Dietary Taurine Intake Research Articles

Association of taurine intake with changes in physical fitness among community-dwelling middle-aged and older Japanese adults: an 8-year longitudinal study.

Taurine has diverse valuable biological functions, including antioxidant activity and regulation of osmotic pressure. Maintaining physical fitness from middle age is important for healthy life expectancy. Although taurine administration improves muscle endurance and strength, its role in maintenance remains unclear. We aimed to clarify the longitudinal taurine intake association with fitness changes. Participants comprised men and women aged ≥40 years who participated in the third (2002-2004; Baseline) and seventh (2010-2012; Follow-up) waves of the National Institute for Longevity Sciences-Longitudinal Study of Aging (NILS-LSA) and completed a 3-day dietary weights recording survey at baseline. A table of taurine content was prepared for 751 foods (including five food groups: Seaweed; Fish and shellfish; Meat; Eggs; and Milk and dairy products) from the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (1,878 foods) 2010. Four physical fitness items (knee extension muscle strength, sit-and-reach, one-leg standing with eyes closed, and maximum walking speed) were measured at baseline and follow-up. We analyzed the association of taurine intake with physical fitness change, employing a general linear model (GLM) and trend tests for baseline taurine intake and follow-up fitness change. Adjustments included baseline variables: sex, age, height, weight, educational level, self-rated health, smoking status, depressive symptoms, and clinical history. The estimated average daily taurine intake (standard deviation) was 207.5 (145.6) mg/day at the baseline. When examining the association with the four physical fitness parameters, higher taurine intake positively increased the change in knee extension muscle strength (T1; 0.1, T2; 0.8, T3; 1.1 (kgf) GLM, p < 0.05; p for trend <0.05) and reduced the decline in knee extension muscle strength in the subgroup analysis of participants aged ≥65 years (T1: -1.9, T2: -1.7, T3: -0.4 kgf; GLM p < 0.05, p for trend <0.05). No relationship was found between taurine intake and the remaining three fitness factors. Estimation of taurine intake showed that dietary taurine intake potentially contributes to the maintenance of knee extension muscle strength over 8 years among Japanese community-dwelling middle-aged and older individuals. This is the first study to investigate the association of dietary taurine intake with muscle strength.

Dietary Taurine Intake Affects the Growth Performance, Lipid Composition, and Antioxidant Defense of Juvenile Ivory Shell (Babylonia areolata).

In this study, an eight-week feeding trial was performed to investigate the effects of different taurine supplementation levels (0.0% as control, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%, 2.5%, and 3.0%) on the growth performance, lipid composition, and antioxidant ability in juvenile ivory shells Babylonia areolata. The results showed that taurine supplementation significantly improved the specific growth rates (SGRs) and survival rates of ivory shell (except the survival rate in the 3.0% taurine diet group) (p < 0.05). The SGRs showed an increasing and then decreasing tendency with increasing dietary taurine supplementation, and the highest value was observed in the 2.0% taurine diet (2.60%/d). The taurine content in the muscle of ivory shells fed taurine-supplemented diets significantly increased when compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The profiles of C22:2n6 in the muscle of ivory shells fed taurine-supplemented diets were significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.05), and the highest values were observed in the 2.0% taurine supplementation group. The high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) content in the hepatopancreas showed an increasing and then decreasing tendency with increasing dietary taurine supplementation, while the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentration showed a decreasing tendency. Furthermore, the activities of pepsin and lipase in both the intestine and hepatopancreas significantly increased at moderate taurine supplementation levels compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Accordingly, obvious increases in the histological parameters in the intestine of ivory shells fed taurine-supplemented diets were also found. As for the antioxidant ability, the activities of the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) showed an increasing and then decreasing tendency with increasing dietary taurine supplementation, and the highest values were observed in the 1.0% and 1.0-2.0% taurine supplementation groups, respectively; the malondialdehyde (MDA) contents significantly decreased with increasing dietary taurine supplementation (p < 0.05). The taurine intake affected the expression of four appetite-related genes in the hepatopancreas, in which orexin and NPY showed an increasing and then decreasing tendency, while leptin and cholecyatoklnin decreased with increasing dietary taurine supplementation. In conclusion, moderate taurine supplementation in an artificial diet (about 1.5-2.0%) could improve the growth performance and antioxidant ability and change the lipid composition of juvenile ivory shells.

Taurine: a promising nutraceutic in the prevention of retinal degeneration.

Taurine is considered a non-essential amino acid because it is synthesized by most mammals. However, dietary intake of taurine may be necessary to achieve the physiological levels required for the development, maintenance, and function of certain tissues. Taurine may be especially important for the retina. The concentration of taurine in the retina is higher than that in any other tissue in the body and taurine deficiency causes retinal oxidative stress, apoptosis, and degeneration of photoreceptors and retinal ganglion cells. Low plasma taurine levels may also underlie retinal degeneration in humans and therefore, taurine administration could exert retinal neuroprotective effects. Taurine has antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, immunomodulatory, and calcium homeostasis-regulatory properties. This review summarizes the role of taurine in retinal health and disease, where it appears that taurine may be a promising nutraceutical.

P02-053-23 Dietary Taurine Intake Reduces Hemoglobin A1c Levels in Korean Patients With Diabetes

P02-053-23 Dietary Taurine Intake Reduces Hemoglobin A1c Levels in Korean Patients With Diabetes

Taurine supplementation protects lens against glutathione depletion.

Cataract which is defined as opacification of eye lens forms approximately 40% of total blindness causes all through the world. Age is the biggest risk factor for cataracts and oxidative stress is known to be one of the most important factors causing cataract formation. Age-related nuclear cataract (ARN) is associated with a loss of glutathione in the center of the lens. Taurine is an important antioxidant in lens tissue. Although, there is a high amount of taurine in lenses in early life, its concentration declines with age. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of supplemental taurine in lens tissues in an in vivo oxidative stress model which is induced by glutathione depletion to mimic ARN. Glutathione depletion was induced in rabbits subcutaneously with l-Buthionine -(S,R)-sulfoximine (BSO)- a glutathione inhibitor and the rabbits were treated with taurine. Total GSH, reduced GSH, GSH/GSSG ratio and MDA levels were measured. BSO lowered the reduced GSH and total GSH levels and GSH/GSSG ratio. Taurine reversed these effects. On the other hand, BSO enhanced MDA level which is normalized by taurine. These findings suggest that glutathione depletion with BSO may be a useful model to mimic ARN and dietary intake of taurine, may have an important role in decelerating the process of cataract formation.

Atherosclerosis Linked to Aberrant Amino Acid Metabolism and Immunosuppressive Amino Acid Catabolizing Enzymes.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading global health concern and responsible for more deaths worldwide than any other type of disorder. Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease in the arterial wall, which underpins several types of cardiovascular disease. It has emerged that a strong relationship exists between alterations in amino acid (AA) metabolism and the development of atherosclerosis. Recent studies have reported positive correlations between levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) such as leucine, valine, and isoleucine in plasma and the occurrence of metabolic disturbances. Elevated serum levels of BCAAs indicate a high cardiometabolic risk. Thus, BCAAs may also impact atherosclerosis prevention and offer a novel therapeutic strategy for specific individuals at risk of coronary events. The metabolism of AAs, such as L-arginine, homoarginine, and L-tryptophan, is recognized as a critical regulator of vascular homeostasis. Dietary intake of homoarginine, taurine, and glycine can improve atherosclerosis by endothelium remodeling. Available data also suggest that the regulation of AA metabolism by indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and arginases 1 and 2 are mediated through various immunological signals and that immunosuppressive AA metabolizing enzymes are promising therapeutic targets against atherosclerosis. Further clinical studies and basic studies that make use of animal models are required. Here we review recent data examining links between AA metabolism and the development of atherosclerosis.

Dietary taurine intake affects growth and taurine synthesis regulation in golden pompano, Trachinotus ovatus (Linnaeus 1758)

Taurine serves an important role in many species, including fish. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of varying dietary taurine levels on the growth, antioxidant capacity, and tissue deposition of taurine in golden pompano. In addition, the mechanism of taurine synthesis was studied via enzyme activity and gene expression of the following enzymes: cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE), cysteine dioxygenase (CDO), cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase (CSAD), and 2-aminoethanethiol dioxygenase (ADO). Taurine concentrations of 1.3, 4.4, 7.4, 10.5 and 12.7 g kg−1 were added to the basic feed, hereafter labelled the T0, T1, T2, T3 and T4 diets, respectively. A control diet was supplemented with 1.3 g kg−1 taurine. Following 8 weeks of treatment, the results showed that the specific growth rate increased with the increase in dietary taurine content; the growth rate peaked at the 10.5 g kg−1 dietary taurine level (P < 0.05). The hepatosomatic index was significantly reduced as dietary taurine levels increased (P < 0.05). Crude protein and crude lipid in the body increased significantly with the intake of exogenous taurine (P < 0.05). The increase in dietary taurine significantly increased the total antioxidant capacity, as well as the superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities; however, the malondialdehyde concentration correspondingly decreased (P < 0.05). The taurine content in whole fish, liver, heart, eye, kidney, brain, muscle and gill significantly increased with the increase in dietary taurine (P < 0.05). The activity of CSE, CDO, CSAD and ADO decreased with the increase in dietary taurine (P < 0.05). Taurine intake had no significant impact on CBS activity (P > 0.05). The gene expression of CBS, CSE, CDO, CSAD and ADO exhibited a downward trend with an increase of taurine (P < 0.05). These results indicate that taurine plays an important role in the growth of golden pompano. Polynomial regression analysis revealed that the taurine requirements of golden pompano could be satisfied if the taurine content reached at least 10.0 g kg−1. In addition, taurine has a regulating effect on taurine synthesis in golden pompano.

Impaired bile acid metabolism with defectives of mitochondrial-tRNA taurine modification and bile acid taurine conjugation in the taurine depleted cats

Taurine that conjugates with bile acid (BA) and mitochondrial-tRNA (mt-tRNA) is a conditional essential amino acid in humans, similarly to cats. To better understand the influence of acquired depletion of taurine on BA metabolism, the profiling of BAs and its intermediates, BA metabolism-enzyme expression, and taurine modified mt-tRNAs were evaluated in the taurine deficient diet-supplemented cats. In the taurine depleted cats, taurine-conjugated bile acids in bile and taurine-modified mt-tRNA in liver were significantly decreased, whereas unconjugated BA in serum was markedly increased. Impaired bile acid metabolism in the liver was induced accompanied with the decreases of mitochondrial cholesterol 27-hydroxylase expression and mitochondrial activity. Consequently, total bile acid concentration in bile was significantly decreased by the low activity of mitochondrial bile acid synthesis. These results implied that the insufficient dietary taurine intake causes impaired bile acid metabolism, and in turn, a risk for the various diseases similar to the mitochondrial diseases would be enhanced.

Relationship Among Dietary Taurine Intake, Dietary Attitudes, Dietary Behaviors, and Life Stress by Depression in Korean Female College Students.

This study was conducted to investigate the correlation between dietary taurine intake, nutrients intake, dietary attitudes, dietary behaviors, and life stress by depression in Korean female college students. Depression was measured by self-reported symptoms of depression on the CES-D (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression) scale. The subjects of this cross-sectional study included 56 female college students with depression (depression group, DG) and 122 female students without depression (control group, CG). Self-reported life stress score was determined using the life stress scale developed for Korean college students. Intakes of dietary taurine and nutrients were assessed using 3-day food records (2 weekdays and 1 weekend day) and evaluated using the computer aided nutrition program 4.0 version. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 24.0. We observed no significant difference in the average dietary taurine intake between DG (87.6mg/day) and CG (92.3mg/day). The average dietary intakes of vitamin A and calcium in DG were significantly lower as compared to CG (p<0.05). The average total scores of dietary attitudes (p<0.01) and dietary behaviors (p<0.05) in DG were significantly lower as compared to CG. The average total life stress score (p<0.001) and all stress categories were significantly higher in DG as compared to CG. No significant correlation was observed between the CES-D scale score and dietary taurine intake. However, there were significant negative correlations between the CES-D scale score and vitamin A, folic acid, vitamin C, and calcium intakes (p<0.05), dietary attitudes, and dietary behaviors (p<0.01). Scores of the CES-D scale and life stress showed a significantly positive correlation (p<0.01). Therefore, continuous nutrition education and counseling for good dietary attitudes and behaviors are required. Future studies need to be undertaken to confirm the correlation between dietary taurine intake and depression by intervention with taurine.

Dietary Taurine Intake and Its Food Sources in Korean Young Adults Using 2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Data.

This study aimed to estimate the dietary taurine intake and its food sources in Korean's aged between 19 and 29years. The study included 619 participants (292 males and 327 females) who had provided data via a 24-h recall method to the 2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Dietary taurine intake and the sources of dietary taurine were estimated by using CAN-Pro 4.0 software. Statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS 20.0. Average height and weight of the subjects was 174 cm and 73.5 kg in males and 161 cm and 56.4 kg in females, respectively. The prevalence of obesity in males was significantly higher compared to females (p<0.001). Overall, the nutrient intakes of subjects were higher than the dietary reference intakes for Korean's (KDRIs). In particular, phosphorus and sodium intakes of males and females were higher, whereas, potassium and calcium intakes of males and females were lower than the KDRIs. The average intake of taurine 327.3 mg by males was significantly higher compared to 245.1 mg by females (p<0.05). With regard to dietary taurine intake from the main food groups, meat (p<0.001), vegetable (p<0.001), beverages and alcohol (p<0.05), and cereal (p<0.001), in males was significantly higher compared to females. This study showed that 19-29years old Korean young adults had a high intake of taurine due to high intake of protein. However, since high intake of meat can lead to chronic disease, it is necessary to provide nutrition education to increase the intake of fishes and shellfishes as a taurine source food.

Positive Changes in Blood Lipid Profiles, Nutrition Knowledge, and Dietary Taurine Intake After 8-Week Nutrition Education Program in Low-Income Korean Children.

Taurine has been reported to play a key role in the growth and development of children's brains and nerves. Incorrect dietary habits and unbalanced nutrient intakes may be caused by socio-environmental and economic factors in low-income children. This study was conducted to investigate changes in blood lipid profiles, nutrition knowledge, dietary attitudes, and intakes of dietary taurine and nutrients after an 8-week nutrition education program (NEP) in low-income Korean children. In this intervention study, nutrition education, exercise, and nutrition counseling were conducted for 8-weeks in 22 low-income children (11-13years old, 9males and 13females) at community child center located in Incheon, Korea. Changes after the NEP were evaluated using a one group pretest-posttest design. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 20.0. After the 8-week NEP, there was a significant decrease in the blood triglyceride level of female students (p<0.01). As for nutrition knowledge, there were significant increases in the subscore of sugars and sodium in foods consumed by male students (p<0.05), total score of nutrition knowledge (p<0.01), subscore of sugars and sodium in foods (p<0.01), and fat content of foods and adequate dietary intake in female students (p<0.05). Dietary attitudes did not change. There were significant increases in intakes of dietary taurine, vitamin B6 (p<0.01), and dietary fiber (p<0.05) in female students after the NEP. There were significantly positive correlations between changes in dietary taurine intake and dietary attitudes as well as between changes in carbohydrate intake and total cholesterol level among all the subjects. Therefore, nutrition education to promote balanced nutrient intake and dietary attitudes for optimal growth and development of low-income children is needed.

Influences of Taurine Deficiency on Bile Acids of the Bile in the Cat Model.

Taurine content in the body is maintained by both biosynthesis from sulfur-contained amino acids in the liver and ingestion from usual foods, mainly seafoods and meat. Contrary to the rodents, the maintenance of taurine content in the body depends on the oral taurine ingestion in cats as well as humans because of the low ability of the biosynthesis. Therefore, insufficient of dietary taurine intake increases the risks of various diseases such as blind and expanded cardiomyopathy in the cats. One of the most established physiological roles of taurine is the conjugation with bile acid in the liver. In addition, taurine has effect to increase the expression and activity of bile acid synthesis rate-limiting enzyme CYP7A1. Present study purposed to evaluate the influence of taurine deficiency on bile acids in the cats fed taurine-lacking diet. Adult cats were fed the soybean protein-based diet with 0.15% taurine or without taurine for 30weeks. Taurine concentration in serum and liver was undetectable, and bile acids in the bile were significantly decreased in the taurine-deficient cats. Taurine-conjugated bile acids in the bile were significantly decreased, and instead, unconjugated bile acids were significantly increased in the taurine-deficient cats. Present results suggested that the taurine may play an important role in the synthesis of bile acids in the liver.

Taurine dietary supplementation attenuates brain, thyroid, testicular disturbances and oxidative stress in streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus in male rats

The metabolic dysregulation associated with DM causes secondary pathophysiological changes in multiple organ systems. This work aimed to study the effect of taurine supplementation on brain, thyroid, testicular disturbances and oxidative stress in diabetic rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups (Group 1, control; group 2, diabetic; group 3, diabetic+taurine; group 4, taurine). The results illustrated that the dietary taurine intake was effective in lowering the elevated plasma levels of AChE, GnRH, TSH, FSH and LH in diabetic rats compared to untreated ones (P<0.05), whereas TRH, T3, T4 and testosterone, were significantly increased. Taurine improved the sperm characteristics in diabetic rats as indicated by sperm counts and motility. The data revealed that taurine intake was able to reverse the oxidative effect of diabetes on the antioxidant status of brain, thyroid and testis in diabetic rats. The taurine treated group also showed a significant improvement in the degenerative changes of the seminiferous tubules and spermatogenesis. In summary, it was suggested that taurine may have a regulatory effect on diabetes-induced changes in the gonadal-hormone levels by inhibiting hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis and thyroid dysfunctions in the diabetic male rats.

Dietary Taurine Supplementation in School Meals Has Positive Effect on School Attitude Assessment in Korean High School Students.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementation with taurine-rich foods on school attitude assessment (SAA) in high school students. A total of 134 subjects were divided into a taurine-rich food supplemented (TS) group (68 subjects) and control group (66 subjects). For the TS group, school dinners supplemented with taurine-rich foods were provided for 5days and average dietary amount of taurine supplementation was 466.2mg/school dinner. Control group ate dinner at home or at restaurant ad libitum. The school attitude assessment survey-revised and 24-h recall method were used for SAA and dietary assessment, respectively. There were no significant differences in scores of dietary attitudes between the TS and control groups by gender. Average dietary taurine intake of the TS group (649.8mg/day in males, 634.5mg/day in females) was significantly higher compared to the control group (392.4mg/day in males, 334.4mg/day in females) (p<0.01 in males and p<0.001 in females, respectively). Total SAA scores in the TS group were significantly higher compared to the control group (p<0.01) for attitudes toward teachers, goal valuation, and motivation/self-regulation (p<0.01). Dietary taurine intake was showed positive correlations with scores for academic self-perception (p<0.05), attitudes towards teachers (p<0.001), goal valuation (p<0.01), motivation/self-regulation (p<0.05), and total scores (p<0.01). According to the results, dietary taurine supplementation in school meals for 5days had a positive effect on SAA in high school students. Therefore, dietary taurine supplementation in school and home meals may be necessary for improving SAA of high school students.

Taurine and magnesium supplementation enhances the function of endothelial progenitor cells through antioxidation in healthy men and spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Endothelial damage is repaired by endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which are pivotal in preventing cardiovascular diseases and prolonging lifespan. The WHO Cardiovascular Diseases and Alimentary Comparison Study demonstrated that dietary taurine and magnesium (Mg) intake suppresses cardiovascular diseases. We herein evaluate the effects of taurine and Mg supplementation on EPC function and oxidative stress in healthy men and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Healthy men received taurine (3 g per day) or Mg (340 mg per day) for 2 weeks. SHRs and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were housed with high-salt drinking water (1% NaCl). The SHRs received 3% taurine solution and/or a high-Mg (600 mg per 100 g) diet for 4 weeks. Their peripheral blood mononuclear cells were separated to quantify EPC colony formation. Oxidative stress markers in their peripheral blood were evaluated using a free radical analytical system and a thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) assay. Taurine and Mg supplementation significantly increased EPC colony numbers and significantly decreased free radical levels and TBARS scores in healthy men. Taurine and Mg supplementation significantly increased EPC colony numbers and significantly decreased TBARS scores and free radical levels in SHRs. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase component mRNA expression was significantly higher in the renal cortex of salt-loaded SHRs than in WKY rats, in which it was suppressed by taurine and Mg supplementation. Taurine and Mg supplementation increased EPC colony formation in healthy men and improved impaired EPC function in SHRs through antioxidation, indicating that the dietary intake of taurine and Mg may prolong lifespan by preventing the progression of cardiovascular diseases.

Taurine deficiency, synthesis and transport in the mdx mouse model for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

The amino acid taurine is essential for the function of skeletal muscle and administration is proposed as a treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Taurine homeostasis is dependent on multiple processes including absorption of taurine from food, endogenous synthesis from cysteine and reabsorption in the kidney. This study investigates the cause of reported taurine deficiency in the dystrophic mdx mouse model of DMD. Levels of metabolites (taurine, cysteine, cysteine sulfinate and hypotaurine) and proteins (taurine transporter [TauT], cysteine deoxygenase and cysteine sulfinate dehydrogenase) were quantified in juvenile control C57 and dystrophic mdx mice aged 18 days, 4 and 6 weeks. In C57 mice, taurine content was much higher in both liver and plasma at 18 days, and both cysteine and cysteine deoxygenase were increased. As taurine levels decreased in maturing C57 mice, there was increased transport (reabsorption) of taurine in the kidney and muscle. In mdx mice, taurine and cysteine levels were much lower in liver and plasma at 18 days, and in muscle cysteine was low at 18 days, whereas taurine was lower at 4: these changes were associated with perturbations in taurine transport in liver, kidney and muscle and altered metabolism in liver and kidney. These data suggest that the maintenance of adequate body taurine relies on sufficient dietary intake of taurine and cysteine availability and metabolism, as well as retention of taurine by the kidney. This research indicates dystrophin deficiency not only perturbs taurine metabolism in the muscle but also affects taurine metabolism in the liver and kidney, and supports targeting cysteine and taurine deficiency as a potential therapy for DMD.

Obesity and Taurine

In a study, taurine was effective in treating fatty liver of children with simple obesity regardless of the success/failure of weight control [9]. In another study, dietary intake of taurine and glycine correlated negatively with body mass gain and total fat mass, while intake of all other amino acids correlated positively. Furthermore taurine and glycine intake correlated positively with improved plasma lipid profile, i.e., lower levels of plasma lipids and higher HDL-to-total cholesterol ratio [10].

Role of taurine in the pathogenesis of obesity.

Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that is present in mammalian tissues in millimolar concentrations. Taurine is involved in a diverse array of biological and physiological functions, including bile salt conjugation, osmoregulation, membrane stabilization, calcium modulation, anti-oxidation, and immunomodulation. The prevalence of obesity and being overweight continues to rise worldwide at an alarming rate. Obesity is associated with a higher risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and other clinical conditions. Ingestion of taurine has been shown to alleviate metabolic diseases such as hyperlipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity in animal models. A global epidemiological survey showed that 24-h urinary taurine excretion, as a marker of dietary taurine intake, was inversely associated with BMI, blood pressure, and plasma cholesterol in humans. In addition, taurine chloramine, an endogenous product derived from activated neutrophils, has been reported to suppress obesity-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in adipocytes. Synthetic activity and concentration of taurine in adipose tissues and plasma have been shown to decrease in humans and animals during the development of obesity, suggesting a relationship between taurine deficiency and obesity. In this review, I summarize the effects of taurine on the progression of obesity in animal models and humans. Furthermore, I discuss possible mechanisms underlying the antiobesity effects of taurine.

The association among dietary taurine intake, obesity and quality of sleep in korean women.

Obesity is an important risk factor for various diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. High quality sleep is essential to aid physical recovery and maintain health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between dietary taurine intake, obesity, and quality of sleep. The subjects were 16 Korean women in the age group of 30–54 years. Body composition was measured using Inbody 720 and blood lipid profiles were analyzed after 12 h-fasting blood collection. Dietary taurine and nutrient intake were surveyed by the 3-day recall method and ‘the Korean sleep scale A questionnaire’ was used to assess quality of sleep. A higher sleep score indicated higher quality of sleep. According to the results of this study, women with higher body mass index (BMI) tended to have a lower total quality of sleep. A higher BMI showed significant correlation with higher level of blood total-cholesterol. A positive correlation was also observed between dietary taurine intake and the total sleep score. In particular, positive correlations were observed between dietary taurine intake and sleep scores for questions including ‘take a long time to fall asleep (p < 0.05)’, ‘difficult to fall asleep again during fitful sleep (p < 0.05)’, and ‘continuously sleepy in the morning (p < 0.05)’. No significant correlation was observed between intake of other nutrients and quality of sleep. These results suggest that obesity might be related to a lower total quality of sleep and that dietary taurine intake may increase the quality of sleep. Further conduct of a large-scale study or case-control study is needed in order to clarify the relationship between dietary taurine, obesity, and the quality of sleep.

Scallop protein with endogenous high taurine and glycine content prevents high-fat, high-sucrose-induced obesity and improves plasma lipid profile in male C57BL/6J mice

High-protein diets induce alterations in metabolism that may prevent diet-induced obesity. However, little is known as to whether different protein sources consumed at normal levels may affect diet-induced obesity and associated co-morbidities. We fed obesity-prone male C57BL/6J mice high-fat, high-sucrose diets with protein sources of increasing endogenous taurine content, i.e., chicken, cod, crab and scallop, for 6 weeks. The energy intake was lower in crab and scallop-fed mice than in chicken and cod-fed mice, but only scallop-fed mice gained less body and fat mass. Liver mass was reduced in scallop-fed mice, but otherwise no changes in lean body mass were observed between the groups. Feed efficiency and apparent nitrogen digestibility were reduced in scallop-fed mice suggesting alterations in energy utilization and metabolism. Overnight fasted plasma triacylglyceride, non-esterified fatty acids, glycerol and hydroxy-butyrate levels were significantly reduced, indicating reduced lipid mobilization in scallop-fed mice. The plasma HDL-to-total-cholesterol ratio was higher, suggesting increased reverse cholesterol transport or cholesterol clearance in scallop-fed mice in both fasted and non-fasted states. Dietary intake of taurine and glycine correlated negatively with body mass gain and total fat mass, while intake of all other amino acids correlated positively. Furthermore taurine and glycine intake correlated positively with improved plasma lipid profile, i.e., lower levels of plasma lipids and higher HDL-to-total-cholesterol ratio. In conclusion, dietary scallop protein completely prevents high-fat, high-sucrose-induced obesity whilst maintaining lean body mass and improving the plasma lipid profile in male C57BL/6J mice.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00726-014-1715-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.