Taurine & Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder can be very difficult to live with. There are many ways to treat bipolar disorder, including the use of narcotics. Most drugs used to treat bipolar disorder are known for painful and/or unpleasant side effects. However, researchers have been experimenting with natural treatments, such as taurine.

Taurine

• Taurine is a sulfuric amino acid. Amino acids occur naturally in the body and help build protein. Taurine works with glycine and gamma-aminobutyric acid to act as an inhibitory neurotransmitter, which slows down the excitatory effect of neurotransmitters. Taurine also can work as a neurotransmitter.

Bipolar Disorder

• Bipolar disorder is characterized by drastic mood swings. The person cycles between normal, depressive and manic moods. The disorder affects people in different ways, so some have more depressive episodes, some have more manic moods and others have more severe mood extremes.

Bipolar Brain Function

• Bipolar disorder may be affected by the amount of catecholamines in the brain. The neurotransmitters norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine are types of catecholamines. Neurotransmitters are substances that help transmit nerve impulses from one neuron to another. Neurons are separated by small gaps called synapses. Neurotransmitters jump from the end of a neuron--the axon--to the branches at the beginning of the next neuron--the dendrites.

  Reuptake occurs when an axon retracts the neurotransmitters that did not make it to the dendrites. Depression is caused when the axon reuptakes too many catecholamines, thereby depriving the next neuron of the proper amount needed to stabilize mood.

  Mania occurs when there is a surplus of catecholamines being received by dendrites.

Effects of Taurine

• Because taurine can act as an inhibitory neurotransmitter and as a neurotransmitter, it can be quite advantageous in stabilizing mood. As an inhibitory neurotransmitter, it suppresses the excitatory effects of excess dopamine and serotonin, thus controlling mania. As a neurotransmitter, taurine prevents the reuptake of catecholamines, which causes depression.

Considerations

• Taurine is a much less painful way to stabilize mood than drugs because it is all natural and causes fewer side effects.

  However, because taurine can lower high blood pressure, it also may lower normal blood pressure. In addition, taurine is not covered by insurance so you would have to pay for it. If you are on medication, don't stop taking it abruptly to switch to taurine. Before using taurine, you should talk to your doctor.