Taurine help you live longer? Human trials expected to begin soon

Scientists at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians have found in research that if animals like monkeys, mice, and worms are given regular doses of taurine, they can live longer and healthier, according to a study report published in Nature.

Taking a cue from the research on animals, the human trial is expected very soon. Addressing a press conference in New York, Vijay Yadav, a genetics expert announced that the university is considering a multicentric and multinational trial in humans to determine if this chemical works equally on human beings also, as per the study.

But at the same time, he warned that people should not take taurine over the counter in the hope of a longer and healthier life. Taurine is a common ingredient in energy drinks and health supplements.


Scientists have found in many research that the naturally found amino acids decrease in animals with age. They have also concluded that the decrease in the level of amino acids can be offset by giving regular doses of taurine. The reputed magazine ‘Science’ has published an article on this research in its June 8 issue.

At the same time, scientists have also said that the process of aging is governed by many other factors as well and so no conclusion should be drawn in a hurry. Scientists across the world have worked tirelessly for more than a decade trying to find interventions that could combat the decline in health that come along with growing age.

The researchers at Columbia University have studied the level of chemicals like hormones, micronutrients, and metabolites, that are related to the process of aging. They zeroed in on taurine because earlier research has found it to be associated with immunity, bone health, and the functioning of the nervous system.

Vijay Yadav and his colleagues have measured the level of taurine in the blood of mice, monkeys, and humans and found that it decreases with age. They have found that the taurine level in a 15-year-old monkey was much less compared to that in a 5-year-old monkey.

It is yet to be established if the decline in the level of taurine was a result of aging or if it was the other way around. They fed a group of mice with the taurine solution and found that the lifespan increased by 12 percent in females and 10 percent in males.

FAQs

Q1. What is taurine?
A1. Taurine is a common ingredient of energy drinks and health supplements and have been found to increase the lifespan of animals.

Q2. Who has studied the effect of taurine on animals?
A2. A team of researchers under Vijay Yadav at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians have studied the impact of taurine on animals.