A while back I posted about my personal story with Taurine and provided little other back up for anyone who wanted to do their own research.
I happened onto this website today and ask that people only view the information content and not the commercial links as I have no links whatsoever to this website owner and in no way am suggesting a follow up or recommendation. It simply seemed an easier way of someone to quickly digest some of the available research.
If this caveat is not sufficient for the kind folks who supervise this board then I will remove the post but my heart is in the right place which is to pass on useful information to those with thyroid issues who may benefit
This is interesting Danielj1, thanks. I did a little further research and found this, which also leads us back to thyroid, because high cholesterol is associated with hypothyroidism:
'Taurine plays an essential role in metabolism and digestion, as it helps the liver to create bile salts. Bile salts help break down fatty acids in the intestines.
Bile acids are the body’s main way of breaking down cholesterol. Each day, an adult breaks down about 500mg of cholesterol and converts it to bile. To do this, it needs specific amino acids, such as taurine.' medicalnewstoday.com/articl...
The issue with Paloma health is that you can find an article on there that links practically every vitamin/mineral/amino acid to Hypothyroidism.
Yes Taurine can play a role in bile acid synthesis, but it doesn't require it, as Glycine can also be used. It's also created directly from cysteine, so does that mean instead there's a deficiency in Cysteine and you'd be better off supplementing with that instead, or that your liver is failing in that process somehow?
It wouldn't be surprising to be lacking in all/certain Amino Acids, as Gastric Acid is reduced when Hypo, and that will cause Protein Malabsorption, but the main problem is, how do you determine that? How low are you? What sort of dose would you need? And most importantly, could increased Taurine intake negatively affect already disturbed bile acid synthesis or cause some other problem (liver) long term?
Interestingly, Vegans/Vegetarians consume very little dietary Taurine/Cysteine, and yet have no higher incidence of Thyroid disease and/or Bile Acid issues (that I can find anyway).
Needs more research I say, with bigger sample sizes.
I am always suspicious of websites like this one, as they also sell supplements. Call me cynical, but isn't it in their interest to link a specific nutrient to ill health and then magically offer supplementation as a solution?
And looking at it, is it really beneficial to supplement with a single amino acid in isolation? As amino acids all work in conjunction with each other, you may increase your taurine intake this way, but what will you unbalance in the process? Amino acids usually occur together in food sources, hence the natural balance will be upheld, but that is not the case if taken in isolation. And taurine supplementation can also have side effects, such as gastrointestinal discomfort, dizziness, changes in blood pressure, allergic reactions, and interactions with medications (obviously depending on the dose). So I would be cautious.
Helpful feedback- yes, more research needed and caution always sensible. I have to admit that the bile acids point was not one I noticed at all, it was more the point about helping me improve aerobic performance and resilience to hard training schedules.
In that respect it has been a great success and I would not do without it. Over the years I have tried most of the amino acids and found they made almost no discernible difference at all so fully understand wider scepticism and Taurine aside I take none of the other ones.
I use it for a specific outcome and purpose and I do not foresee the others in the same light. I have had such great improvements from taking this alone I am not that worried over not feeling a need to balance out with other amino acids - a possible risk to be aware of - but I can live with this for now.
Thanks for all your comments as these help move the discussion forward
I'm glad it works for you, it could possibly do the same for others, but as is so often the case , the research just isnt there yet, and the interactions in the body are probably rather complex.
Hope I didn't sound too dismissive, it's always helpful to highlight these things, and start a discussion. I'm very jealous that you're able to do hard training schedules, I've turned into a couch potato, so you're definitely doing something right.
The research on the links to exercise and Taurine are there I think from what I have read - but it has taken moving heaven and earth to move from a body that hated exercise to one that can thrive on it with an inordinate amount of time and effort expended with a sports nutritionist and a very supportive gym.
If you are not opposed to dairy, I can recommend whey protein isolates (gras fed or organic). They have all the essential amino acids (including cysteine, that can be converted to taurine). I have been using this in the form of a breakfast shake (together with oats, inulin powder, linseeds, peanut butter and either a fresh banana or blueberries) for over 18 months now and have definitely noticed a difference in performance. I am not doing very hard aerobic schedules though (never could anyway 😂), but I have considerably increased my stamina and muscle strength.
Hi Tina, I am thrilled to hear that this is working well as I am trying to follow something very close to that myself - I thought I had ben a bit of an oddball for my wierd mix of ingredients but you seem to be doing something so so similar One thing you have picked up on is the use of whey protein isolates. I started with whey powder and found it was not great and moved to vegan powder and so add greek yoghurt for some dairy fat plus the other items pretty much the same as your list. My nutritionist recently suggested moving to the whey isolates and now you have said the same so that is something I will look at. Thank you for coming back over this.
Really pleased your stamina and strength are on the up trend too - as they say well done and keep going
I started out with whey powder, but found that some can have a funny aftertaste 🫣. The whey isolates have all the essential amino acids with a significant reduction in lactose (I am not intolerant, but it is a nice to have). The vegan proteins just cannot get close to mimmic the animal protein composition we need. In addition, plant-based proteins can be less well absorbed and lack essential amino acids such as leucine and lysine.
Yes, my concoction sounds quite wild, but the oats, linseeds and peanut butter slow down the absorption of the sugars from the banana or blueberries - so there is a bit of science in my method! 😅 And it tastes really nice, if I say so myself!😉 Hope you find your nice concoction as well! 👍
Works with almond butter as well if you don't like peanut butter. 😉 Almonds are also a good source of magnesium.
The selenium content of brazil nuts can vary, hence you don't know how much you take in - also too much of selenium is not good either....and most supplements come in 200mcg selenium, which is quite a bit - so I take one tablet every 2-3 days.... but I must admit, I forget it quite a bit as well 😂
Aging is associated with changes in circulating levels of various molecules, some of which remain undefined. We find that concentrations of circulating taurine decline with aging in mice, monkeys, and humans. A reversal of this decline through taurine supplementation increased the healthy lifespan in worms and mice, and healthspan in monkeys. Mechanistically, taurine reduced cellular senescence, protected against telomerase deficiency, suppressed mitochondrial dysfunction, decreased DNA damage, and attenuated inflammaging. In humans, lower taurine concentrations correlated with several age-related diseases, and increased after acute endurance exercise. Thus, taurine deficiency may be a driver of aging as its reversal increases healthspan in worms, rodents and primates and lifespan in worms and rodents. Clinical trials in humans seem warranted to test whether taurine deficiency might drive aging in humans.
Disclaimer - I am not advocating that anyone supplements with taurine! This post from Danielj1 caught my attention because I recalled that many years ago, a particular brand of cat food was the cause of many cats dying. The problem was insufficient taureen in the cat food. This link explains: Thousands of Cat Deaths Traced to Pet Food Deficiency latimes.com/archives/la-xpm...
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One thing you have picked up on is the use of whey protein isolates. I started with whey powder and found it was not great and moved to vegan powder and so add greek yoghurt for some dairy fat plus the other items pretty much the same as your list. My nutritionist recently suggested moving to the whey isolates and now you have said the same so that is something I will look at. Thank you for coming back over this.
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