Does Taurine Work?

People considering supplementation with taurine may wonder, "Does taurine work?" While early studies suggest that taurine can be beneficial for some uses, more research is necessary to confirm these findings. Some studies indicate that taurine may help improve heart function and decrease symptoms of congestive heart failure. In addition, taurine may be effective for treating steatorrhea in children with cystic fibrosis.

 

Does Taurine Work?

Taurine is an amino acid found in many protein-rich foods, dietary supplements, and energy drinks. As with most supplements, people use taurine for various uses. Taurine supplements are sometimes claimed to help with the following conditions:
 
Taurine is also used to treat or prevent taurine deficiency in non-breastfed infants and people being fed through an IV.
 

Taurine Research

A few different studies suggest that taking taurine by mouth may be beneficial for people with congestive heart failure (CHF), possibly improving heart function and decreasing CHF symptoms. Some people experienced significant improvement. Studies also suggest that taurine may improve liver function in people with acute hepatitis.
 
Taurine may help treat steatorrhea (fatty, frothy stools) in children with cystic fibrosis, but it does not seem to help other problems related to cystic fibrosis. Taurine (combined with caffeine) may improve mental functioning (specifically attention and verbal skills), although it does not appear to improve memory. More research is necessary to confirm that taurine works for steatorrhea due to cystic fibrosis or for mental functioning.
 
There is not enough evidence to suggest that taurine really works for other uses.
 
(Does Taurine Work? Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;