Taurine is the sulfonic acid (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) that is the most important regulator of the cardiovascular function — it is found in high concentrations in the heart, the brain, the skeletal muscle, and the retina, and it is one of the most abundant amino acids in the human body. The taurine is unique among the amino acids because it is not incorporated into the proteins — it is a free amino acid that acts as a regulator of many physiological processes, including the calcium homeostasis (it modulates the calcium influx through the calcium channels and the calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum), the osmotic regulation (it is an organic osmolyte that protects the cells from the osmotic stress), the antioxidant defence (it scavenges the reactive oxygen species and protects the cells from the oxidative damage), and the neurological function (it is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that regulates the neuronal excitability and the seizure threshold). The taurine is particularly important for the cardiovascular health because it directly regulates the heart rate, the contractility, the blood pressure, and the cardiac rhythm — and the taurine deficiency is a major and under-recognised cause of the cardiovascular disease. Without adequate taurine and cardiovascular regulation, the heart rate becomes erratic, the blood pressure rises, the calcium signalling is impaired, and the heart failure develops — the hallmark of the taurine deficiency and of the taurine-responsive cardiovascular dysfunction. The typical dietary taurine intake from the meat, the poultry, the fish, and the shellfish is 200-600mg daily, and the therapeutic doses for the cardiovascular support are 500-3000mg of the taurine supplement daily — making the taurine one of the most evidence-based interventions for the cardiovascular health and for the prevention of the heart disease.
Taurine and the Cardiac Function
Taurine affects the cardiac function primarily through its regulatory effects on the calcium homeostasis — it modulates the calcium influx through the L-type and T-type calcium channels, it regulates the calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (through the ryanodine receptors and the IP3 receptors), and it stabilises the calcium binding proteins (such as the calmodulin and the troponin C). This calcium regulatory effect of the taurine is critical for the normal cardiac contractility — the calcium is the primary trigger of the cardiac muscle contraction, and the proper regulation of the calcium signalling is essential for the normal heart rate, the normal contractility, and the normal cardiac rhythm. The taurine also has direct effects on the blood pressure — it reduces the peripheral vascular resistance by antagonising the calcium influx in the vascular smooth muscle cells (thereby causing the vasodilation), it reduces the sympathetic nervous system activity (by increasing the GABA levels in the brain), and it improves the insulin sensitivity (which reduces the sympathetic tone and the blood pressure). The taurine also protects the heart from the ischemic injury — it reduces the infarct size, improves the post-ischemic contractility, and reduces the arrhythmia risk in the animal models of the myocardial infarction and of the ischemia-reperfusion.
The clinical importance of the taurine for the cardiovascular health is underscored by the observation that the taurine supplementation improves the heart function and reduces the blood pressure in people with the heart failure and in people with the hypertension. A meta-analysis of 7 RCTs in 300 participants with the heart failure found that the taurine supplementation at 1-3g daily significantly improved the exercise capacity (by 15-20%, as measured by the 6-minute walk test), improved the left ventricular ejection fraction (by 5-10%), and reduced the dyspnoea (by 20-30%) — demonstrating the potent cardiac supportive effect of the taurine in humans. Another meta-analysis of 5 RCTs in 200 participants with the hypertension found that the taurine supplementation at 1.5-3g daily significantly reduced the systolic blood pressure (by 8-12mmHg) and the diastolic blood pressure (by 4-8mmHg) — making the taurine one of the most effective non-drug interventions for the hypertension.
Practical Application
For general taurine supplementation for the cardiovascular support, the evidence-based approach is to supplement with 500-3000mg of taurine daily (as the pure taurine powder, which is the most affordable and the most bioavailable form). The taurine should be taken in the morning and in the evening (in divided doses, to maintain the stable blood levels throughout the day). The taurine is generally well-tolerated with no significant adverse effects at doses up to 6000mg daily, and it does not have any known drug interactions — though it may enhance the effects of the antihypertensive and the antiarrhythmic drugs. For comprehensive cardiovascular and longevity support, taurine pairs well with the magnesium (which is a calcium antagonist and which works synergistically with the taurine for the blood pressure reduction and for the cardiac rhythm stabilisation), with the CoQ10 (which is required for the mitochondrial energy production in the cardiac muscle and which works synergistically with the taurine for the cardiac function), with the omega-3 fatty acids (which have complementary effects on the cardiac rhythm, on the blood pressure, and on the inflammation), and with the garlic extract (which has complementary effects on the blood pressure and on the lipid profile).
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