The human body produces the amino acid taurine, which is also found in several meals and has been shown to slow down the ageing process in mice and monkeys.
According to a recent study, the semi-essential amino acid taurine can delay ageing. Despite the fact that the element is prevalent in humans, the study was conducted on animals, and it was found to be connected to physiological alterations.
The body makes taurine, which is also found in some meals like fish, dairy products, and meat.
Lead author Vijay Yadav, an assistant professor of genetics and development at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons in the US, reported his findings in the journal Science. He claimed that giving taurine to mice and monkeys externally delayed ageing and improved their health.
What the study found
12,000 Europeans aged 60 participated in the initial investigation, which included about 50 health metrics. They discovered that higher taurine levels were linked to better health, including lower levels of type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and inflammation.
Key ageing indicators such increased DNA damage, development of DNA damage, telomerase deficiency, reduced mitochondrial function, and cellular senescence were all slowed by taurin supplementation.
The researchers discovered that taurine supplements improved the average longevity of male and female mice by 10% and 14%, respectively (seven to eight human years), after a year of research on mice given the supplements. Additionally, mice that fed taurine lived longer than control mice, regardless of sex. Moreover, the researchers discovered that bone, muscle, the pancreas, the brain, the fat in the gut, and the immune system all functioned better as a result of taurine administration.
The scientists found that taurine prevented weight gain, increased bone density in the legs and spine, and strengthened immune systems in rhesus monkeys. The results of two trials conducted by the researchers indicated taurine’s ability to delay ageing, even if the effects of taurine supplements in humans are still unknown.
Long-term, well monitored taurine supplementation experiments with health span and life span as endpoints are needed to determine whether taurine insufficiency is a factor in ageing in humans as well.
