Taurine (L-taurine amino acid)

[Altostrata]

Very good news. For some people, taurine is a regulatory (calming) substance.

[Petunia]

My Taurine arrived this morning    So far so good.  It was about 10am, so I was still under the spell of the cortisol fairy, good time to try it out.  I had bought the Now brand, 500mg capsules.  I resisted the urge to swallow down a whole capsule and instead opened one up and shook out half of the powder.  I fumbled around trying to put the capsule back together in my half dark kitchen, for some reason, I had forgotten electricity and lights had been invented.  Then my frustration got the better or me and I just poured the remaining power into my mouth and went in search of my half finished mug of warm milk to wash it down with.

 

After about half an hour, I thought I noticed a slight physical easing of body tension.  Then after about an hour I suddenly felt very tired and attempted to go to sleep, so far something which has been impossible at that time of day due to high cortisol.  I actually dozed off for a few minutes but was woken by the usual surge of adrenaline, but it was only at about 50% strength and disappeared within seconds, usually those things last a couple of minutes and are followed by surges of heat and sweating.

 

After 2 hours my body was feeling as calm and relaxed as it usually does around 9pm when I'm able to lay on my bed calmly listening to all the noises which feel like torture during the day.  So I just laid there, wondering if I was imagining it.  Wondering if this was a placebo effect, wondering if at any second I would pop back into my usual awful reality, so I just laid there savoring the moment.  Then I realized I was bored, very strange, to be relaxed enough during the day to be bored.  So I got up and started on the kitchen and it was true, there were no surges of fear and dread with almost everything my eyes encountered.

 

Its been 4 hours now and its so nice to be feeling so........dare I say 'normal' at this time of day.  The last two things I tried Relora and Seriphos, certainly had effects, the Relora put me into a kind of drugged, depressed sleep and the Seriphos did something, but it went paradoxical very fast.  I suppose this could too, but so far so good.

 

So far, I'm feeling physically relaxed and mentally alert.  I think I will go buy some milk, see how that feels.

 

edited to add: my appetite arrived early at 11am, rather than the middle of the afternoon like it usually does, I can rarely eat solid food before 2pm.

Edited February 17, 2014 by Petu

[lexhex]

I had appetite issues also. So I understand, but try to eat one small thing when you wake up. An apple is usually benign. I take my morning taurine with this.

 

I'm glad you already see a change. Taurine isn't stimulating so don't be wary. It has no known or recorded side effects.

 

I've also noticed that I'm getting more sleepy during the day. This is new for me since I haven't been able to close my eyes during the day for more than a year without the surges either. It seems that I am not surging at all now.

 

My sleep at night is still not normal, but not as terror stricken as it was before and the frequency of episodes have diminished.

[lexhex]

As an aside, I know a lot of people get poop out on supplements, but the cardio benefits of taurine are well documented regarding atrial fibrillation, so even if it stops calling me down, I'll still keep taking it for the reduction in afib episodes that plague me every month.

[Altostrata]

Correct, taurine is supposed to be good for heart health and arrhythmia.

 

However, it can be stimulating at higher doses. The amount that will trigger this reaction varies from person to person. So more will not necessarily be better when it comes to taurine.

[lexhex]

That's why I'm so cautious. Nice and slow, at reasonable doses so I don't blow by the benefits. I wish we could just press a button and be better but everything takes time. I'm grateful for every positive step I can get.

[Petunia]

From Wellness Resources  http://www.wellnessresources.com/studies/taurine_activates_gaba_receptors/

 

Taurine Activates GABA Receptors

 

Comments: An important finding that supports the use of supplemental taurine to assist relaxation and sleep via the boosting of GABA nerve transmission.

 

Study Title:Taurine is a potent activator of extrasynaptic GABA(A) receptors in the thalamus.

 

From press release:

Taurine is one of the most plentiful amino acids in the human brain, but neuroscientists are still puzzled by just how brain cells put it to use. Now, a team of researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College (WCMC) has uncovered a prime site of activity for the molecule, bringing them closer to solving that mystery.

 

“We have discovered that taurine is a strong activator of what are known as GABA [gamma-aminobutyric acid] receptors in a regulatory area of the brain called the thalamus,” said study senior author Neil L. Harrison, professor of pharmacology and pharmacology in anesthesiology at WCMC. “We had discovered these receptors two years ago and showed that they interact with the neurotransmitter GABA—the brain’s key inhibitory transmitter—that is also involved in brain development. It seems that taurine shares these receptors.”

 

“Scientists have long questioned whether taurine might act on an as-yet-undiscovered receptor of its own,” said lead researcher Fan Jia, postdoctoral scientist in anesthesiology. “But after some recent work in our lab, we ended up zeroing in on this population of GABA receptors in the thalamus.”  The thalamus, located deep in the brain’s center, is involved in what neuroscientists call “behavioral state control,” helping to regulate transitions between sleep and wakefulness, for example.

 

“It’s like a railway junction, controlling information traffic between the brainstem, the senses and the executive functions in the cortex,” Harrison said. The researchers exposed thin slices of thalamic tissue from the brains of mice to concentrations of taurine that were similar to what might be found in the human brain.

 

“We found that taurine is extraordinarily active on this population of GABA receptors in the thalamus,” Harrison said. “It came as a bit of a surprise that the same receptor was used by both taurine and GABA. Nevertheless, finding taurine’s receptor has been like discovering the ‘missing link’ in taurine biology.”

 

Now, Harrison’s group is trying to determine what taurine actually does in the brain; Harrison said that because GABA is important for forging new cell-to-cell connections in the developing brain, “and because taurine shares a receptor with GABA, it, too, may play a role in neurological development.”

 

Full study can be found here:

 

http://www.jneurosci.org/content/28/1/106.full

 

Please note: Taurine can be stimulating in high doses, so if you are going to try it, start with a low dose to find out how it will effect you.

 

[Petunia]

Thank you lexhex for starting this thread, I'm so happy I read about your experience.  I've been taking taurine for 4 days now, have settled on 250mg 3 times a day.  Of course its not fixing everything but its such a relief to be without the horrendous waves of fear, dread and frightening thoughts.  I just got back from the mall and this is the first time in ages that I've been there and everything hasn't looked all weird and distorted, I've still got some fairly intense physical symptoms going on, but they are easy to deal with now that I'm not overwhelmed with fear and dread all the time.

 

I hope its still working well for you.

[lexhex]

So far so good. Like you, it's keeping the daily waves of intense fear and panic at bay, and when I do get a little nervous, it doesn't spiral completely out of control. Also doing a great job of controlling the morning anxiety. Because I am perimenopausal, I get intense cyclical symptoms that usually cause problems for me at night. The closer I get to ovulation or my period, the worse things usually get. The Taurine seems to be helping with those hormonal shifts - particularly the monthly afib episodes. Last month was the first month I didn't have one just before my period. I am, still, however, dealing with insomnia and some frequent wakenings with ovulation only moments away. And the Taurine doesn't do much to cover the nightmares I get from both withdrawal and the beta blockers. But I will take the improvements I have been given because things are so much better. I can actually see light at the end of the tunnel now and I don't feel nearly as powerless as I did.

 

If I can get through this month with fewer hormonal symptoms, and it reduces the day to say symptoms, I'd call it a success.

 

I'm glad you are seeing some benefit.

[Fitby50]

Thanks Lexhex for this info. about a possible miracle cure.  T-hee  I know it is not a cure, but anything that can help to calm the nerves sounds like a miracle to me.  I too, am having hormone issues that I believe are causing some of my bad waves, but since I am no longer having a period, I never know where my cycle is at during the month.  I get intense anger/irritability with my anxiety where my temper is ignited in 0 seconds.  My poor mop had a fatal demise the other day after I beat it against the trash can.  It would also be nice to wake up in the morning without intense fear and a racing mind that only focuses on the worst things currently going on in my life.  Which are not really that terrible, but seem to be blown way out of proportion by my  nervous thoughts.  I will check out the link you recommended and thanks Petu as well for letting us know how it has been working for you.  This will be an exciting thread to keep track of how many of us may find relief from this product.

[lexhex]

Keep me posted on how it goes for you.

[btdt]

I think we should do a study on taurine... 

 

This is one of the things I have not reacted badly to... and I react to everything mind you I kept my dose low always.  Till I tried it for migraines and found it helped with jitters I got from coffee the only time I heard the word before was when I was going to make my own cat food cats need taurine. 

I found this link interesting yet still warn against using too much too fast... I don't trust anything ... start slow you can always go up but can't take it back after a bad reaction starts.  While I find this article interesting I worry folks here will go high and fast like it says to do... try to take it easy to start with at least and read the effects of too much taurine. 

 

here is some interesting information about taurine from this site...

http://drlwilson.com/Articles/TAURINE.HTM

 

 

"Of all the amino acids present in humans, taurine is the most abundant. Unfortunately, it is also deficient in more individuals than any other amino acid. Eighty-six percent of significantly depressed individuals are deficient in taurine. This deficiency may become symptomatic in virtually any organ system, since taurine's major metabolic role is regulation of the electrical charge on cell membranes, a role synergistic with magnesium.

 

Heart muscle and the retina contain the highest concentration of taurine. Overall, taurine drastically counteracts or down-regulates the body's stress reaction, helping stabilize carbohydrate metabolism, insulin levels and epinephrine levels and muscle tension.

 

As a mild sedative to the nervous system, taurine is anti-nociceptive - it assists in reducing pain, as well as assisting in regulation of serotonin, prolactin, growth hormone, immune function and cholesterol metabolism."

Found that bit amazing. 

 

effects you don't want.

Possible Side Effects of Taurine Supplementation
Possible symptoms of toxicity from taurine supplementation include diarrhea and peptic ulcers.

The potential for ulcers arises from the fact that taurine stimulates gastric acid production. For many people who are low in stomach acid, including the elderly and autistic children, gastric acid production could be a benefit.

However, if you have plenty of stomach acid or are taking hydrochloric acid (HCl) to aid your digestion, you may want to discuss this with your doctor or discontinue your HCl supplements when supplementing with taurine.

Supplements that Enhance Taurine Production

Vitamin D3, 1000 - 2000 IU

Zinc

Vitamin A

P5P (active form of vitamin B6) - jet airline fuel creates airborne carbonyl residues which may block the conversion of B6 to P5P in your body. Depending on where you live, there maybe significant jet fuel residues in the air and on the ground.

Glutamine supplementation increases plasma taurine in trauma patients and stressed rats.

 

 

I personally don't buy that last bit... if D3 does not help me sleep but keeps me awake.. and B6 makes me so depressed I can't lift my head.  I am an odd duck... am putting this here to remind people we are all different... try it and see... go slow... don't believe all you hear 

start slow. 

[lexhex]

Like everything else, our individual experiences will vary. I'm maintaining my 500 mg dose twice a day and I'm not having issues. It seems to be regulating my angry metabolism quite nicely. Seen significant improvement since early February and am even able to tolerate carbohydrates in my diet now, something I was unable to do before. Sleep still not perfect, but showing improvement.

[Fitby50]

I was able to find Taurine made by Bluebonnet at my local Coop store, which only came in 500mg.  It says it is free-form, which I do not know what that means or if it is different then your Now brand.  I tried one pill before bed and not sure if coincidence, but I ended up waking up at 4am  in the morning instead of normal 6am and was wide awake with same anxiety as usual.  I took another 500mg right before breakfast and thought that I had a pretty good day with less anxiety then usual.  I have continued with the one in am and one in pm for past 2 days.  I don't think that I am having much resolve from the amount I have tried thus far.  I plan to skip a few days and try again.  Yesterday I took one before breakfast and then another before my lunch and it ended up being a pretty crappy day with same anxiety and pretty high irritability.  Currently my day to day anxiety is tolerable and by late afternoon is much better.  Maybe if I was still having the days of high anxiety, I would find more relief from the Taurine.  Just thought I would check in and give an update. 

[lexhex]

With respect to the "form" of the supplement, you can find a good answer here: http://www.fallonpharmacy.com/Taurine-500-mg-p813.html

Because you are still actively tapering, the aminos may work differently for you. I have been off all psychiatric meds since October of 2012, and the only other thing I take is a small dose of beta blocker. Maybe those still in active withdrawal don't see much of an impact from such a small supplement. Because my body has had time to settle and clear a bit, I may get greater relief because the Taurine isn't competing for attention with anything else. Who knows? All I know is that since about 2 weeks after I began taking it, I have had no morning anxiety, and no Afib episodes at night. My daily anxiety and panic attacks have diminished significantly. I have to repeat that it does NOTHING to help me sleep. I still wake up a couple of times during the night, but I'm not climbing the walls when I do. I have not slept more than 5 hours at a time since July of 2012. Maybe you should stick with it for a while and see what happens.

 

I avoid caffeine and refined sugars, stay hydrated but avoid blowing out my electrolytes by drinking too much and I stick to a low glycemic index diet to keep from getting adrenalne surges and cortisol spikes. Even doing all this consistently did not give me as much relief as this Taurine has.

[Barbarannamated]

]I personally don't buy that last bit... if D3 does not help me sleep but keeps me awake.. and B6 makes me so depressed I can't lift my head. I am an odd duck... am putting this here to remind people we are all different... try it and see... go slow... don't believe all you hear [/indent]

I'll throw my 2¢ in here...

 

I'm also an odd duck and have noticed similar reactions to yours, Btdt.

 

Last week, I ordered NOW brand of Taurine 500mg caps after reading of others' success in quelling the morning anxiety and dread. Before it arrived, I happened to be out and bought a bottle of GNC taurine 500mg. While still in the car, I bit off a tiny piece of the caplet -- maybe 1/4 of the 500mg caplet. Within an hour, I was feeling slightly edgy with minor pain in my GI tract, as if the pill didn't go down all the way or burned slightly. I can stomach most anything, but do get this when I've taken Aleve/naproxen.

 

I didn't take anymore of the GNC taurine, unsure of the quality and a little spooked by the edginess the very low dose caused. I received the NOW taurine the following day and took a similar small dose. It produced the same effect -- edginess, stomach pain, slight palpitations (maybe due to anxiety of taking new product).

 

That was enough of a trial for me; i have not taken it again. I was very disappointed in my response, but since reading Petu's continued experience, I feel that I have been farther along the "anxiety - exhaustion" spectrum for quite awhile (toward exhaustion). I do still wake with palpitations, but the anxiety morphed to dread of life quite awhile ago. I have significant life issues and feel isolated and trapped in my situation, so I consider the dread "justified", for lack of a better word.

 

I appreciate everyone's input on this topic. I am very relieved that I didn't take a larger dose.

 

Just to clarify.... the "anxiety - exhaustion spectrum" is an attempt to describe my own experience with withdrawal. Earlier withdrawal was, for me, characterized by anxiety. I'm not suggesting this is a generalizable progression.

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

Hi Barb,

 don't know if this might help but here is my experience.

 

I decided on trying the taurine for heart palpitations in addition to hoping it would have a calming effect like Petu. I got mine at the health food store (solgar brand) and it is a powder inside a gelatin capsule. I bought empty capsules too so I could start with tiny doses. I split a 500 mg cap into fours and I think I was a bit edgy too after taking the first one. Mainly anxious in case it was stimulating. This was late afternoon, took another 4th before bed. It has been a couple of days now and tho I still have periods of 'edginess' I think I am a bit calmer, especially if I wake in the middle of the night and try to fall back asleep. I would get so angry when something woke me that I would pound the bed and throw my blankets around. That hasn't happened since. I may wake but can manage to fall asleep again.

 

Since we are all so different in our eating, water drinking, exercise habits, it is hard to tell why anything works. And why it has different effects. I also take a 100 mg mag glycinate tablet 4 times a day, one right before bed. That one definitely helps with the achy-ness in my legs (from too much sitting still) and keeps the gut anxiety at bay.

 

I wrote a note in Petu's thread about the wiki article on taurine and how it helps in nerve transmission. Maybe her dramatic effect is due to the ability of the taurine to settle her prolonged extreme state, who knows?

 

So you may want to, if you try it again, use the powder and take it with food in yor stomach.

 

sending you caring thoughts

[btdt]

I think we need to be careful not to be seeing any one thing as a magic bullet as that is what got us here in the first place.  One more thing I would like to say there may be a cumulative effect.... as in when I took a few days worth of something I would react at a later date.  Sometimes the reaction would take a long time to go away days or wks. 

 

Please be mindful and careful.  

 

I found taurine useful when I had too much coffee trying to head off a migraine... the caffine made me very edgy taurine helped me with that type of I am going to jump out of my skin edginess. 

 

I think we need better words to describe what we are feeling low and draining anxiety is not the same as the jump out of the skin type... but we may interpret the word "anxiety" in many different ways.   

[btdt]

At one point when I had exhaustion and anxiety I tried a liquid supplement recommended by my usual health food guy... it did help but after a few wks the effects changed and I had to stop taking it. This can happen so be watchful. 

 I had the name and content of this liquid posted on another site and do not recall the name I will try to get to the store and find out the name of it. Maybe give it another try.   

 

From years of reading about this topic I have learned certain supplements can have different effects on the same person depending where they are in the withdrawal ... generally earlier stages of withdrawal can be a time supplements do not sit well with many.  This is not the case for all and I have no idea why. 

[btdt]

I just read one of Rhi links on the first page and found I could have saved my breath read altos post 17... first link of Rhi's group of links on this page 1 

Always read as much as you can find on a subject before taking if you can. 

[lexhex]

Just to be clear - when I refer to anxiety - I mean crawling out of my skin, racing heart, rolling stomach, frequent urination, shaking, trembling and physically fearful. I woke up to this physical state EVERY morning for more than a year. And I would have intermittent episodes of the same feelings, but to a lesser degree plague me throughout the day. I was always on the verge of a full-blown panic attack, and any overstimulation would push me over.

 

To clarify further - I was extremely fatigued during the early months of withdrawal when I was suffering from absolute insomnia and not sleeping at all - but I was never exhausted. I was always stuck to the ceiling like a cat, so feelings of exhaustion couldn't exist in the same space.

[btdt]

They are two very different states I know them both this may help narrow down what taurine is good for and what it isn't. 

Jumping out of you skin is not the same as low intensity grinding away at you anxiety... tho they both steal you peace.

[lexhex]

I know that Taurine is used in Red Bull to counter the effects of caffeine. But my primary reason for taking it is the elimination of my atrial fibrillation that occurs while I sleep. I have not had an episode since I began the supplement. The fact it is helping with the anxiety and other issues was an unintended and unexpected benefit.

[Fitby50]

Lexhex, thanks for this post and I glad that you have found a supplement that can help you feel better.  I had your type of anxiety only for a short few months and how you managed a whole year is beyond me.  I know that I am not out of the woods yet and most likely have some worse anxiety ahead, so I plan to keep the Taurine in my arsenal for a later place in time.  I think right now for me, it is the anger and irritability that I am having such a hard time with.   I keep finding info. about women low in hormones having these symptoms, and I wish I could find something that could level them out.  I also have the hot flashes, but yet I am COLD all the time too, which can be withdrawl and the hormones.  So, if I wasn't hitting menopause age, I keep wondering what symptoms I might not have to be going through, or I would at least know that it is only caused by the AD withdrawl.

[Petunia]

I'm sorry that some people are not having the hoped for positive results from taking this supplement, I know how disheartening it is to try something which has helped someone else, only to find it doesn't work.  I have bags full of supplements I've tried over the last few years.

 

I've tried to be specific in my thread about exactly which symptoms/sensations this is stopping, its a very narrow band.  I was worried that it would come across as a general 'anxiety' cure.  But as lexhex wrote above, it only seems to work for the extreme end, wanting to claw you way out of your own skin feeling. 

 

For me, it has only been taking the edge off the shaking, trembling and physical anxiety, its worked well for stopping negative thought cycles and waves of fear in my stomach. I'm still getting hot flashes, sweats and cold chills which sometimes wake me through the night.

 

I've been taking 250mg 2 - 3 times a day.  This morning I woke up at 3am and even though I wasn't in the anxious agony I would have been for hours as soon as it started getting light, a little bit of the old feeling was there, maybe at 25% strength.  I'm going to try going back to 500mg

 

Fitby50 - I'm also wondering how much of this, if any,  is caused by menopause.

[lexhex]

Yes, ladies, peri menopause absolutely causes many of these symptoms. What the ADs does for peri menopausal symptoms is it completely alleviates them. No sweats, no insomnia. No palpitations, no digestive issues. No anxiety. A perfect lid for a raging pot. What do you think happens when you take the lid off?

[Barbarannamated]

Petu,

 

You explain and describe feelings - physical, emotional, "spiritual" - as well as I can imagine anyone doing! I think I suspected, on some level, that my "anxiety/agitation" was different than yours and went cautiously for that reason. I am grateful for all you contribute.

 

B

[tezza]

Barb, you're not sensitive to a whole lot of things are you? I do remember the steroids affecting you but it seems like you can usually take things ok. If I'm wrong, please correct me.

 

I suppose if I try it, I should only try a small tad, too, even though I'm not usually hyper-sensitive.

 

I appreciate everyone's input in this thread, too.

[Fitby50]

Lexhex, I do like that analogy about the pot and taking off the lid, oh my, that is how I feel for sure, like it is all spilling over now, all 17 years worth.  The pot and the stove are all one big mess.  Its like all your emotions are boiling to the top and for a bit you are anxious, then anger, then fearful, or all of them at one time, and dread, and pain and sorrow. Geez, no wonder by bedtime, I call fall asleep after my emotional pot boiling over every dang day.  Yea, sleep for a few hours until the cortisol pot starts boiling. T-hee

[Barbarannamated]

Barb, you're not sensitive to a whole lot of things are you? I do remember the steroids affecting you but it seems like you can usually take things ok. If I'm wrong, please correct me.

Tezza,

I haven't tried too many new things, so I'm not sure how sensitive I am. Also, my condition has never gotten stable so it's hard to determine exactly what's causing what.

 

Sorry to not be more helpful.

[btdt]

Because of my pancreas issues I looked up taurine and pancreas. 

 

Found a lot of tech sites I do not understand... but his one I do. 

"

Synthesis

Taurine is a naturally occurring compound present in the muscles and other tissues of virtually all animals. When it's considered an amino acid, it is the most abundant chemically available amino acid in the heart and muscles of animals. In mammals, taurine is synthesized in the pancreas or testes from the amino acid cysteine. Taurine is a major constituent of bile, and was first isolated from ox bile in 1827. Most commercial taurine is chemically synthesized."

"

Neurology

According to the Mayo Clinic, taurine supports neurological development. An article in the journal Experimental Neurology firmly linked taurine levels with the function of nerve cells in rats. In an experiment, depletion of taurine reduced the conductivity of the sciatic nerve in certain rats. Because taurine is also a vasodilator, that is, it causes blood vessels to expand, depletion of taurine also reduced blood flow to the rats' nerves."

"

Skeletal Muscles

A study in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal linked taurine with development and maintenance of skeletal muscles. During the experiment, the taurine in the muscle tissue of rats was almost completely depleted. As a result, the skeletal muscles of these rats began to display abnormalities and impaired function. Curiously, the hearts of these rats, a different type of muscle, was not effected by taurine depletion. The conclusion, therefore, was that taurine plays a specific role in skeletal muscles.

If this is true how it taurine helping with heart symptoms... are these symptoms caused by neurological issues?  Something to think about. Or a blood flow issue?  I have no idea just presenting some thoughts.  

Diabetes

Taurine is a potent antioxidant that might play a critical role in mitigating the cellular effects of diabetes. An article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that taurine inhibited the development of a particular type of diabetes caused by degradation of pancreatic cells by free radical oxygen. The study also demonstrated taurine's ability to increase insulin sensitivity in type-2 diabetic rats, and to reduce blood cholesterol by boosting bile production.

 

 

[Altostrata]

btdt, please provide links whenever you quote something. Thank you.

[lexhex]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16797868

 

Taurine for Heart Arrhythmia. Government Site. Pub Med Article. Gives citations as well.

[btdt]

Because of my pancreas issues I looked up taurine and pancreas. 

 

Found a lot of tech sites I do not understand... but his one I do. 

"

Synthesis

Taurine is a naturally occurring compound present in the muscles and other tissues of virtually all animals. When it's considered an amino acid, it is the most abundant chemically available amino acid in the heart and muscles of animals. In mammals, taurine is synthesized in the pancreas or testes from the amino acid cysteine. Taurine is a major constituent of bile, and was first isolated from ox bile in 1827. Most commercial taurine is chemically synthesized."

"

Neurology

According to the Mayo Clinic, taurine supports neurological development. An article in the journal Experimental Neurology firmly linked taurine levels with the function of nerve cells in rats. In an experiment, depletion of taurine reduced the conductivity of the sciatic nerve in certain rats. Because taurine is also a vasodilator, that is, it causes blood vessels to expand, depletion of taurine also reduced blood flow to the rats' nerves."

"

Skeletal Muscles

A study in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal linked taurine with development and maintenance of skeletal muscles. During the experiment, the taurine in the muscle tissue of rats was almost completely depleted. As a result, the skeletal muscles of these rats began to display abnormalities and impaired function. Curiously, the hearts of these rats, a different type of muscle, was not effected by taurine depletion. The conclusion, therefore, was that taurine plays a specific role in skeletal muscles.

If this is true how it taurine helping with heart symptoms... are these symptoms caused by neurological issues?  Something to think about. Or a blood flow issue?  I have no idea just presenting some thoughts.  

Diabetes

Taurine is a potent antioxidant that might play a critical role in mitigating the cellular effects of diabetes. An article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that taurine inhibited the development of a particular type of diabetes caused by degradation of pancreatic cells by free radical oxygen. The study also demonstrated taurine's ability to increase insulin sensitivity in type-2 diabetic rats, and to reduce blood cholesterol by boosting bile production.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/209796-how-does-taurine-work-in-the-body/

 

pancreas again.

Effect of taurine and beta-alanine on morphological changes of pancreas in streptozotocin-induced rats.

Chang KJ.

Author information

 

Abstract

In order to determine the effects of taurine supplementation or depletion on the morphological changes of pancreatic beta-cells in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed the purified diets supplemented with 1, 2 or 3% taurine or 5% beta-alanine in their drinking water for 7 weeks. After 3 weeks, diabetes was induced by streptozotocin injection (50 mg/kg body-weight). Pancreatic morphology was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The pancreatic beta-cell of the non-diabetic (CO) group had the many secretory granules, rough endoplasmic reticulum and rod shaped mitochondria. However, the beta-cells of non taurine-supplemented diabetic (EO) group were severely damaged, showing depleted secretory granules. In the 1% taurine-supplemented diabetic group, the beta-cells were less damaged compared to the EO group and had some apparently normal secretory granules, but most of rough endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria was destroyed. The beta-cell of 2% taurine-supplemented diabetic group had swollen rough endoplasmic reticulum, round-shaped mitochondria and some apparently normal secretory granules. The beta-cell of 3% taurine-supplemented diabetic group was little different from that of non-diabetic group. The pancreatic beta-cell of taurine-depleted diabetic group was not destroyed but had many small secretory granules which appeared immature. This was reflected in the blood glucose concentrations of this group. Therefore, taurine may prevent insulin-dependent diabetes by protection of the pancreatic beta-cell and may also preserve normal secretory granules. From these results, taurine supplementation may be recommended for prevention and treatment of diabetes.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11787643

 

[btdt]

I will look more when I feel better. 

[btdt]

wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurine#Physiological_functions

 

I cherry picked this if you want to read it all see the link.

"Taurine is essential for cardiovascular function, and development and function of skeletal muscle, the retina and the central nervous system.^[21]"

 

"Taurine has also been shown to help people with congestive heart failure by increasing the force and effectiveness of heart-muscle contractions.^[43]"

 

^"Taurine crosses the blood–brain barrier^[23][24][25] and has been implicated in a wide array of physiological phenomena including inhibitory neurotransmission,^[26] long-term potentiation in thestriatum/hippocampus,^[27] membrane stabilization,^[28] feedback inhibition of neutrophil/macrophage respiratory burst, adipose tissue regulation and possible prevention of obesity,^[29][30] calciumhomeostasis,^[31] recovery from osmotic shock,^[32] protection against glutamate excitotoxicity^[33] and prevention of epileptic seizures.^[34]"

 

(Long-term potentiation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-term_potentiation‎

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In neuroscience, long-term potentiation (LTP) is a long-lasting enhancement in signal transmission between two neurons that results from stimulating them ...)

"Taurine is necessary for normal skeletal muscle functioning. This was shown by a 2004 study^[11] using mice with a genetic taurine deficiency. They had a nearly complete depletion of skeletal and cardiac muscle taurine levels. These mice had a reduction of more than 80% of exercise capacity compared to control mice. The authors expressed themselves as "surprised" their cardiac function showed as largely normal (given various other studies about effects of taurine on the heart).

Studies have shown taurine can influence (and possibly reverse) defects in nerve blood flow, motor nerve conduction velocity, and nerve sensory thresholds in experimental diabetic neuropathic rats.^[49][50]"

 

Toxicity

Taurine is involved in a number of crucial physiological processes. However, the role of taurine in these processes is not clearly understood and the influence of high taurine doses on these processes is uncertain. A substantial increase in the plasma concentration of growth hormone was reported in some epileptic patients during taurine tolerance testing (oral dose of 50 mg per kg body mass per day), suggesting a potential to stimulate the hypothalamus and to modify neuroendocrine function. A 1966 study found an indication that taurine (2 g/day) has some function in the maintenance and possibly in the induction of psoriasis.^[8] Three later studies failed to support that finding.^[60][61][62] It may also be necessary to take into consideration that absorption of taurine from beverages may be more rapid than from foods.^[8]

 

^{I checked that number 8 in the last line took me here. http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/scf/out22_en.html}

^{where I read this}

^"  Administration of 0.4% taurine in drinking water to guinea pigs for 2 weeks, corresponding to 462 mg/kg bw/day, led to fatty infiltration of the liver. ⁶⁴ In a 2-week study with rats receiving 1% taurine in drinking water (about 2.6 g/kg bw/day) changes in neutral lipids, phospholipids and enzyme activities related to lipid metabolism in liver microsomal membranes were observed. ⁶⁶ In neither study was a no-effect level established. In other studies of longer duration, parameters corresponding to those described above were not examined."

and this

"Animal experiments show that taurine protects against many adverse effects induced by xenobiotics. On the other hand, taurine also has the capacity to enhance chemically induced toxicity, e.g. taurine not only suppresses but also enhances lipid peroxide formation in the liver induced by carbon tetrachloride depending on the experimental conditions. ^73,74 It should be noted that the combination of taurine with caffeine has not been studied with respect to any interactions."

 

No I am not smart enough to tell you what it all means.. to us if anything... wish I had studied more when I had a good brain.