Taurine, a nutrient that is produced in the body and can be found in some foods, may hold the secret to slowing down The aging processAccording to a new study published June 9.
peer reviewed studies, published in the journal ScienceAnimals deficient in taurine were found to age more rapidly.
The study also found that taurine supplements slowed down the aging process in monkeys, rats and insects. Healthy lifespan of animals increased by up to 12%.
How did the researchers test their theory?
The researchers tested 250 14-month-old mice, which is considered middle-aged for mice.
Every day for a year, researchers fed 125 rats taurine on top of their controlled diet. Rats were fed 1,000 milligrams of taurine per kilogram of their body weight.
The rats that were fed taurine had a increase in median life span This was 10-12% longer than mice that were fed only a standard diet. They also performed a variety of physiological tests, which proved that the rats that had consumed taurine were healthy. The life expectancy of the rats also increased by 18-25%.
Taurine suppressed weight gain in female rats by 10%, increased their energy expenditure, increased their bone mass, and improved their muscular strength and endurance. Taurine was also thought to reduce anxiety and depression in rats and promote a better immune system.
Taurine also helps remove old cells that would otherwise not be shed and replaced.
In tests on rhesus monkeys, researchers found similar results. Half of the monkeys were given taurine supplements for six months. Those who received the supplements benefited from less weight gain, decreased markers of liver damage, increased bone density and improved immune health.
The researchers also found that taurine levels were 85% lower in 15-year-old monkeys than in 5-year-old monkeys.
“Not only did we find that the animals lived longer, we also found that they lived healthier lives,” said Dr. Vijay Yadav, a researcher on the study and assistant professor of genetics and evolution at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians. Said and surgeon.
Could Taurine Help Humans Live Longer?
The researchers looked at a sample of 12,000 European adults over the age of 60. Preliminary data showed that taurine concentrations were on average 80% lower in older adults than in younger people.
By measuring the participants’ health with 50 markers, the researchers were able to conclude that those with taurine deficiency were in better health than those without.
Those with higher taurine levels had fewer cases of type 2 diabetes, lower obesity levels, less high blood pressure and less inflammation.
“These are associations, which do not establish causation,” cautioned Yadav, “but the results are consistent with the possibility that taurine deficiency contributes to human aging.”
In the second study on humans, researchers divided participants into two categories: athletic and sedentary.
All participants were asked to do one exercise, cycling. Participants in both groups had higher levels of taurine after exercise than before.
“No matter the individual, taurine levels increased in all after exercise, which suggests that some of the health benefits of exercise may come from an increase in taurine,” explained Yadav.
secret of living a long life
“The abundance of taurine decreases with age, so restoring taurine to youthful levels in old age may be a promising anti-aging strategy.”
“For the past 25 years, scientists have been trying to find factors that not only allow us to live longer, but also extend the health span when we are healthy in our old age,” Yadav said.
“This study suggests that taurine may be the elixir of life within us that helps us live longer and healthier lives.
“We realized that if taurine is regulating all these processes that decline with age, then perhaps the level of taurine in the bloodstream affects overall health and lifespan.”
“That’s when we started asking whether taurine deficiency is a driver of the aging process, and we did a big experiment with mice.”
“While this is a success of modern medicine and government policies, it is important to ensure that the elderly also remain healthy, as this will enhance quality of life and reduce the costs associated with societal ageing,” the researchers wrote in their paper.
Foods High in Taurine:
Shellfish, which are not kosher, contain the highest levels of taurine of any food, according to NBC News.
Taurine can also be found in high levels in dark chicken and turkey meat.
Traces of taurine are also found in dairy products.