Taurine
Acidum 2-aminoethanesulfonicum
A conditionally essential amino acid with promising aging-related animal data and modest human cardiometabolic effects.
Evidence tier
Preliminary
Research weight
Citations
16 verified / 16
Classification
Performance
❝
What the evidence says. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive.
What is Taurine?
Taurine (Acidum 2-aminoethanesulfonicum) is a performance supplement used for modestly lowers blood pressure, fasting glucose and triglycerides in human rcts, suggesting cardiometabolic support. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Preliminary. Taurine is a conditionally essential sulfur-containing amino acid abundant in muscle, brain, heart and retina, and is a common ingredient in energy drinks. Interest surged after a 2023 Science study (Singh et al.) showed that taurine levels decline with age across species and that supplementation extended lifespan and healthspan in mice and improved healthspan in middle-aged monkeys, though these are animal findings and no human longevity RCT has confirmed them. In humans, the strongest data are cardiometabolic: meta-analyses of randomized trials report modest reductions in blood pressure, fasting glucose and triglycerides, and improvements in lipids and insulin sensitivity in people with overweight. Acute dosing may yield small ergogenic benefits for exercise, but heterogeneity and risk of bias keep the certainty low. Overall the human benefit signal is real but modest and the longevity claims remain unproven in people, so the evidence is best described as preliminary. Taurine is generally well tolerated at typical doses.
Purported Benefits
✓Modestly lowers blood pressure, fasting glucose and triglycerides in human RCTs, suggesting cardiometabolic support
✓Reversed age-related decline and extended healthspan/lifespan in mice and improved healthspan in monkeys (animal data only)
✓May produce small-to-moderate acute improvements in exercise performance, especially endurance and strength tasks
✓Improves lipid profile, fasting insulin and BMI in adults with overweight, supporting metabolic health
Evidence by outcome
The same supplement can be well-proven for one use and unproven for another — here is the human evidence graded outcome by outcome.
| Outcome | Evidence | Effect | Studies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood pressure reductionMultiple RCT MAs show SBP ~-4 mmHg, DBP ~-1.5 to -2.5 mmHg, dose-dependent; modest effect size. | Moderate | ↑ benefit · small | 3 |
| Glycemic control (fasting glucose, HbA1c, HOMA-IR)MAs show reduced FPG (~6 mg/dL), HbA1c and HOMA-IR, strongest in diabetics at 1.5-3 g/day. | Moderate | ↑ benefit · small | 3 |
| Lipid profile / metabolic markers in overweightMAs show lower triglycerides, total cholesterol and fasting insulin, with BMI drop in overweight (not obese) adults. | Moderate | ↑ benefit · small | 2 |
| Acute exercise performanceSingle-dose MA found small benefit (Hedges g 0.25) but low/very-low certainty from heterogeneity and bias. | Preliminary | ↑ benefit · small | 2 |
| Cardiac function in heart failureMA reports improved LVEF and NYHA class, but driven by small trials concentrated in HF patients. | Preliminary | ↑ benefit · moderate | 2 |
| Lifespan / healthspan extensionStriking lifespan gains are animal-only (mice/monkeys); human data are associational, no longevity RCT exists. | No Evidence | — no effect | 1 |
Dosing & Compounds
Typical Dose
1-3 g per day orally; cardiometabolic and obesity trials used 0.5-6 g/day, commonly 1.5-3 g/day in divided doses.
Active Compounds
Safety & Cautions
Taurine is generally recognized as safe and well tolerated at doses up to ~3 g/day, with the European Food Safety Authority identifying an observed safe level around 6 g/day; mild GI upset is the most common complaint. People with kidney impairment should use caution, as clearance may be reduced. It may have additive blood-pressure- and glucose-lowering effects, so monitor if combined with antihypertensives or antidiabetic/insulin therapy. Taurine is frequently co-formulated with caffeine in energy drinks; the cardiovascular and CNS risks of those products derive largely from caffeine and sugar, not taurine itself, but high energy-drink intake should be avoided. Pregnant or breastfeeding individuals should consult a clinician given limited supplementation data. Those on lithium should be cautious, as fluid/electrolyte-shifting agents can affect lithium levels. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Taurine with any medicine.
Key Studies ★ 16 studies
Meta-analysis
Tzang 2024 (Nutr & Diabetes)
✓ Full text
Meta-analysis of 25 RCTs (n=1024) found taurine supplementation significantly reduced systolic BP (WMD -3.999 mmHg, p=0.017), diastolic BP (WMD -1.509 mmHg, p=0.002), fasting glucose (WMD -5.882 mg/dL, p=0.018), and triglycerides (WMD -18.315 mg/dL, p<0.001).
Meta-analysis
Sun 2025 (Nutrients)
✓ Full text
Meta-analysis of 9 RCTs in adults with overweight/obesity found long-term taurine supplementation significantly decreased triglycerides (WMD -0.56 mmol/L), total cholesterol (WMD -0.71 mmol/L), and fasting insulin (WMD -2.15 µU/mL).
Meta-analysis
Nie 2025 (Nutrition Reviews)
✓ PubMed
Meta-analysis of 34 RCTs: oral taurine significantly reduced fasting glucose (MD -5.90 mg/dL), HbA1c (-0.21%), HOMA-IR (-0.57), triglycerides (-14.42 mg/dL), total cholesterol (-12.41 mg/dL), LDL-C (-5.08 mg/dL), SBP (-4.38 mmHg) and DBP (-2.54 mmHg); doses of 1.5-3.0 g/day were most effective.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs
25 RCTs, 1,024 participants
✓ PubMed
Taurine supplementation (0.5-6 g/day) significantly reduced systolic BP (~4 mmHg), diastolic BP (~1.5 mmHg), fasting glucose (~5.9 mg/dL) and triglycerides (~18 mg/dL) versus control, with dose-dependent effects.
Meta-analysis of RCTs
23 RCTs, 308 participants (69 effect sizes)
✓ PubMed
A single acute dose of taurine was associated with small-to-moderate improvements in overall exercise performance (Hedges g = 0.25, 95% CI 0.10-0.39), with low to very low certainty due to heterogeneity and bias.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs
9 RCTs, ~374 overweight/obese adults
✓ PubMed
Taurine (1-3 g/day for 2-12 weeks) significantly reduced triglycerides, total cholesterol and fasting insulin, and lowered BMI in overweight (not obese) adults, with greater glycemic benefit at 3 g/day.
Systematic review
Narrative/dose-response review of RCTs
✓ PubMed
Single doses of ~1-6 g taurine (often 1-3 g, ~1-3 h pre-exercise) were most associated with aerobic and strength performance benefits, though effects were inconsistent across endpoints.
systematic review and meta-analysis
20 RCTs, 808 participants
✓ PubMed
Taurine supplementation significantly improved cardiac function, increasing left ventricular ejection fraction (WMD +4.98%) and reducing NYHA functional class (WMD -0.40), heart rate (-3.6 bpm), systolic BP (-4.0 mmHg) and diastolic BP (-1.4 mmHg), with benefits most pronounced in heart failure patients.
systematic review and meta-analysis
5 RCTs, 219 participants (mostly type 2 diabetes)
✓ PubMed
In diabetic patients, taurine supplementation significantly reduced HbA1c (SMD -0.41), fasting blood glucose (SMD -1.28) and HOMA-IR (SMD -0.86), indicating improved glycemic control and insulin resistance.
Systematic review / dose-response meta-analysis
Dose-response meta-analysis of controlled trials
✓ PubMed
Taurine supplementation significantly reduced the oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde (MDA) and C-reactive protein (CRP), with no significant change in TNF-alpha or IL-6; 8-week regimens showed the most beneficial effects on inflammatory and oxidative-stress biomarkers.
Systematic review / meta-analysis of RCTs (GRADE)
7 RCTs, 165 athletic participants
✓ Full text
In athletes, taurine supplementation significantly lowered post-exercise and 24-h creatine kinase, reduced LDH up to 48 h, and decreased muscle-pain VAS scores at 96 h, though overall GRADE certainty was low due to high heterogeneity.
Systematic review / meta-analysis
27 clinical trials, n=1,030
✓ Full text
A systematic review/meta-analysis assessing taurine as a strategy against senescence and chronic inflammation in long COVID found taurine significantly improved metabolic markers (HbA1c, fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, lipids) and inflammatory markers (CRP, TNF-alpha, IL-6), supporting it as a candidate intervention.
regulatory safety assessment
EFSA ANS Panel scientific opinion
✓ Full text
EFSA concluded that exposure to taurine from regular energy-drink consumption is not a safety concern, confirming a No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) of 1,000 mg/kg body weight/day and removing prior concerns about possible harmful effects on the brain.
RCT
Beyranvand 2011 (J Cardiol)
✓ PubMed
Randomized placebo-controlled trial in 29 heart-failure patients (LVEF <50%, NYHA II-III): taurine 500 mg three times daily for 2 weeks significantly increased exercise time, METs and exercise distance (all p<0.0001) vs no significant change with placebo.
Mechanism
Singh/Yadav 2023 (Science)
✓ PubMed
Landmark multi-species study: circulating taurine declines with age in mice, monkeys and humans; reversing the decline extended healthspan in mice and monkeys and lifespan in mice (~10-12%), reducing cellular senescence, mitochondrial dysfunction, DNA damage and inflammaging. Human data are associational; authors call for clinical trials.
Multi-species experimental study
Worms, mice, and rhesus monkeys
✓ Full text
Circulating taurine declines with age across species; restoring it extended median lifespan ~10-12% and improved healthspan in mice and improved healthspan markers in middle-aged monkeys (animal study, no human outcome data).