Approximate dose-response bands. Individual response varies — these are starting points, not prescriptions.
Well below target. Risk of deficiency symptoms tied to cardio · electrolyte.
Below the recommended daily target. Long-term adequacy not assured.
Daily target met. Standard nutritional support for cardio · electrolyte.
Common for specific health goals. Check the evidence for your situation before sustaining this level.
Past the point where extra intake typically helps. Evidence for further benefit is thin.
You're at 0% of your taurine target. The biggest single-serving sources to top it off:
Conditionally essential sulfur amino acid (not used in protein synthesis). Among the most abundant intracellular free amino acids — concentrated in heart, brain, retina, muscle. Roles in osmoregulation, calcium signalling, bile acid conjugation, and membrane stability. Recent (2023) data suggest blood taurine declines with age and supplementation extends lifespan in mice — but the human picture is still developing.
Acts as a 'thermodynamic stabiliser' — its negative charge and small size let it occupy cytoplasm without disrupting protein function, supporting cell volume during osmotic stress. Mitochondrial tRNA taurine modification is required for normal translation of complex I and complex IV subunits — its loss is the proximate cause of MELAS-like mitochondrial dysfunction in taurine-deficient cats and mice.
Spontaneous human deficiency is rare. Strict vegan diets, premature infants, and TPN without taurine can produce inadequacy.
No established UL. Well-tolerated to ~3 g/day. Energy-drink-related concerns are usually about caffeine, not taurine.
L-taurine powder or capsules at 1–3 g/day is the conventional range. Well-tolerated; no UL established. The recent longevity data used 1 g/kg/day in mice — human-equivalent dose calculations vary; most human trials use 1–3 g/day.
Active transport via TauT/SLC6A6; oral bioavailability ~80%. Plasma peaks ~1.5 h post-dose; tissue uptake is slower and continues for hours. Endogenous synthesis from methionine/cysteine is modest in adults.
Singh et al. 2023 (Science) — taurine supplementation extended lifespan and healthspan in mice, monkeys, and worms; cross-sectional human data showed taurine decline with age correlating with several aging markers. First major prospective human trial is ongoing — results not yet definitive but the molecule is now central to several aging-research programs.
Conditionally essential; cardiovascular, mitochondrial, osmoregulation. Common dose 1–3 g/day.