Adverse Effects of Taurine

Taurine is a non-essential amino acid found naturally in the human body, particularly in the heart. Taurine is often taken as a supplement to improve heart health. Taurine is also found in energy drinks, added to enhance athletic performance. Energy drinks also contain large amounts of caffeine and guarana. These are stimulants that can cause unpleasant side effects mistakenly associated with taurine, which has negligible adverse effects in most humans.

Adverse Side Effects

• Taurine has not been found to cause adverse side effects in a significant number of people. In two isolated incidents, taurine was associated with negative effects. In one incident, a body builder suffered brain damage after taking a taurine supplement in combination with insulin and anabolic steroids. It is undetermined whether the brain damage was caused by taurine, the other drugs or a combination. In another case, a man's preexisting bipolar disorder was severely exacerbated when he consumed several cans of energy drinks containing taurine over a period of four days. It is unclear if his reaction was due to taurine or the caffeine, inositol or other ingredients, or a combination. These are the only two documented cases of adverse effects related to taurine consumption.

Drug Interactions

• Like most supplements, taurine can interact with other drugs and supplements. Taurine is suspected to have diuretic effects. This can affect how well the body rids itself of lithium. Lithium is sometimes taken to treat bipolar disorders and mania, and excess lithium in the body can cause severe side effects. People taking lithium should consult their physicians before consuming or supplementing with taurine.

Uses and Benefits

• Taurine occurs naturally in the body. People who produce insufficient taurine may take it as a supplement to improve heart function. Patients with congestive heart failure have shown improvement after taking taurine supplements. Taurine might also improve liver function in hepatitis patients. Students who consume energy drinks may believe mistakenly that taurine improved memory. It has been shown in early research to improve attention and verbal reasoning, which can enhance testing performance, but taurine is not thought to have effects on memory.

Energy Drinks

• Much of the confusion surrounding taurine's adverse effects on the body stems from its inclusion in energy drinks. Other ingredients in these drinks do have negative side effects on some people. The caffeine and guarana, which are stimulants, can raise heart rate and blood pressure, resulting in a jittery feeling. Excessive use of energy drinks can interrupt sleep patterns, and both of these effects can lead to nervousness and irritability. These side effects are likely attributable to the stimulants in energy drinks as well as the large amounts of sugar, not necessarily to the addition of taurine.