When to take Taurine | PlanYourVitamins.com

What is taurine good for?

Short answer: Taurine has potential benefits for cardiovascular health, diabetes, eye health, athletic performance, antioxidants, inflammation, the nervous system and hydration.

Taurine is one of many amino acids that our body requires in order to function, although it is not considered an essential amino acid due to the fact that our bodies are able to naturally produce sufficient quantities of it for our needs.

Primary function of taurine

Taurine is mainly found concentrated within our eyes, brain and muscles, including our heart, and it plays several important roles in a variety of bodily functions, such as ensuring correct mineral and electrolyte balance within our cells, helping with eye function, assisting with the formation of bile, supporting our immune system, and also supporting our nervous system.

In addition to this, taurine is also known to possess valuable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Taurine deficiency

Thankfully, taurine deficiency in humans is rare, usually only apparent in people with certain hereditary conditions, or in people who suffer from heart failure or kidney failure for example.

However, although our body can usually produce all the taurine it needs for carrying out these tasks and functions on a day-to-day basis, this can change when we succumb to illness or stress, as we need more taurine under these circumstances than what we can produce naturally, and this is where taurine supplementation comes into play.

Some animal studies have shown that taurine deficiency can cause damage to our eyes, weaken our muscles, increase the risk of chronic liver disease, and also increase the risk of diabetes, so it is important to ensure we are getting enough taurine during times of stress and illness.

Role in diabetes and cardiovascular health

Taurine is thought to improve insulin sensitivity, which can reduce the risk of developing diabetes, or otherwise help manage blood sugar levels for people who suffer from diabetes.

One study found that the concentration of taurine in people who suffer from diabetes is roughly 25% lower than in those who do not have diabetes, which is significant, and further research suggests that taurine supplementation could serve as a treatment for the disease.

Taurine supplementation has already been shown to help improve heart function in people that suffer from heart failure, as well as regulating blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood fat levels.

Role in athletic performance

However, taurine's main claim to fame in recent years is for its ability to enhance athletic performance, and it is frequently featured in products that are marketed towards athletes.

Specifically, taurine improves muscle contraction, increases oxygen uptake, and postpones muscle fatigue, while also facilitating the burning of fat in order for our body to obtain the energy it needs during times of intense exercise. In addition to this, it also assists in muscle recovery by reducing the overall recovery time.

When should I take taurine?

Short answer: Taurine is best taken on an empty stomach, at least 2 hours since the last meal and at least 30 minutes before the next meal. For workouts, it can be included in your pre-workout routine.

Taurine is best absorbed on an empty stomach, although if you are taking taurine for athletic performance, it can be incorporated into your pre-workout routine, ideally between one and two hours before exercise in order to maximize bioavailability during physical exertion.

What does taurine combine well with?

Short answer: Taurine has been shown to work well together with glycine, magnesium, piperine, black pepper and caffeine.

Taurine with magnesium, for cardiovascular health

Several studies reveal that when taurine and magnesium are supplemented together, their combined antioxidant properties result in a significant improvement in the function of endothelial progenitor cells, which are essentially the cells that maintain the inner lining of our blood vessels.

This could help slow down the progression of cardiovascular diseases, and increase overall lifespan.

Taurine with glycine, for antioxidant properties

Also, a combination of taurine and glycine, another amino acid with potent antioxidant properties, has been shown to promote overall cellular health and mitigate oxidative stress, not only in cardiovascular health, but also in terms of cognitive health and metabolic health.

Their synergistic benefits are thought to be particularly promising for healthy aging.

With piperine, for cardiovascular health

One study found that when taurine was combined with the black pepper extract piperine, it was able to inhibit plaque formation in blood vessels and reduce inflammation, effectively slowing the development and progression of atherosclerosis.

The same study also found that this combination had beneficial effects on a number of other factors, such as cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels, and levels of gut-friendly bacteria.

With black pepper

In the absence of piperine supplements, you can always try to combine taurine with black pepper itself. That said, taurine supplements are generally best absorbed when taken between meals, so you might have a hard time pairing it with black pepper in this case!

With caffeine

Taurine was also found to combine synergistically with caffeine in animal studies, improving cognitive function and motor ability in mice that had been sleep deprived, seemingly reducing inflammation and oxidative stress while improving the function of the nervous system.

Studies using this same combination in humans found an improvement in athletic performance, and they were able to confirm that the combination of both supplements was more effective than when they were taken individually.

What are natural sources of taurine?

If you are interested in achieving your daily taurine intake through your diet, rich sources of taurine include:

Scallops
Clams
Mussels
Tuna
Octopus
Turkey
Chicken
Beef
Milk
Cheese
Yoghurt

Taurine data sources & further reading

Last updated by Asklepios on 30th January, 2025