Scientists from Columbia University Irving Medical Center named taurine deficiency in the body a new cause of aging. The results of the study were published in the journal Science. Taurine is a nutrient produced in the body and found in many foods. Previous studies have shown that this molecule plays a role in bone formation, the health of the immune and nervous systems, and the prevention of obesity. Based on these data, experts suggested that if taurine regulates all these processes that suffer with age, perhaps the level of this substance in the blood affects the general state of health and life expectancy.

To confirm this, the team analyzed taurine levels in the blood of mice, monkeys, and humans. The results showed that the content of molecules in the body decreased significantly with age. That is, taurine levels in 60-year-olds were one-third the level of five-year-olds. This led to additional experiments on mice.

Researchers administered taurine or a placebo solution to 250 men and women who were 14 months old (about 45 human years). At the end of the trial, taurine was found to increase average lifespan by 12 percent in female mice and 10 percent in male mice. In other words, such subjects lived three to four months longer, which is equivalent to about seven to eight human years.

It was also possible to determine that mice given taurine for one year were healthier in almost all parameters at the age of two (60 human years) than their relatives in the control group. Specifically, the substance suppressed age-related weight gain in female mice (even in “menopausal” animals), increased bone mass, increased muscle endurance and strength, reduced depressive and anxiety-like behaviors, reduced insulin resistance, and promoted immune rejuvenation. systems.

Similar results were observed in experiments with primates given taurine supplements daily for six months. The substance in them prevented obesity, lowered the level of glucose in the blood, increased bone density in the spine and legs, and also improved the state of the immune system.

Tests on humans have also shown that taurine has a positive effect on health. Subjects had a reduced risk of being overweight, diabetes, hypertension, and lower levels of inflammation. A randomized clinical trial was planned to confirm the findings. Source