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What is the Amino Acid Taurine and How Does It Boost My Health?

What is the Amino Acid Taurine and How Does It Boost My Health

Darrell Miller

04/26/11

Date: April 26, 2011 02:26 PM
Author: Darrell Miller (dm@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: What is the Amino Acid Taurine and How Does It Boost My Health

Taurine is a nutrient that improves cellular processes by regulating mineral salts in the human body. Many people consider it as an amino acid as it is derived from seafood and meats. It is not an amino acid in the strictest sense, but a naturally occurring sulfonic acid. It is pivotal to removing the water in the bile. Bile acids are produced in the liver in the presence of taurine and stored in the gallbladder.

Enhances Physical Capacity

Many energy drinks describe taurine as an active ingredient. Several groups of researchers believe it affects athletic performance, drawing on its biological roles. For one, taurine is necessary for the upkeep of skeletal muscles, and in athletes appears to lengthen duration of physical exertion. Also, it is implicated in chemical reactions in the nervous system, boosting mental clarity.

Counteracts Hypertension

There is evidence that taurine has an effect on blood flow. In the circulatory system, taurine is important to regulating the level of water and minerals. It is widely accepted that it modulates the movement of elements and their metabolites in the blood, such as calcium, potassium, and sodium. In fact, taurine has been observed to significantly decrease high blood pressure in hypertensive patients.

Promotes Liver Health

Taurine is especially good for the health. Numerous studies have noted the effects of high levels of taurine on liver cells. It has been proven effective in removing any adiposity in the organ. Clinical trials have published results that emphasize its benefits to people with liver diseases, such as hepatitis and cirrhosis. It has also been observed that high intake of taurine counters hangover.

Lowers Serum Lipid Levels

In the liver, taurine plays an important role in inhibiting the releases of apolipoproteins, a class of proteins that bind with lipids to form lipoproteins. Apolipoprotein B makes up very-low-density lipoproteins and low-density lipoproteins, or what we refer to as bad cholesterol. This is the reason why taurine has been suggested to help people afflicted with cardiovascular diseases.

Normalizes Blood Sugar

It has been postulated that taurine protects the beta cells of the pancreas, the organ responsible for the manufacture of the insulin. Patients diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus have been reported to experience an improvement in insulin levels. Taurine is also helpful for type 2 diabetes as it also appears to enhance glucose sensitivity of cells, thereby decreasing glucose levels in the blood.

Scavenges Free Radicals

Taurine is an antioxidant known for its wide-ranging benefits. It is almost always associated with oxidative stress brought on by physical exertion as it protects the skeletal muscles from the damaging effects of free radicals. More importantly, it protects the liver, the pancreas, and the circulatory system from the toxic by-products of metabolism, notably during oxidation of chemical compounds.

Given the health benefits of Taurine, everybody should be taking some daily!