Taurine, can it keep the heart young?

Aging leads to a reduction in the functional capabilities of the heart. As such, aging is generally associated with reduced exercise capacity and declining cardiovascular health. Thus, many people are becoming interested in ways to remain active and improve heart health over the lifespan. One supplement that shows promise in this area is taurine. Formed from cysteine, taurine is a conditionally essential amino acid found in high concentration in “excitable” tissue—like the heart, brain, and skeletal muscle.

A recent double-blind and randomized control trial evaluated the effectiveness taurine supplementation on functional capacity and heart health in patients with heart failure. The researchers reported that volunteers who took 500 mg of taurine, 3-times per day, for 2-weeks had significant improvements in physical capacity and cardiovascular health following exercise. 

ACTION POINT: Taurine’s skeletal muscle benefits range from increased force output to increased muscle recovery—such benefits may also extend to the heart muscle. For best results, take 3 g of taurine within the workout window (e.g., 2 g preworkout and 1 g intraworkout). On non-training days, take 0.5 to 1 g, up to 3 times per day. *If you suffer from diagnosed or undiagnosed cardiovascular issues, discuss with your physician before embarking on an exercise or supplement regimen. 

Reference: Ahmadian M, Dabidi Roshan V, Ashourpore E. Taurine Supplementation Improves Functional Capacity, Myocardial Oxygen Consumption, and Electrical Activity in Heart Failure. J Diet Suppl. 2017 Jul 4;14(4):422-432.