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Supplements/Amino Acid

Taurine

Conditionally essential amino acid involved in bile salt conjugation, osmoregulation, and cardiac function.

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Overview

Conditionally essential amino acid involved in bile salt conjugation, osmoregulation, and cardiac function.

Natural sources
  • Shellfish
  • Dark poultry meat
  • Energy drinks
Common forms
  • Taurine

Forms & variants of Taurine

Different chemical forms of Taurine behave differently. Browse each form's mechanism, bioavailability, and best-use context.

Mechanism of action

Membrane stabilizer; modulates calcium handling; bile acid conjugation; antioxidant.

Pathways
  • · Osmoregulation
  • · Bile salt conjugation
  • · Calcium handling

Effects on the body

Decreases
Blood pressure (mild)
Supports
Cardiac contractility

Organ system effects

Cardiovascular

Improves outcomes in HFrEF.

Skeletal Muscle

May reduce exercise-induced damage.

Evidence-based benefits

Reduces BP and improves heart failure markers

Moderate evidence

Modestly improves endurance

Limited evidence

Potential side effects

Common
  • · Taurine is generally well-tolerated at evidence-based doses
  • · Mild GI discomfort (nausea, loose stools, or bloating) possible at higher intakes
  • · Headache or transient fatigue reported by a small fraction of users
Rare
  • · Allergic or hypersensitivity reaction (rash, itching, swelling)
  • · Sleep disturbance if taken late in the day
Serious
  • · Discontinue and seek medical advice if symptoms are severe, persistent, or include difficulty breathing

Drug interactions

Lithium
Mild diuretic-like effect.
minor

Supplement interactions

Pairs well with
  • Caffeine
    Common pairing in energy drinks.
  • Magnesium
    Both calm CNS.
Avoid combining with

No specific avoidances listed.

Dosing & bioavailability

Typical dose
1–3 g
Study range
1–6 g
Best form
Most evidence is based on the taurine form.
Timing
Consistent daily timing recommended; split larger doses if GI tolerance is a concern.
With food?
Either with or without food.

Where to buy

Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Amazon code supplementsch-20 is auto-applied at checkout. We don't endorse specific brands; verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

Scientific evidence9Show studies
Meta-analysisSports Med · 2018

Taurine on exercise performance: a meta-analysis

Waldron M, et al.

Meta-analysis of acute taurine on performance.

Key findings

Small but significant ergogenic effect on endurance.

Open study
Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

PubMed: Taurine — Reduces BP and improves heart failure markers

Live PubMed search

Live results for "Taurine Reduces BP and improves heart failure markers" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

Key findings

Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Taurine and "Reduces BP and improves heart failure markers". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

Open study
Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

PubMed: Taurine — Modestly improves endurance

Live PubMed search

Live results for "Taurine Modestly improves endurance" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

Key findings

Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Taurine and "Modestly improves endurance". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

Open study
Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

PubMed: Taurine — randomized controlled trial

Live PubMed search

Live results for "Taurine randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

Key findings

Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Taurine and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

Open study
Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

PubMed: Taurine — meta-analysis

Live PubMed search

Live results for "Taurine meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

Key findings

Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Taurine and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

Open study
Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

PubMed: Taurine — pharmacokinetics

Live PubMed search

Live results for "Taurine pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

Key findings

Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Taurine and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

Open study
Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

PubMed: Taurine — safety adverse events

Live PubMed search

Live results for "Taurine safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

Key findings

Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Taurine and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

Open study
Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

PubMed: Taurine — dose response

Live PubMed search

Live results for "Taurine dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

Key findings

Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Taurine and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

Open study
Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

Google Scholar: Taurine — clinical evidence

Live Scholar search

Cross-database citation index for Taurine as it relates to "clinical evidence".

Key findings

Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

Open study
Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.

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