Excess Taurine

While taking up to 3,000 mg of taurine supplement a day is considered safe, little is known about the effects of heavy or long-term use of taurine, according to MayoClinic.com. Many energy drinks have taurine, an amino acid, as an ingredient because taurine is believed to improve athletic performance, but this benefit has yet to be definitively proven. As one of the most abundant amino acids found in human cells, taurine plays a role in numerous biological and physiological functions, according to the "Nutricion Hospitalaria."

Uses

Taurine supplements are used to treat various conditions, such as congestive heart failure, cystic fibrosis, iron-deficiency anemia, cardiomyopathy, epilepsy, hypertension and both type 1 and 2 diabetes, according to the University of Michigan Health System. While reliably effective at improving the symptoms of congestive heart failure, taurine is not as effective for the other conditions. In the case of cystic fibrosis and iron-deficiency anemia, more research is needed to establish a benefit. There is little to no scientific evidence to support taurine's benefit for the other conditions.

Excess Taurine

In general, excess taurine is excreted by your kidneys, MayoClinic.com says. No indications of toxicity due to excess taurine have been found, according to the journal "FEMS Microbiology Letters." On the other hand, a study with rats showed that excess taurine levels decreased glutamate, an important neurotransmitter in the brain, according to "The Italian Journal of Biochemistry." Further research is necessary to establish the effects of taurine on glutamate in humans.

Dosage

You will need to take taurine supplements if you suffer from chronic hepatic, heart or renal failure. Premature and newborn infants also need to get their taurine from an external source, usually from breast milk. If you need taurine supplementation, your doctor typically will prescribe from 1.5 to 6 g or more of taurine a day, the University of Michigan Health System cites. For congestive heart failure, the prescribed dosage is 2 g taken three times a day under the supervision of a doctor. In general, always consult your health care provider when considering taking supplements.

Sources

The average diet of an omnivore provides about 58 mg of taurine a day, "FEMS Microbiology Letters" cites. You can easily get taurine from your food, particularly from seafood and meat. The body of a typically healthy adult can manufacture this amino acid from methionine and cysteine with the help of vitamin B-6, the "Nutricion Hospitalaria" reports.