Taurine
Amino Acids
Overview
- Taurine (2‑aminoethanesulfonic acid) is a sulfur‑containing β‑amino acid.
- It is not incorporated into proteins but exists freely in high concentrations across mammalian tissues.
- High concentrations are found especially in the brain, retina, heart, and skeletal muscle.
- It functions primarily as a conditional “essential” nutrient.
- It supports osmoregulation, antioxidant defense, and calcium signaling.
- These functions together underlie its many physiological roles.
Chemistry
- Taurine’s chemical formula is C₂H₇NO₃S.
- Its molecular weight is 125.15 g·mol⁻¹.
- Its IUPAC name is 2‑aminoethanesulfonic acid.
- Structurally, it consists of an ethyl backbone.
- It bears a primary amine (–NH₂) at C‑2 and a sulfonic acid group (–SO₃⁻) at C‑1.
- This gives it a zwitterionic nature at physiological pH (pKa₁ ≈ 9.0 for the amine, pKa₂ ≈ 1.5 for the sulfonic acid).
- The sulfonate group confers strong hydrophilicity and resistance to metabolic oxidation.
- The amino group enables interaction with transporters (e.g., TauT, a Na⁺‑dependent taurine transporter).
- The molecule is highly soluble in water (>1 g mL⁻¹).
- It is stable across a wide pH range.
- This facilitates both oral absorption and formulation stability.
Sources & Quality
- Naturally, taurine is abundant in animal tissues.
- It is especially abundant in seafood, meat, and dairy.
- It exists as a free amino acid in these tissues.
- Commercially, taurine is produced primarily by a two‑step synthetic pathway.
- (1) ethylene oxide reacts with aqueous ammonia to give 2‑aminoethanol.
- (2) 2‑aminoethanol is then oxidized with sulfur dioxide to form the sulfonic acid group.
- This yields high‑purity (>99 %) taurine.
- Fermentation‑based biotechnological processes using E. coli engineered for taurine biosynthesis are emerging as “green” alternatives.
- For supplements, pharmaceutical‑grade taurine must meet USP or EP monographs.
- These specify limits on heavy metals (<10 ppm) and residual solvents (<0.1 %).
- Third‑party testing (e.g., NSF, In‑Form) is recommended.
- This verifies purity and absence of contaminants such as heavy metals or microbial toxins.
Where to Buy Taurine
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