Taurine Supplementation Slows Aging, Extends Life in Mice

Taurine levels drop with age, and correlate with health in aged humans. Researchers here show evidence for taurine supplementation to improve health and extend life span in mice. While it isn't mentioned in this paper, if one takes a look around the literature on this topic, taurine may act on the pace of aging by increasing levels of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione, and has been shown to diminish oxidative stress. You may recall that supplementation with glutathione precursors has been shown to improve health in both old mice and old humans. Glutathione itself is harder to deliver directly, hence the more indirect strategies. The observed effects on health and life span may be due to improved mitochondrial function, reducing the dual impact of mitochondrial dysfunction: loss of ATP production needed to power cell processes on the one hand, and and excessive production of oxidative molecules that can damage molecular machinery elsewhere in the cell on the other. Aging is associated with systemic changes in the concentrations of molecules such as metabolites. However, whether such changes are merely the consequence of aging or whether these molecules are drivers of aging remains largely unexplored. If these were blood-based drivers of aging, then restoring their concentration or functions to "youthful" levels could serve as an antiaging intervention. Taurine, a semiessential micronutrient, is one of the most abundant amino acids in humans and other eukaryotes. Earl...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs