Taurine is an amino acid that your body produces and is also obtained by eating meats and seafood. Taurine is not used to make proteins. Instead, this amino acid is used by itself or as part of small chains of amino acids called peptides. Taurine is an important component of bile, and taurine deficiency has been found to be associated with certain heart conditions, retinal degeneration and impaired growth. Some scientific research has shown promising results for the use of taurine to treat type 2 diabetes. Check with your doctor before using taurine to treat a medical condition.
Insulin Resistance
Taurine may reduce insulin resistance by virtue of its multiple influences on cell functions, according to research conducted at the School of Pharmacy, Hyogo University of Health Sciences, Japan. Taurine exerts antioxidant effects and helps control fluid regulation in cells. Taurine also influences activity of some neurotransmitters and the formation of bile acids. The researchers conclude that taurine may be helpful at preventing many of the complications of diabetes, including retinopathy -- damage to the retina of the eye -- kidney dysfunction and neuropathy -- a painful condition associated with diabetes involving nerve damage, often of the hands and feet. The study was published in the March 2011 issue of the journal "Amino Acids."
Oxidative Stress
Taurine was more effective than the hormone melatonin at alleviating oxidative stress on the liver in diabetic laboratory animals, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Department of Medical Biochemistry, Tanta University, Egypt. In the study, taurine supplementation resulted in increased activity of liver enzymes involved in an important pathway by which the liver carries out its detoxification processes. The study was published in the May 2011 issue of the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry."
Blood Flow
Taurine improved blood flow and reduced oxidative stress in a study on laboratory animals with diabetes, conducted at the Department of Pathophysiology, North China Coal Medical College, China. In the study, eight weeks of taurine supplementation resulted in lower blood sugar levels and levels of HgA1c -- a measure of blood sugar over three or four months preceding the test. Activity of the antioxidant superoxide dismutase increased and levels of oxidized lipids decreased with taurine supplementation. Additionally, taurine decreased blood viscosity and blood clotting and increased the flexibility of red blood cells, thereby decreasing the risk for vascular complications associated with diabetes. The study was published in the November 2010 issue of the "Chinese Journal of Applied Physiology."
Neuropathy
Researchers at the College of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, China, found that taurine may be helpful at preventing diabetic neuropathy. In the study on laboratory animals, taurine lowered blood sugar, triglycerides, total cholesterol and kidney enzymes -- a sign of kidney stress when elevated. Taurine also increased levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol, HDL, the good form of cholesterol in diabetic animals. Researchers concluded that taurine contributions to the management of blood sugar and lipid metabolism in diabetes could slow the progression of the disease and prevent associated complications, such as nerve damage. The study was published in the August 2010 issue of the "Journal of Biomedical Science."
References
- "Amino Acids"; The Potential Usefulness of Taurine on Diabetes Mellitus and Its Complications; T. Ito, et al.; March 2011
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; Taurine is More Effective Than Melatonin on Cytochrome P450 2e1 and Some Oxidative Stress Markers in Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats; M. El-batch, et al.; May 2011
- "Chinese Journal of Applied Physiology"; Effects of Taurine on Hemorheology of Rats with Type 2 Diabetes (Article in Chinese); F. Zhang, et al.; November 2010
- "Journal of Biomedical Science"; Preventive Effect of Taurine on Experimental Type 2 Diabetic Nephropathy; S. Lin, et al.; August 2010
- "Alternative Medicine Review"; Therapeutic Applications of Taurine; T. Birdsall; April 1998
