Taurine reduces muscle damage during exercise which explains a reduction in muscle soreness that has been measured.īeyond the muscle damage aspect, there is also a significant reduction in inflammatory markers, which also can explain why reported muscle soreness is reduced. Taurine & Delayed Onset Muscle SorenessĪlthough I am not yet sold on the improved performance aspect, taurine does seem to consistently reduce muscle soreness. The hypothesis here was that taurine can reduce exercise-induced DNA damage, which would enhance performance due to these protective properties. In this study, VO2 max was improved as well. The hypothesis of the authors was that it might improve the coordination or force production of muscles.Īnother study on taurine and cycling performance also found improved time to exhaustion. Therefore, the mechanism was not identified. Their run time was improved by 1.7% in comparison to if taurine was not consumed.Ĭertain markers such as heart rate, oxygen uptake and lactic acid were measured, but no difference was found. One study had participants take 1000mg taurine before a 3km run. There are two studies that I am aware of that have measured athletic performance and showed positives. I am a sports dietitian who works with a lot of athletes and not once have I ever used taurine as a supplement with an athlete to improve their performance. The exercise performance aspect is probably the least exciting aspect of taurine for me personally. What Does Taurine Do? Taurine & Physical Performance These links are likely even stronger when it is combined with other ingredients in energy drinks such as caffeine. It is not necessarily an ingredient that is consistently linked with significant positive outcomes, but there is some promise. Some of this research will be discussed below. Research has also linked taurine and improvements in mental performance. There is some research linking taurine with improved athletic performance and a reduction in muscle damage and soreness. The main reason it looks like energy drinks contain taurine is due to the hypothesised effects on mental and physical performance.
This is significantly more than is found on a daily basis in a standard diet. In Australia, a 250ml can of energy drink typically contains 1000mg of taurine. Taurine levels in the body are also significantly lower in vegans.Ī 1988 study found that those in the vegan group had 78% of the plasma taurine and 29% of the urinary taurine levels in comparison to the omnivorous group.ĭietary patterns have evolved over time and these numbers might no longer be as relevant, but it is worth being aware of.Īnother source of taurine, as mentioned earlier, is energy drinks. Vegan diets have minimal taurine since it is almost exclusively found in animal products if not supplemented. On average, those who follow omnivorous diets consume somewhere between 40 and 400mg of taurine per day. Taurine occurs naturally in meat, fish and dairy. Taurine is required for many basic processes including cardiovascular functioning, eye health, central nervous system functioning and muscle functioning and development.Ī 2012 review noted that a deficiency of taurine in the body can contribute to conditions such as kidney dysfunction, poor eye function, developmental disorders, and cardiovascular disease. It has many roles such as acting as an antioxidant, osmoregulation, membrane stabilisation, calcium signalling and formation of bile salts. Taurine is a type of amino acid that is naturally occurring within the body. And even though it has been studied for decades, it looks as though we are only really scratching the surface when it comes to identifying those benefits too. Outside of energy drinks, taurine does have quite a few potential benefits. And I was also curious about WHY it would be included.
Have you ever looked on the back of an energy drink, seen taurine as an ingredient and wondered what it does? That was the first thing that made me curious enough to start looking into it a few years ago.įirstly, I wanted to check the safety of it and if there were any downsides.
0 kommentar(er)
