Taurine is an amino acid produced in the liver from the ingestion of the amino acid methionine, cysteine and vitamin B6 present in fish, red meat or seafood.
Taurine supplements are in the form of capsules, or powder, for oral intake. They help decrease protein losses and maximize the use of ingested proteins. Taurine is generally used in food supplements combined with creatine to boost muscle growth during bodybuilding workouts.
Before taking any supplements it is important to consult with the doctor or nutritionist so as not to harm your health and really get the benefit you want.
List of foods rich in taurine
The main foods rich in taurine are foods rich in protein:
- fish,
- Seafood such as clams and oysters,
- poultry like dark meat of chicken and turkey,
- beef,
- some foods of plant origin such as beets, nuts, beans but in smaller quantity.
As the body can produce the amino acid taurine, it is considered a non-essential amino acid and therefore the consumption of foods rich in taurine is not very important.
Functions of taurine
The functions of taurine are to aid in the development of the nervous system, detoxify the body facilitating the excretion of substances by the liver that are no longer important to the body and strengthen and increase the strength of cardiac contractions and protects the cells of the heart.
The amino acid taurine also has an antioxidant action, combating the free radicals that damage the cell membranes.
