Taurine deficiency as a driver of aging (open-access version)

Taurine is a substance the body makes and also gets from some foods. Researchers compared blood taurine levels in more than 12,000 adults and found that levels generally fell with age. Lower levels were linked with poorer health, but this did not prove taurine was the cause. They then gave daily taurine to middle-aged mice and older monkeys, and also tested it in worms. Taurine-treated mice lived about 10% to 12% longer and showed some better health measures, while monkeys showed some improvements after six months. No people were given taurine as part of this study.

What this means for you: This is not enough reason to buy taurine or take it for aging. The human findings showed links rather than cause and effect, and the strongest lifespan result came from mice, so benefits and long-term safety in people remain unknown.