Is it safe to take taurine supplements?
Health supplements have been booming in the market especially since the pandemic COVID 19. Day by day we see an increasing trend of more health-conscious people. Thanks to technology, people are able to know much more on what they can do to improve their health and wellness. Since there are many supplements available in the market, it can be quite difficult to make a purchase of the best supplements that work well for the body yet are worth the money. One of the supplements available and not widely known for is taurine supplements. Some people probably wonder if it is safe to take this supplement since it is not that familiar in society such as supplements of multivitamins.
The short answer is yes, it is safe to take taurine supplements. Before going further, what is exactly a taurine? Taurine is an amino acid containing sulphur. Although amino acids are generally known to build up protein in the body, taurine is not involved in this process. Therefore, it is considered a “conditionally essential” nutrient. Even though taurine does not seem important, the fact that it exists abundantly in all cells in the body shows it is still necessary for humans to make sure their taurine level is at optimum level.
Hence, what makes taurine supplements safe for consumption? Firstly, we need to acknowledge the maximum dose of taurine for humans as a guide when taking the supplements. A report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), suggested that up to 6000 mg per day shows a strong safety profile. In another report by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), stated that up to 10 000 mg per day is safe for humans. This number can be quite confusing but let’s not think too deeply as the most common dosage for taurine is just around 500-3000 mg per day. The supplements available in the market usually contain 500-2000 mg per serving depending on what forms are available like capsule or powder. It is important to take taurine supplements as needed by reading the labels as different companies make different doses and different dose means directions can differ from one to another brand of supplements. Hence, taurine supplements are safe since most are created with dosage that does not reach the maximum doses that could harm the human body.
Knowing that it is safe, you probably want to consider taurine supplements in your daily life. Taurine plays numerous roles in the body system such as for the brain and nerve development, for a strong healthy muscle, to maintain a healthy eyesight by preserving cells in the retina especially the photoreceptor, protecting the heart from heart diseases by working on blood vessels and the heart cells. By taking supplements, you are helping your body to get enough taurine in the easiest and most convenient way possible.
If you are wondering about having taurine from other sources, you can actually try to gain it by eating food. Examples of food that contains taurine are beef, chicken, turkey, fish and shellfish especially muscles, scallops and oysters. Food is indeed the best way to not just source taurine, but also other vitamins, minerals and other nutrients for the body. The downside is the amount of food that needs to be eaten in order to retrieve sufficient taurine can be quite difficult. Another problem with sourcing taurine from food alone is the preparation of food itself such as cooking, boiling or steaming that causes much taurine to be lost along the process. Hence, it is wise to cover the lost taurine by taking taurine supplements since the taurine is much stable in this form. Know about our Hajj vaccination package
