Taurine is absorbed from the ileum via Tau-T transport protein, with high oral bioavailability. It is estimated that a 70 kg Human contains about 5-7g of taurine. Taurine supplements increase tissue taurine concentration. Total body taurine is regulated via the kidney, with increased taurine excretion under high exogenous taurine loads. Low taurine intake has been correlated with lower plasma and urine taurine in vegans. Taurine depletion results in cardiomyopathy in these animals.ĭiet is the main source of taurine in humans with meat, poultry and especially seafood being rich sources. Carnivorous animals like cats and dogs have a lower expression of CSAD and thus require taurine from their diet. Certain animals like mice have a high expression of this enzyme and can synthesize taurine in sufficient quantities provided adequate cysteine in diet. The rate limiting step of the taurine synthesis is the enzyme cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase (CSAD). CDO regulates intracellular cysteine levels, as high levels can be toxic, with low cysteine levels causing degradation of this enzyme and vice versa. Mammalian taurine synthesis occurs in the liver via the cysteine sulfinic acid pathway from L-cysteine via the action of cysteine dioxygenase (CDO). Taurine has been an ingredient in commercial infant formula since the 1980s in the United States, with concentration around 10 mg/L. Human breast milk contains about 50 mg/L of taurine compared to cow milk having 1 mg/L. It is considered an essential nutrient in preterm infants, as they have much lower activity of enzymes needed for taurine synthesis. However, diet remains a significant source of taurine. Taurine can be considered as a semi-essential amino acid, as it can be synthesized from dietary cysteine. It plays several indispensable roles in normal physiological functions in the human body. Taurine has since been found in most human organs, with the highest concentration in excitable tissue like the heart and brain. Named after the Greek word for Bull, Taurus, Taurine was first isolated from ox bile in 1827 by Friedrich Tiedemann and Leopold Gmelin. Taurine, is a non-proteinogenic sulfur-containing amino acid. Given its extensive safety profile, taurine supplementation may be beneficial in patients with congestive heart failure. Several clinical trials have shown that taurine supplementation improves cardiac performance in those suffering from congestive heart failure. It has demonstrated ionotropic effects, probably due to its effect on calcium metabolism. Taurine also regulates sodium and calcium homeostasis, and normal functioning of mitochondria. This chemical property makes taurine the perfect candidate of cellular osmoregulation. Being a neutral zwitterion, transport of taurine is not accompanied by a change in charge gradient across membranes. It functions as an intracellular osmolyte, involved in cell volume regulation. It is a sulfur-containing amino acid, found in high concentration in the intracellular compartment of excitable tissue, including the myocardium. Taurine is a ubiquitous amino acid found across the animal kingdom.
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