Overview

Taurine is a type of chemical called an amino sulfonic acid. It occurs naturally in the body. The best food sources are meat, fish, and eggs.

Taurine has important functions in the heart and brain. It helps support nerve growth. It might also benefit people with heart failure by lowering blood pressure and calming the nervous system. This might help prevent heart failure from becoming worse.

People take taurine for congestive heart failure (CHF) and swelling of the liver (hepatitis). It is also used for obesity, athletic performance, fatigue, diabetes, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Don't confuse taurine with homotaurine. These are not the same.

Uses & Effectiveness ?

Possibly Effective for

  • Heart failure and fluid build up in the body (congestive heart failure or CHF). Taking taurine by mouth seems to improve heart function, reduce symptoms, and increase the ability to exercise in people with CHF.
  • Swelling (inflammation) of the liver (hepatitis). Taking taurine by mouth might improve liver function in people with hepatitis.

Possibly Ineffective for

  • Obesity. Taking taurine by mouth doesn't seem to reduce body weight in people who are overweight or obese.
There is interest in using taurine for a number of other purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: Taurine is commonly consumed in foods. It is possibly safe when used as a medicine for up to 3 months.

Special Precautions and Warnings

When taken by mouth: Taurine is commonly consumed in foods. It is possibly safe when used as a medicine for up to 3 months.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Taurine is commonly consumed in foods. There isn't enough reliable information to know if taurine is safe to use as a medicine when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and stick to food amounts.

Children: Taurine is commonly consumed in foods. It is possibly safe when taken by mouth as medicine for up to 12 weeks.

Interactions ?

    Moderate Interaction

    Be cautious with this combination

  • Lithium interacts with TAURINE

    Taurine might slow down how quickly lithium is flushed out of the body. This could increase levels of lithium that stay in the body. Your healthcare provider might need to lower your dose of lithium.

  • Medications for high blood pressure (Antihypertensive drugs) interacts with TAURINE

    Taurine might lower blood pressure. Taking taurine along with medications that lower blood pressure might cause blood pressure to go too low. Monitor your blood pressure closely.

Dosing

Taurine is found in foods such as meat, seafood, and eggs. The typical Western diet includes 40-400 mg of taurine daily. It's also a common ingredient in energy drinks.

As medicine, taurine has most often been used by adults in doses of 6 grams by mouth daily for up to one year. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what dose might be best for a specific condition.

View References

CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

This copyrighted material is provided by Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Consumer Version. Information from this source is evidence-based and objective, and without commercial influence. For professional medical information on natural medicines, see Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Professional Version.
© Therapeutic Research Faculty 2020.