, buy taurine online, and take it within days.”

Additionally, people, including teenagers, are at risk of turning to energy and sports drinks, which are loaded with unhealthy sugars, caffeine, and taurine. researcher Energy and sports drinks have been found to contain 750-1,000 milligrams of taurine per serving. normal diet It typically contains 40-400 milligrams per day.

High levels of taurine, especially in combination with caffeine in energy and sports drinks, can be toxic to the developing adolescent brain and body. According to a 2017 review.

“Taurine and caffeine taken together exacerbate the effects on the heart, which may be concerning given that caffeine alone can raise blood pressure and heart rate,” the review notes. It is

“While aging and diseased brains may benefit from taurine and caffeine supplementation, adolescents are less likely to benefit from supplementation and may indeed be adversely affected by high doses of chronic intake. there is,” says the study.