Taurine, the main ingredient in energy drinks, may slow human aging, according to a new study.
A team of researchers from Columbia University in New York published their findings yesterday (Aug. 8) in the journal Science, according to the UK’s Guardian안전놀이터.
Taurine is a type of amino acid and is the main ingredient in energy drinks. It is found in a variety of foods and is also produced in the human body.
The researchers first noted that the taurine levels in 60-year-olds were only one-third of those in 5-year-olds.
This suggests that a decrease in taurine accelerates aging, while an increase in taurine delays aging.
Based on these findings, the team gave hundreds of middle-aged mice a set amount of taurine each day and compared their lifespans.
The results showed that the taurine-treated female rats lived 12% longer and the male rats 10% longer than the control group. They also had half the fat mass of the control group and 60% more bone mass.
The taurine group also performed better in tests of strength, endurance, and cooperation, and had improved insulin sensitivity, which is directly linked to diabetes.
It also had an impact on their mental health, the researchers claimed, as they were less likely to show curiosity in mazes or hide in dark places.
In the same type of experiment with worms, the worms that received the “taurine treatment” lived 10 to 23 percent longer.
In monkeys, which are biologically close to humans, taking taurine for six months led to weight loss, increased bone density, and improved immunity.
“Taurine declines with age, and by reversing this, the animals lived longer and were healthier,” said Dr. Vijay Yadav, who led the study.
The team hypothesized that humans, like rats and monkeys, could benefit from taurine in cellular function, muscle and cardiovascular systems.
When the team analyzed the blood of 12,000 Europeans over the age of 60, they found that low taurine levels were associated with type 2 diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. They also found that taurine levels increased after exercise.
However, the research team and other academics warned that taking taurine for anti-aging purposes could be risky, as it has not yet been tested in clinical trials.
Yadav is now working with a team of researchers to plan a multinational randomized trial to test the efficacy of taurine.