Reacción a "Reactions: Study shows reversing age-related taurine loss with supplements improves longevity and health in animal models"

The study is overall very interesting and descriptive, showing that circulating taurine concentrations decrease with age in mice, monkeys and humans. Reversal of this decline through taurine supplementation increased healthy life expectancy and lifespan in mice, as well as healthy life expectancy in monkeys. 

Although the molecular mechanisms and action of taurine are not known and are not described in this study, it should be noted that taurine has also been shown to reduce various cellular processes, such as cellular senescence. In addition, it protects against telomerase deficiency, suppresses mitochondrial dysfunction, decreases DNA damage and attenuates the inflammatory process associated with ageing. 

Taurine's physiological role and its association with well-being were already known because it plays several important roles in the body. For example, it regulates the water and mineral balance in cells, supports the cardiovascular system and is involved in the formation of bile, which aids in the digestion of fats. Taurine also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and has been studied for its potential role in eye health, brain function and athletic performance. 

This study is all the more interesting because, in my view, it links a dietary component to a healthy lifespan. It is important to note that taurine is an amino acid found naturally in the human body, but its decline during ageing could be compensated for by a diet rich in taurine-containing foods. Taurine is found in high concentrations in some foods, such as meat and seafood, but is very low or almost non-existent in a completely vegan diet. 

In addition, fasting and physical exercise appear to increase the concentration of taurine in the blood, as demonstrated in this study. Importantly, fasting and physical exercise are also associated with an increase in healthy living. 

In humans, lower taurine concentrations were found to correlate with several age-related diseases, and taurine concentrations increased after intense aerobic exercise. 

Taurine deficiency may therefore be a driver of ageing, as its reversal increases healthy life expectancy in worms, rodents and primates, as well as life expectancy in worms and rodents. 

To test whether taurine deficiency is also a driver of ageing in humans, long-term, well-controlled taurine supplementation trials that measure healthy life expectancy and life expectancy as outcomes are required.