Taurine Supplementation During Pregnancy
Taurine supplementation during pregnancy is safe and may be beneficial for fetal growth and development, particularly when provided through parenteral nutrition or in cases of potential deficiency.
Safety Profile
Taurine should be included in amino acid solutions for infants and children receiving parenteral nutrition, though no firm recommendation exists on specific dosing limits during pregnancy 1
Taurine is naturally abundant in breast milk and accumulates in maternal tissues during pregnancy to be transferred to the fetus via the placenta and to the newborn through breast milk 2
No evidence of teratogenicity or adverse pregnancy outcomes has been reported with taurine supplementation 1
Clinical Context and Rationale
During the last 4 weeks of pregnancy, the human fetus accumulates approximately 50-60 μmol of taurine per 24 hours, with marked increases in total body taurine content, particularly in the developing brain 3
Maternal taurine deficiency can lead to fetal growth retardation, impaired central nervous system development, and long-term metabolic consequences including impaired glucose tolerance and potential transgenerational effects 2
Taurine plays critical roles in cholesterol degradation, neurotransmission, osmoregulation, antioxidant defense, and bile acid conjugation (which may prevent neonatal cholestasis) 1, 2
Evidence for Supplementation Benefits
In pregnant women with higher taurine intake (>120 mg/day), newborns demonstrated significantly greater birth weight (3.37 kg vs 3.16-3.20 kg) and height (51.1 cm vs 49.8-49.9 cm) compared to lower intake groups 4
A positive correlation exists between maternal taurine intake during late gestation and newborn birth length 4
In animal models of diabetic pregnancy, taurine supplementation (0.5-1 g/kg/day) provided 54% protection against embryopathy and significantly reduced oxidative stress in both maternal and embryonic tissues 5
Specific Clinical Scenarios
Parenteral Nutrition
Taurine supplementation (3 mg/g amino acids) should be included in parenteral nutrition solutions for pregnant women requiring this therapy, as prolonged parenteral nutrition without taurine leads to reduced plasma taurine levels 1
Taurine supplementation in parenteral nutrition (10.8 mg/kg/day for 10 days) increases taurine concentrations and decreases liver enzyme and ammonia levels 1
High-Risk Pregnancies
Women with diabetes during pregnancy may particularly benefit from taurine supplementation given its protective effects against hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress 5
Taurine deficiency during the perinatal period may contribute to gestational diabetes and transmit metabolic effects to subsequent generations 2
Dosing Considerations
The typical daily taurine intake from diet in pregnant women averages approximately 104 mg, primarily from meat and fish sources 4
For therapeutic supplementation in parenteral nutrition, doses of 3 mg per gram of amino acids maintain plasma taurine concentrations within reference ranges in term infants 1
The medication dosage for women is generally the same regardless of pregnancy status, though management should be individualized 1
Important Caveats
While taurine supplementation appears safe, excess intakes must be avoided, though specific upper limits have not been firmly established 1
Premature infants have relative inability to synthesize taurine and require exogenous supplementation, making adequate maternal taurine status particularly important for women at risk of preterm delivery 3
Taurine supplementation increases intestinal fat absorption but has not been definitively shown to affect short-term growth parameters in all studies, though long-term neurodevelopmental benefits are suggested 6
The slowly exchangeable pool of taurine (mainly brain and muscles) in adults cannot be increased by exogenous supplementation, but in growing fetuses and infants, dietary taurine is rapidly transferred to tissues 3