Is taurine in energy drinks bad for you?
According to the best available evidence, taurine has no negative side effects when used in the recommended amounts ( 11 ). While there have been no direct issues from taurine supplements, athlete deaths in Europe have been linked to energy drinks containing taurine and caffeine.
What does taurine in energy drinks do?
While research is mixed, some studies suggest that taurine supplementation might improve athletic performance. And, in one study, people with congestive heart failure who took taurine supplements three times a day for two weeks showed improvement in their exercise capacity.
Why was taurine banned?
The drink had been banned in France for twelve years due to health authorities’ concerns about unknown consequences of the ingredient taurine, a chemical forbidden in several countries. It added that it suspected the drink lessens the impression but not the effects of drunkenness when consumed with alcohol.
Is taurine worse than caffeine?
Many individuals believe taurine is a stimulant, much like caffeine – but the truth is that it isn’t. In fact, it’s just the opposite, as the ingredient is added to popular energy drinks as a nervous system depressant and just has a stimulating effect on the brain.
Will taurine keep me awake?
Treatment with taurine at 0.1% to 1.5% reduces locomotor activity by 28% to 86%, and shifts it from diurnal to nocturnal. At 0.75%, taurine also increases total sleep by 50%. Our results show that taurine increases sleep, while caffeine, as previously reported, attenuates sleep.
Does taurine cause sleeplessness?
Taken together, taurine not only decreases activity and increases sleep, but also appears to induce a greater change in daytime sleep, compared to that of nighttime sleep.
Is taurine hard on the kidneys?
Taurine has been shown to play a role in four different forms of kidney disease: glomerulonephritis, diabetic nephropathy, chronic renal failure, and acute kidney injury (AKI).
Can taurine cause mania?
Taurine is an amino acid made in the liver and creates a calming effect in the brain. A taurine deficiency may lead to more manic episodes in a person with bipolar disorder.
How does taurine affect the heart?
Taurine has important functions in the heart and brain. It helps support nerve growth. It might also benefit people with heart failure by lowering blood pressure and calming the nervous system. This might help prevent heart failure from becoming worse.
Does taurine raise blood pressure?
The increase in blood pressure was observed however only in females; males supplemented with taurine did not show an increase in systolic, diastolic, or mean arterial pressure. In both genders however, taurine supplementation caused a significant tachycardia.
What are the side effects of too much taurine?
The main negative side effect associated with taurine supplementation is negative nitrogen balance. The University of Utah Health Care Center reports that consuming a single amino acid supplement like taurine can offset your natural nitrogen balance. This may lead to a decrease in your metabolic efficiency and a strain on your kidneys.
Does taurine increase appetite?
Taurine supplementation was able to counteract the negative effects of the high fat diet and help prevent leptin resistance. In a new 2015 study published in Amino Acids, researchers found that taurine may be able to reduce appetite as well.
Does taurine give you energy?
There is evidence that taurine can improve memory, concentration and mood, which may translate as sustained or a rise in energy. However, taurine does not provide energy; the body does not convert taurine into glucose and although it exists in every cell, it does not nourish those cells.