Taurine is the most abundant amino acid in your muscles, heart, brain, retinas and white blood cells. Your body does not use taurine as a component of proteins; instead it is used as a free amino acid. Taurine serves a variety of important functions, including as an antioxidant and immune-boosting molecule. Some of taurine's health benefits may help alleviate certain menopause symptoms.
Cholesterol
Along with decreasing estrogen levels, your heart disease risk increases after menopause. Cholesterol, triglyeride and low density lipoprotein, or LDL, the bad form of cholesterol, tend to rise as the protective effects of estrogen fall away. Taurine may offer heart-healthy benefits for menopause and beyond, according to Simo.S. Oja, editor of the book "Taurine 6." Taurine promotes bile production, which helps reduce cholesterol levels in your bloodstream. This amino acid also regulates calcium levels, acts as an antioxidant and protects cell membranes.
Dietary Fat
The beneficial effects of taurine depend upon the types of fat in your diet during and after menopause, according to a study published in the August 2003 issue of "Nutrition Journal." In the study, corn-oil-based diets that were supplemented with taurine showed a decrease in cholesterol levels, while coconut-oil-based diets supplemented with taurine showed increased bile production without decreased cholesterol levels. Taurine also increased levels of high density lipoprotein, HDL, the good form of cholesterol. Additionally, taurine increased the number of LDL receptors and may help your cells absorb and utilize cholesterol while decreasing blood levels. Clinical trials on humans are needed to confirm these promising results.
Atherosclerosis
A study published in the 2004 issue of the journal "Nutrition Research" found that taurine decreases atherosclerosis in addition to lowering cholesterol levels in animal studies. High-fat diets, genetically inherited predisposition to cardiovascular disease and diabetes-related heart disease all responded well to taurine supplementation. Taurine increases activity of the enzyme that converts cholesterol into bile acid. Taurine also inhibits atherosclerotic plaque formation, possibly through its antioxidant effects or by increasing HDL levels. Further human trials are warranted to confirm these preliminary results.
Smell
Your sense of smell declines with age, and this process can be accelerated by menopause. Taurine has been shown to preserve the sense of smell in laboratory animal experiments, according to University of Pennsylvania researcher Igor L. Kratskin, M.D., Ph.D. Taurine and the enzyme that synthesizes taurine are present in high concentrations in nasal passage mucous membranes. A study published in the January 2004 issue of the journal "Chemical Senses" found that taurine works with the neurotransmitter gamma amino butyric acid, GABA, to increase your brain's processing of smells.
References
- "Taurine 6"; S. S. Oja; 2006
- "The Journal of Nutrition"; Taurine Prevents Hypercholesterolemia in Ovariectomized Rats Fed Corn Oil but Not in Those Fed Coconut Oil; Taro Kishida, et al.; 2003
- University of Pennsylvania Smell and Taste Center"; "Function of Taurine in the Primary Olfactory Pathway; Igor L. Kratskin; March, 2004
- "Chemical Senses"; Taurine Action on Mitral Cell Activity in the Frog Olfactory Bulb in Vivo; M. Chaput, et al.; January 2004
- "Nutrition Research"; Dietary Taurine Supplementation: Hypolipidemic And Antiatherogenic Effects; Julius D. Militante, et al.; 2004 bb
- "FEMS Microbiology Letters"; Taurine: New Implications for an Old Amino Acid; B. Georgia, et al.; 2003
