Taurine
Amino Acid ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Sulfur-containing amino acid abundant in heart, brain, and retina. Supports cardiovascular and neural function.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
See the editorial and medical-review policies for the publication gate.
This generated database record has not completed a claim-level review by a qualified human medical reviewer. Bibliography links and evidence labels are not approval. The page remains available for reference and is excluded from search indexing.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
Taurine is an amino acid most often used for heart health, exercise performance, neuroprotection. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as moderate. A typical adult dose is 1-3 g daily, commonly taken as taurine powder or capsules. This profile indexes 19 sources.
The bottom line
Evidence rating moderate. Most-documented uses: heart health, exercise performance, neuroprotection. 19 sources indexed (2010–2025), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Acts as an osmolyte regulating cell volume. Modulates calcium signaling, stabilizes cell membranes, and conjugates bile acids. Antioxidant via hypotaurine pathway.13,15
Dosing & protocol.
What it actually costs.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes Taurine Powder / Capsules.
Assumes 1-3 g/day from goal dosage. Vendor basis: BulkSupplements powder, NOW/iHerb, Vitacost, and Amazon marketplace; powder is the clear budget tier. Updated 2026-05-28.
The same dose, as food.
How much you'd eat to match a supplemental dose.
Animal foods are the main sources; amounts vary widely by tissue and cooking.
Full safety detail.
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Meta-analyses & systematic reviews
10- 1Effects of Oral Taurine Supplementation on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical TrialsPMIDTao W et al. · Adv Nutr · 2025
Taurine supplementation significantly reduced fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, fasting insulin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and blood pressure.
- 2Effect of Long-Term Taurine Supplementation on the Lipid and Glycaemic Profile in Adults with Overweight or Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.PMIDSun Q, Wang J, Wang H, Yu H, Wan K, Ma F et al. · Nutrients · 2025
Long-term taurine supplementation significantly improved triglyceride levels and showed favorable effects on fasting blood glucose and HbA1c in overweight or obese adults.
- 3Insights into the cardiovascular benefits of taurine: a systematic review and meta-analysisPMIDWang K et al. · Eur J Clin Nutr · 2024
Taurine significantly reduced SBP and DBP in hypertensive patients, increased LVEF in heart failure patients; noteworthy effects in preventing hypertension and enhancing cardiac function.
- 4Taurine reduces the risk for metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsPMIDDe Luca A et al. · Nutr Rev · 2024
Taurine supplementation demonstrated statistically significant reductions in systolic BP, diastolic BP, fasting blood glucose, and triglycerides, key metabolic syndrome components.
- 5Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Taurine and Its Association With Colorectal Carcinoma.PMIDSinha A, Griffith L, Acharjee A · Cancer Medicine · 2024
Meta-analysis found a significant inverse association between taurine levels and colorectal cancer risk, suggesting a potential protective role of taurine.
- 6Profiling inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers following taurine supplementation: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of controlled trialsSource linkedPMIDVarious authors · European Journal of Clinical Nutrition · 2022
- 7The role of taurine on chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity: A systematic review of non-clinical studyPMIDSamadi M, Haghi-Aminjan H, Sattari M et al. · Life sciences · 2021
Samadi M, Haghi-Aminjan H, Sattari M et al.. The role of taurine on chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity: A systematic review of non-clinical study. Life sciences. 2021
- 8The Dose Response of Taurine on Aerobic and Strength Exercises: A Systematic ReviewPMIDChen Q, Li Z, Pinho RA et al. · Frontiers in physiology · 2021
Chen Q, Li Z, Pinho RA et al.. The Dose Response of Taurine on Aerobic and Strength Exercises: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in physiology. 2021
- 9The Effects of Oral Taurine on Resting Blood Pressure in Humans: a Meta-AnalysisPMIDWaldron M et al. · Curr Hypertens Rep · 2018
Taurine ingestion (1-6 g/day) reduced both SBP and DBP, with mean reductions of approximately 3 mmHg.
- 10Effects of taurine supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysisPMIDSun Q, Wang B, Li Y et al. · Amino Acids · 2016
SBP reduced by 3.8 mmHg, DBP by 3.2 mmHg
Randomized controlled trials
2- 11Taurine ameliorates blood pressure and vascular function in patients with type 2 diabetes: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trialPMIDLi Y, Wang Q, Liu Y et al. · iScience · 2025
Li Y, Wang Q, Liu Y et al.. Taurine ameliorates blood pressure and vascular function in patients with type 2 diabetes: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. iScience. 2025
- 12Taurine supplementation lowers blood pressure and improves vascular function in prehypertensionSource linkedPMIDSun Q, Wang B, Li Y et al. · Hypertension · 2016
Reviews & position papers
4- 13Taurine and Neuroprotection: A Potential Shield Against Methylglyoxal-Induced Toxicity in SH-SY5Y CellsPMIDAlthobaiti NA, Alsharif I, Alhasani RH et al. · Journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology · 2025
Althobaiti NA, Alsharif I, Alhasani RH et al.. Taurine and Neuroprotection: A Potential Shield Against Methylglyoxal-Induced Toxicity in SH-SY5Y Cells. Journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology. 2025
- 14Safety and efficacy of taurine as an add-on treatment for tics in youngstersPMIDDing L, Yang Z, Liu G et al. · European journal of neurology · 2020
Ding L, Yang Z, Liu G et al.. Safety and efficacy of taurine as an add-on treatment for tics in youngsters. European journal of neurology. 2020
- 15Taurine increases hippocampal neurogenesis in aging micePMIDGebara E et al. · Stem Cell Res · 2015
Chronic taurine supplementation in aged mice significantly ameliorated age-dependent decline in spatial memory; increased stem cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus.
- 16Taurine in health and disease: updated evidence and therapeutic potentialSource linkedPMIDSchaffer SW, Jong CJ, Ramila KC, Azuma J · J Amino Acids · 2010
Observational studies
1- 17Taurine deficiency as a driver of agingPMIDSingh P et al. · Science · 2023
Taurine concentrations decline with aging; supplementation increased health span and life span in mice and health span in monkeys; reduced cellular senescence, protected telomerase, suppressed mitochondrial dysfunction.
Reference material
2- 18Waldron M, Patterson SD, Tallent J et al.. The Effects of an Oral Taurine Dose and Supplementation Period on Endurance Exercise Performance in Humans: A Meta-Analysis. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.). 2018Source linkedPMID
- 19Curran CP, Marczinski CA. Taurine, caffeine, and energy drinks: Reviewing the risks to the adolescent brain. Birth defects research. 2017Source linkedPMID
Common questions.
Quick answers about Taurine, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Taurine?
Sulfur-containing amino acid abundant in heart, brain, and retina. Supports cardiovascular and neural function.
What is Taurine used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Taurine include: Heart health; Exercise performance; Neuroprotection; Longevity (emerging research, inconclusive). NutriStack rates the overall evidence as moderate.
What is a typical dose of Taurine?
A typical adult dose of Taurine is 1-3 g daily. The commonly recommended form is Taurine powder or capsules. These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Taurine?
Reported side effects include very well tolerated, mild gi at very high doses. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Taurine?
NutriStack rates this as Moderate, meaning several aligned RCTs or one large RCT plus supporting reviews. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
Taurine in NutriStack.
Add it to your stack, see how it interacts with everything else you take, and get a Stack Score that updates the moment it does.