Taurine, Organic Acid Antioxidant for Human Health and Feline Health

Nutrient Family:     

• Phytonutrient/Phytochemicals:

               o  Sub-Group:         Organic Acid  (sometimes referred to as “amino acid”; in strict chemical terms, it is not an amino acid although it has been called that)

 

It is derived from Cysteine, an amino acid; also an antioxidant.

Taurine's Workings

Fat or Water Soluble Antioxidant: 

• Fat Soluble

 

While it itself is an antioxidant, it is also used to create another important antioxidant, Alpha Lipoic Acid. Alpha Lipoic Acid is made up of 3 antioxidants:

• Methionine
• Cysteine
• Taurine

Other functions, besides being an antioxidant:

• Production of bile acid
• Regulate water in cells
• Regulate calcium and other minerals in the cells and body
• Essential nutrient for:

                o  Cardiovascular function

                o  Development and function of skeletal muscle, retina and the central nervous system

• Essential for feline health in preventing certain diseases
• Essential for passerine birds' health
  

 

Where Is Taurine Found Naturally?

Found in body – accounts for up to 0.1% in human body weight:

• Bile
• Large intestine
• Brain
• Retina
• Heart
• Blood Cells

Found in the following foods:

• Meat
• Fish
• Breast Milk
• Eggs
• Cows milk (though very little)
• Seaweed

While excessive Taurine is excreted by the kidneys, it is important to not consume excessively, as long term effects of over consumption is still not known.

Health Benefits Of Taurine

Examples of the health benefits of Taurine:

• Control hypertension
• Congestive heart failure

               o  Improve functions and health of heart muscles

• For skeletal muscle health

• Needed for the production of bile

               o  Bile is required for fats metabolism

• Removes some type of toxins

                o  Lead

                 o  Cadmium

• Regulates calcium, potassium and magnesium in the cells and body
• Regulates electrolytes balance
• Lower blood cholesterol (in young adults)
• For epileptics

               o  For control of muscles twitches

• Glycation inhibitor (prevent cell damages due to high sugar related damages)

                o  Reduce formation of Age Glycation End products (AGE)

• Support patient with liver diseases
• Cystic fibrosis
• Diabetes

               o  Promote insulin sensitivity

                o  Promotes glucose control

• Alcoholism
• ADHD
• Autism
• Prevents obesity
• Helps reverse tinnitus

Taurine is essential for the health of some animals:

• Cats

                o  To prevent against central retina degeneration (CRD) which can cause irreversible blindness

                o  To prevent feline dilated cardiomyopathy (weaken heart muscles that can cause failure of the hear and other organs)

• Passerine birds

               o  For development of their young ones

Some Precautions

Synthetic  form of Taurine can cause:

• High blood pressure
• Seizures
• Heart diseases

 

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