Taurine Benefits for Heart Health and Athletic Performance
Taurine supplementation may benefit athletic performance but is not recommended for heart health due to insufficient evidence of clinical benefit for cardiovascular outcomes.
Heart Health Benefits
Taurine has been proposed as a potential supplement for cardiovascular health, but current clinical guidelines do not support its routine use:
The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines specifically state that nutritional supplements including taurine are not recommended for heart failure treatment due to lack of evidence supporting improved survival 1.
The 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA guideline for heart failure management classifies taurine among supplements that have "unproven value or potential for harm" 1.
Limited Evidence for Cardiovascular Benefits
Despite the guidelines' recommendations against taurine supplementation, some smaller studies have shown:
A small double-blind study (n=16) found taurine supplementation (500mg three times daily for two weeks) improved functional capacity, myocardial oxygen consumption, and electrical activity in heart failure patients 2.
Another small randomized single-blind study (n=29) demonstrated that taurine supplementation (500mg three times daily for two weeks) increased exercise time, metabolic equivalents, and exercise distance in heart failure patients 3.
Observational data from the WHO-CARDIAC Study showed an inverse association between 24-hour urinary excretion of taurine and coronary heart disease, suggesting potential benefits from dietary sources like seafood 1.
However, these small studies are insufficient to override the recommendations in major cardiovascular guidelines, which emphasize the need for larger, long-term clinical trials before taurine can be recommended for heart health.
Athletic Performance Benefits
Taurine appears to have more consistent evidence for enhancing athletic performance:
A 2018 meta-analysis found that taurine supplementation improved overall endurance performance (Hedges' g = 0.40, P = 0.004) 4.
Effective dosing appears to be in the range of 1-6g/day, with benefits seen even with single acute doses 4.
Improvements were noted in:
- VO₂max and time to exhaustion
- 3-4km time-trial performance
- Anaerobic performance and peak power
- Recovery and reduced muscle damage
- Decreased metabolic markers like lactate and creatine kinase 5
Recommended Dosing for Athletic Performance
- Dosage: 1-3g per day appears effective
- Timing: 1-3 hours before activity
- Duration: Benefits seen with both acute (single dose) and chronic (7 days to 8 weeks) supplementation 5, 4
Important Considerations
Safety: While generally considered safe at recommended doses, excess intake should be avoided 1.
Population differences: Most studies focus on healthy adults or athletes; evidence in older adults or those with specific health conditions is limited.
Quality of evidence: Many studies have small sample sizes and varied methodologies, making definitive conclusions difficult.
Potential mechanisms: Taurine may work through multiple pathways including osmoregulation, anti-inflammatory effects, membrane stabilization, ion transport modulation, and regulation of oxidative stress 2, 6.
For athletes seeking performance enhancement, taurine supplementation at 1-3g daily may provide benefits for both aerobic and anaerobic performance, though individual responses may vary. For heart health, following established medical guidelines and conventional treatments remains the recommended approach until stronger evidence emerges.