Taurine is one of the most abundant free amino acids in the heart tissue and brain, with wide physiological effects. It plays an important role in the stabilization of the cellular membranes that surround and protect every single cell in your body. It is also an antioxidant and protects against the toxicity of various substances. Researchers have performed a variety of tests on the effects of taurine, hoping to find where it may be beneficial. But studies on its potential effects on anxiety have been limited.
Dietary Sources
Taurine is a nonessential amino acid. This means that the liver synthesizes it naturally from another amino acid known as cysteine and carefully regulates its production. You can obtain taurine directly from meats, seafood and various dietary supplements, however. It's also a major ingredient of energy drinks. Up to 3,000 mg of taurine a day is safe, according to MayoClinic.com. Most individuals only consume about 200 mg a day from natural sources.
Neurological Effects
Taurine supports neurological development and is known to have general effects on the brain's alertness and mental performance, which is why it's an ingredient in energy drinks, says MayoClinic.com. Researchers, however, have not fully explored taurine's effects on the behavioral, cognitive and emotional aspects of anxiety; up until the present time they have focused exclusively on animal models. Supplements and medication have two possible effects on anxiety: they can either be anxiogenic, which means anxiety-increasing, or anxiolytic, which means anxiety-reducing.
Research
A 2006 study published in the journal "Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior" suggests that taurine may act as an anti-anxiety agent in the central nervous system of rats by activating a specific receptor in the central nervous system. It also increased social interaction time but did not appear to have an effect on locomotor activity. Another study published in the journal "Life Sciences" concluded that the effects are "limited" and "not consistent with those presented by classic anxiolytics, such as diazepam." A third study, published in 2009 in "Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology," found more conflicting results: taurine appeared to be anxiolytic when injected and anxiogenic when taken orally as a supplement.
Recommendations
Taurine is a cheap, safe and ubiquitous substance, but it is unlikely to have as much of an effect on anxiety as more thoroughly tested and approved supplements and medication. Future research, however, should lead to a better understanding of its effects and may yet prove to be more promising. If you decide that you want to take taurine, then you should talk to your doctor first.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Taurine in Energy Drinks: What Is It?; Katherine Zeratsky; June 2010
- "Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior"; Effects of Taurine on Rat Behaviors in Three Anxiety Models; W.X. Kong, et al.; February 2006
- "Life Sciences"; Possible Anxiolytic Effects of Taurine in the Mouse Elevated Plus-Maze; S.W. Chen, et al.; August 2004
- "Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology"; Effects of Taurine on Anxiety-Like and Locomotor Behavior of Mice; A. El Idrissi, et al.; 2009
