10/2/2023 0 Comments Taurine stimulant![]() ![]() One possible reason for helping with alcohol withdrawal is that taurine increases dopamine levels in the brain similarly to ethanol ( link). Taurine has been suggested as a possible treatment for alcoholism ( link), and acamprosate, a promising drug used to treat alcoholism and alcohol withdrawal, contains a synthetic compound similar to the naturally occuring homotaurine ( link). Based on these studies, taurine may be helpful in protecting from short-term damage to the brain. Tryptophan administration also increases oxidative stress in the brain cortex of rats, but pre-treatment with taurine prevents the increase ( link). Other ways taurine may protect the brain is by improving mitochondrial function ( link), and by reducing damage from excessive calcium overloads ( link) and cadmium-induced oxidative impairment ( link). Brain ischemia, a condition where there is insufficient blood flow to the brain, causes neuronal death in part through apoptotic pathways mediated by calpain and caspase-3, caspase-8 and caspase-9 taurine appears to dose-dependently protect the neurons from cell death by blocking the pathways ( link, link, link). Whereas the studies on taurine's effect on brain aging and mood remain inconclusive, the case for protecting the brain from sudden damage is quite strong. Unlike the rodent studies, however, the study didn't use taurine supplements and only measured taurine intake from food sources. In a study on Korean college students, taurine intake inversely correlated with stress in female but not in male subjects ( link). Unfortunately, human studies are scarce and equally confusing. Taken together, the animal studies don't give us a very clear picture of how taurine affects mood, if it does so at all. Similarly, in one study 200 mg/kg given orally had a significant anti-anxiety effect ( link), but in another one, taurine had no effect on anxiety or depression and even resulted in a decrease in activity in higher doses ( link). This is contrast to the previously mentioned study. However, one study showed that only supplementary taurine increased increased locomotor activity and anxiety while taurine injections had the opposite effect ( link). In mice, intraperitoneally administered taurine was shown to increase social interaction and have an anti-anxiety effect in doses between 14-126 mg/kg ( link). Indeed, there is some evidence that this is the case. Since taurine is found in energy drinks, one might expect it to have at least a temporary positive effect on mood, similar to caffeine. One experiment showed that when old rats were given taurine in their drinking water, brain taurine levels increased, but oxidative stress parameters improved only in the liver ( link). Not all studies have found similar benefits, however. Taurine may also protect from Huntington's disease through its indirect antioxidant effect and by increasing GABA levels ( link). In one study, aged mice supplemented with taurine showed less decline in memory acquisition and retention, which was associated with increased levels of GABA and glutamate ( link). There is some evidence that taurine may increase GABA levels by acting as a GABA receptor antagonist. Drugs that increase the amount of available GABA in the brain typically have a relaxing and anti-anxiety effect. A key part of this system is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, or gamma-Aminobutyric acid. With age, the neurotransmitter system performs progressively worse, resulting in problems with memory, learning and mood, among other things. Specifically, the problem areas we'll be focusing on are aging, depression, brain damage, and alcohol. Since finding any useful information on taurine as a brain stimulant is difficult, in this post, we'll look at what the studies say on taurine's effect on cognitive function and mood. Do the manufacturers of Red Bull and Battery know something we don't, or is taurine added simply out of habit? Taurine is found in most energy drinks right alongside caffeine, but nobody seems to know exactly why. A can of Red Bull contains 1,000 mg taurine, more than many supplements.
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