Taurine Boosts Lifespan in Aging Study

clinical-trial PMID: 37289866

Quick Summary: Research found that taurine levels drop as we age. Giving taurine to mice and monkeys increased their healthy lifespan. Lower taurine levels in humans were linked to age-related diseases.

What The Research Found

Scientists discovered that the amount of taurine in our bodies goes down as we get older. They gave taurine supplements to mice and monkeys. The mice lived longer (10-12% longer!), and the monkeys seemed healthier. In humans, people with less taurine in their blood were more likely to have age-related health problems.

Study Details

Who was studied: Mice, monkeys, and humans.

How long: Mice took taurine for 2 years, monkeys for 6 months. The human part looked at people's health over time.

What they took: Mice got taurine in their water. Monkeys got it as a supplement.

What This Means For You

This research suggests that taurine might help slow down aging. It's too early to say for sure if it will do the same for humans. Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly can help maintain healthy taurine levels.

Study Limitations

The study only showed a link between taurine and health in humans, it didn't prove that taurine causes better health. The monkey study was small. More research is needed to know if taurine supplements are safe and effective for people.

Key Findings

This multi-species study demonstrated that circulating taurine levels decline significantly with age across mice, monkeys, and humans. Taurine supplementation reversed this decline and increased median lifespan by 10-12% in mice (p<0.05) and improved healthspan metrics in mice and monkeys. Key mechanisms included reduced cellular senescence (p<0.01), attenuated mitochondrial dysfunction (p<0.05), decreased DNA damage (p<0.01), and lower inflammaging markers (p<0.05). In humans, lower taurine levels correlated strongly with age-related diseases (cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity; p<0.001), while acute endurance exercise increased taurine concentrations.

Study Design

This was a longitudinal observational study in humans combined with interventional experiments in model organisms. Human data came from cohorts totaling >12,000 participants (ages 20-100+). Mice (n=140, C57BL/6, 14 months old at intervention start) received taurine for 2 years. Rhesus monkeys (n=7, 15-19 years old) received 6 months of supplementation. Caenorhabditis elegans (worms) were also tested. The human component measured taurine levels relative to age and disease status but did not involve supplementation.

Dosage & Administration

Mice received 500 mg/kg or 1,000 mg/kg taurine daily via drinking water. Monkeys received 250 mg/kg/day orally. Human equivalent doses were estimated at 4-8 g/day based on body surface area scaling. Supplementation lasted 2 years in mice and 6 months in monkeys, starting at mid-life.

Results & Efficacy

Taurine increased median mouse lifespan by 10-12% (p<0.05) and improved grip strength (15%, p=0.02), glucose tolerance (20% improvement, p=0.01), and bone density (12%, p=0.03). In monkeys, it reduced fasting glucose (15%, p=0.04) and increased bone mineral density (8%, p=0.03). Cellular assays showed 30-50% reductions in senescence markers (p<0.01) and 25% lower DNA damage (p<0.05). Human observational data revealed 2-3x higher disease risk in the lowest taurine quartile (95% CI: 1.8-3.1, p<0.001).

Limitations

The human data is correlational only, with no intervention component. Monkey sample size was very small (n=7). Doses used in mice/monkeys exceed typical human intake (100-400 mg/day from diet), raising translatability questions. Mechanisms were inferred from in vitro assays without full pathway validation. No data on long-term safety of high-dose taurine in primates. Exercise-induced taurine changes in humans weren't linked to health outcomes.

Clinical Relevance

While taurine shows compelling anti-aging effects in model organisms, human efficacy remains unproven. The strong disease correlations suggest taurine status may be a biomarker of aging, but supplementation benefits in humans require clinical trials. Current evidence doesn't support high-dose taurine (4-8 g/day) for anti-aging in humans outside research settings. Athletes may naturally elevate taurine through exercise. Those considering taurine supplements should note typical doses (500-2,000 mg/day) are far below experimental levels, and safety at multi-gram doses long-term is unknown.