Taurine may extend life and boost health

New research, published in the journal Science last week, suggests that taurine may extend life and boost health in a range of animal species, including humans.

Taurine, an amino acid, is essential to cardiovascular function and the development and function of the brain, retina, and skeletal muscle. It also helps support a healthy immune system.

The study, which began over a decade ago, started out analysing molecules in the blood of over 12,000 people, to explore the differences between younger and older people. It that those with more taurine in their blood were generally in better health. In elderly people, taurine levels were 80% lower than in younger people. The authors also noted decreased circulating taurine in people with obesity and diabetes, as well as its elevation through exercise.

Since then, the research team has been trying to flesh how taurine may play a role in ageing.

A daily dose of taurine was given to 14-month-old mice, which is equivalent to about age 45 for humans. The results showed that the male mice lived 10% longer, females 12%, and both appeared to be in better health. The mice were also leaner, had an increased energy expenditure, increased bone density, improved memory and a younger-looking immune system.

If the data from mice applied to people, it would be the equivalent of an extra seven to eight years of life, according to the findings.

15-year-old rhesus monkeys were also given a six-month course of taurine - too short to notice a difference in life expectancy but, again, the researchers saw improvements in body weight, bone, blood-sugar levels and the immune system.

The study seems to suggests that taurine plays a role in reducing cellular senescence - where cells in the body stop dividing - which is a hallmark of ageing. Taurine also appears to keep mitochondria - the power stations in the body's cells - functioning.

But taurine is virtually non-existent in plants. So it either comes from animal protein in diet or is manufactured by the body. But it would be hard to eat the quantities used in the experiments - the equivalent dose from the animal experiments, scaled up to people would be 3 - 6g (0.2oz) per day, so a supplement would be required.

Advice for living a long, healthy and happy life remains the same - you need a healthy diet and you should exercise - but the findings of this latest research are promising, and seem to fit well with the existing evidence on ageing.