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Taurine: Functions, Foods and Effect in Sport

Taurine is found in energy drinks and many dietary supplements. Read here what the substance does in the body and what studies show.

Taurine is an organic acid with a sulphonic acid group that is often counted among the amino acids, although strictly speaking it is not one: taurine cannot form peptide bonds and is therefore not built into the body's own proteins. The body forms taurine itself from the amino acids methionine and cysteine, mainly in the liver.

In this guide you will learn what tasks taurine performs in the body, which foods contain it, what role it plays in energy drinks and what research actually shows about its effect on athletic performance.

What is taurine and where does the name come from

The name taurine goes back to the Latin and Greek word for bull, as the substance was first isolated from ox bile in the 19th century. Taurine itself, however, has nothing to do with bulls or their hormones. A healthy adult body contains an estimated several grams of taurine, a large part of it in the muscles, where taurine is involved, among other things, in regulating the fluid balance of the cells.

Since the body can make taurine itself given a sufficient supply of the precursors methionine and cysteine, an external supply through normal food is not considered strictly necessary for healthy adults. An exception is infants, whose own taurine production is not yet sufficiently mature and who therefore depend on the supply through breast milk.

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Functions of taurine in the body

Taurine performs several tasks in the body that go beyond simple building-block functions.

Function	Briefly explained
Cell membranes	Stabilises cell membranes and regulates the fluid balance of cells
Heart and circulation	Plays a role in the electrolyte balance of the heart muscle
Fat metabolism	Involved in the formation of bile acids, which are important for fat digestion
Antioxidant effect	Can help protect cells from oxidative stress
Nervous system	Involved in the transmission of signals in the nervous system

These varied functions explain why taurine is studied in medical research on very different questions, from cardiovascular health to eye health, where it is relevant, among other things, for the function of the retina.

Taurine content in foods

Taurine occurs almost exclusively in animal foods, in particular in fish, seafood, meat and, in smaller amounts, in dairy products. Plant foods contain practically no taurine. Anyone who follows a vegetarian or vegan diet therefore relies more on the body's own production from methionine and cysteine, which generally works given sufficient protein intake, although there is so far no extensive body of evidence on an actual risk of deficiency on a vegan diet.

grilled fish fillet and a small bowl of cooked shrimp on a dark plate, overhead shot

Taurine in energy drinks

Many people know taurine mainly as an ingredient of energy drinks, where it is usually used together with caffeine and sugar. Whether taurine actually enhances the effect of caffeine has not been clearly established scientifically, and the amounts of taurine in energy drinks are also usually considerably lower than the amounts studied in clinical trials. The perceived effect of energy drinks is mainly due to the caffeine and sugar they contain.

Above all, the combination of high amounts of caffeine, sugar and alcohol, as arises when energy drinks are mixed with alcohol, is a cause for concern. The stimulating effect of caffeine can mask the subjective feeling of intoxication without reducing the actual impairment caused by alcohol, which is a risk in its own right and has nothing to do with the taurine it contains.

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Taurine and electrolyte balance in sport

Since taurine is involved in regulating fluid balance in cells, it is occasionally used together with classic sports drinks and electrolytes, especially in endurance sport during long efforts with heavy sweating. An independent, clearly proven added benefit of taurine over sufficient fluid and electrolyte intake alone cannot, however, be derived from the current evidence.

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What the research says about taurine in sport

There are some smaller studies on the effect of taurine on athletic performance, which show inconsistent results. Individual studies point to possible effects on endurance performance and to reduced muscle damage after intense training, while other studies could not confirm such effects. Overall, the evidence on taurine in a sports context is considered preliminary and not consistent enough to derive reliable recommendations for improving performance.

For muscle recovery after training, taurine is occasionally advertised together with other dietary supplements such as amino acids. Here too: individual studies provide interesting hints, but there is so far no broadly established, consistent body of evidence that would justify a clear recommendation.

In medicine, taurine has been studied for various questions, for example in connection with fat metabolism and blood pressure; here too the evidence is inconsistent overall and does not allow blanket statements. Dietary supplements are no substitute for a balanced diet, and statements on health effects from individual studies cannot simply be generalised or understood as promises of a cure.

Dose and tolerability

In studies, amounts in the range of about 1 to 6 g of taurine daily were often used. Commercially available dietary supplements are mostly based on this range, and you can find the exact amount per portion in the packaging information of the respective product. At these amounts, taurine is considered well tolerated by healthy adults, with occasional reports of mild gastrointestinal complaints.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid energy drinks with taurine and caffeine and discuss taking isolated taurine products with a doctor beforehand. A prior medical check also makes sense in the case of existing cardiovascular disease or the use of medication.

It is interesting to look at taurine in animals: unlike humans, some animal species cannot make taurine themselves in sufficient amounts. Cats depend on taking in taurine entirely through their food, which is why it is added deliberately to commercial cat food. A taurine deficiency in cats can lead, among other things, to heart and vision problems. Dogs can normally make enough taurine themselves, even though a deficiency is discussed in individual cases in certain breeds and with special food compositions. These relationships concern animal nutrition and cannot be transferred directly to humans.

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Frequently asked questions

Is taurine an amino acid?

Not in the strict chemical sense, as taurine cannot form peptide bonds. In everyday language it is nevertheless often counted among the amino acids, as it is formed from two amino acids and performs similar functions in metabolism.

Does taurine enhance the effect of caffeine?

This is often claimed, but it is not clearly proven scientifically. The stimulating effect of energy drinks is mainly due to the caffeine they contain.

Do vegans need additional taurine?

The body can make taurine itself from methionine and cysteine. Whether this always succeeds to a sufficient degree on a vegan diet has not been conclusively studied, which is why in case of doubt a blood test can provide clarity.

Can I take too much taurine?

At the amounts usual in studies, taurine is considered well tolerated. Nevertheless, follow the packaging information and do not combine taurine products without control with large amounts of energy drinks.

Is synthetic taurine as effective as natural taurine?

Dietary supplements mostly use synthetically produced taurine, which is chemically identical to the body's own taurine and to the taurine contained in foods. No qualitative difference between the sources is known.

Does taurine help with weight loss?

A direct, well-documented effect on weight loss has not been demonstrated. Taurine is involved in fat metabolism, but that does not justify presenting it as a diet aid in its own right.

Is taurine suitable for children?

Energy drinks with taurine and high amounts of caffeine are generally considered unsuitable for children. For specific medical questions, for example in premature babies, taurine is used exclusively under medical supervision in hospital, not as an over-the-counter dietary supplement for everyday use.

Do I have to take taurine together with caffeine?

No, the two substances can be taken independently of each other. In many products they are simply marketed together, without taking them together being strictly necessary.

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