Can Taurine, Found in Energy Drinks, Slow Down Aging?
A dietary supplement taken by fitness buffs could hold the key to a longer and healthier life, suggests a new study of mice, monkeys and worms. Researchers found that a high daily dose of taurine, an amino acid commonly added to energy drinks and naturally found in various foods, helped to delay death and mitigate against the biological ravages of aging.
Strength, memory and metabolism improved in the lab animals, according to the new study, published on Thursday in Science. Inflammation and DNA damage were kept at bay. And middle-aged mice that regularly took taurine supplements lived significantly longer than those that did not.
“There’s something here, and if it works in humans it’s going to be a terrific thing,” said Dr. Nir Barzilai, the director of the Institute for Aging Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, who was not involved in the study.
But Dr. Barzilai and other longevity researchers cautioned against viewing taurine as a magic elixir for life extension. They said people should consume the supplement with prudence, particularly when considering high dosage levels similar to those administered to the mice and monkeys.
Source: The New York Times
