Taurine Safety

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Your body uses about 22 primary amino acids to carry out physiological functions. Because your body is able to manufacture taurine, it is considered a nonessential amino acid. Taurine is found throughout your body, particularly in your heart and skeletal muscles. The use of taurine in energy drinks has raised questions about its safety.

Background

Discovered in 1827, taurine is one of the most abundant amino acids in your body. It is found in high amounts, particularly in your brain. Taurine is also found in bile, which is a digestive substance. Your liver produces bile and stores it in a small organ known as the gallbladder. When you eat foods that contain fat, bile helps emulsify and break fat into fatty acids for absorption.

Risk Assessment

Researchers from the Council for Responsible Nutrition reviewed existing clinical data to assess the safety of taurine for healthy adults. They looked for adverse health reactions in an effort to determine the observed safe level, commonly known as OSL. Supplemental taurine intakes up to 3 g per day are considered safe, according to the council's assessment, which was published in the April 2008 issue of the journal "Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology."

Taurine Safety in Energy Drinks

Energy drinks are associated with side effects that include rapid heartbeat, nervousness and headaches. Researchers at the College of Pharmacy at Nova Southeastern University sought to determine the safety of taurine in energy drinks. Taurine in energy drinks is safe and does not contribute to side effects, according to their review of existing clinical data, which was published in the May 2008 issue of the "Journal of the Pharmacists Association." The review also found that high levels of caffeine and sugar contributed to side effects associated with energy drinks.

Taurine Function in Energy Drinks

Although there is a high concentration of taurine in your brain, researchers have been at a loss to explain its neural function. A study published in "The Journal of Neuroscience" in January 2008 found that taurine is a potent GABA receptor activator. GABA is your brain's primary inhibitory neurotransmitter and acts to calm your nervous system. This suggests that the taurine in energy drinks may help balance the stimulating effects of caffeine, so that you remain alert without feeling jittery.