Tag Archive for: methionine

More Taurine, Longer Life

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The researchers next step was to supplement the diet of several species with taurine to see if the lifespan of various species would be increased. While they didn’t include humans in the study (we live too long), they did note in other studies that some factors related to aging declined with taurine supplementation.

Taurine supplementation significantly increased the lifespan of worms, mice, and rhesus monkeys, but researchers didn’t determine the originating mechanism involved in the protective process. Certainly, genes have to be impacted in some way, but the only conclusion they could make is that supplementing with taurine extended the lifespan of the species tested.

Combine that with the decline that occurs with aging in humans and the associated increase of degenerative conditions, and it appears that taurine is critical for improving human health as well decreasing some of the manifestations of aging.

Increasing Taurine Intake

The only real question is the best way to increase taurine levels. Would there be any downside to taking a taurine supplement? Or should we focus on increasing the protein in our diet, specifically the animal protein? Here’s something else to consider before we get to that point: one of the characteristics of aging is a decrease in protein intake. There’s no reason that I could find for that to happen. It just does.

I think it should be a combination of both sources. Protein intake should be increased once a person reaches 50 to at least one gram per kilogram body weight. That would mean it would be roughly half a person’s body weight in grams. If you weigh 200 pounds, you should probably get 100 to 120 grams of protein per day. It may be prudent for those over 70 to exceed that amount, not just for the taurine but also to stem the loss of muscle mass. It may require a concerted effort to eat that much protein.

Let’s turn to taurine supplementation. Taurine is typically offered in 500 milligram capsules. When you look at the research, the amount used in studies ranges from 500 milligrams per day up to six grams per day. A couple of studies lasted at least six months long. Taurine supplementation seems safe.

Starting with one gram of taurine per day for a minimum of 60 days is a good place to begin. Depending on where you began, you may or may not feel anything, so you can increase the amount. Or you may find it’s having a profound effect on you because it impacts so many different organ systems in the body, and you may decide to hold the line.

How about your diet? What foods contain taurine? The highest taurine levels would be found in shellfish, eggs, soy products, and liver as well as—surprise, surprise—energy drinks if you want to use them. But don’t forget, all animal protein will count because it will have the two primary amino acids that taurine is made from: methionine and cysteine.

The Bottom Line

Is taurine the fountain of youth? No. But it’s one of many strategies we can use to age well. Living long is not good enough. Living well longer should be our goal. Increasing taurine levels is another step in aging with a vengeance.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abn9257

Taurine’s Effects on Aging

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A recent research paper examined the amino acid taurine and its connection to aging; in fact, the title of the research paper is “Taurine as a Driver of Aging.” It was published in the journal Science in June 2023; it’s open access if you’re interested in reading the article itself.

Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that can be made from the amino acids methionine or cysteine metabolism. It plays a role in several essential body functions, such as regulating calcium levels in certain cells, manufacturing bile salts, balancing electrolytes in the body, and supporting the development of the nervous system. There is one more way that taurine may benefit us: taurine appears to be important in mitochondrial health as well. And when you think mitochondria, think energy.

In the first part of the study, the researchers examined taurine levels at various ages during the lifespan of several species. They looked at mice, macaques, worms, yeast, and human beings. The results were absolutely clear: as these species got older, the taurine levels decreased substantially. While all species had other metabolic functions going on, the stark drop in taurine certainly appeared to be related to the decline of many body systems.

But how do you test that? You supplement the diet of the particular species with taurine. That’s what the researchers did, and I’ll tell you what happened on Saturday.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abn9257

How Methionine Affects Cancer Treatment

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If you’ve ever been diagnosed with cancer and you start searching the Internet, one of the things that you’ll come across is using a vegetarian diet to help treat the cancer. I’ve recommended it myself combined with conventional treatment. The question is why? Yes, the phytonutrients from plants are healthier, but is there something in animal products that’s detrimental?

A research group examined the impact of the amino acid methionine on a pathway of one-carbon metabolism; this pathway is the target of a variety of cancer interventions that involve chemotherapy and radiation. They demonstrated that removal of methionine from the diet of mice and humans resulted in more effective treatment in two types of cancer. Chemotherapy and radiation were more effective in both types of cancer once the diet was changed.

There are a couple of important points. First, this was tested on only two types of cancer. There’s no reason to think it would benefit every type of cancer treatment because this one-carbon pathway is not a target for every treatment. Second, because methionine is found in all meat and seafood, it would mean giving up all meat for the duration of treatment.

For myself, I’d give up meat and seafood during treatment whether we have the research or not. It wouldn’t have to be forever and combined with giving up refined carbs to reduce the risk of C diff, it could lead to a better chance for treatments to work. And that’s the key. It’s not in place of treatment; it’s combined with treatment. The goal is to put the odds in your favor. This seems like a simple way to do that.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: Nature Vol 572: 397–401 (2019).

Essential Amino Acids: The Basics

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I’ve been getting many questions about essential amino acids lately. What are they? Why do I need them? Are they only for athletes? What can they do for me? In addition, I came across an interesting study that supports the use of EAAs in a specific population.

The EAAs include the amino acids phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, methionine, lysine, histidine, leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They’re essential because we can’t make them, but we can make other amino acids from these EAAs. In addition, three of the EAAs are designated as branch chain amino acids (BCAAs): leucine, isoleucine, and valine; they’re known as protein-building amino acids and important for building muscle.

Think of the EAAs as the rate-limiting amino acids. If we don’t have enough of them, we can’t make the other amino acids and thus, every protein made in the body can be affected. We often think only in terms of muscle, but the lack of EAAs could affect the manufacture of insulin, human growth hormone, leptin, and adiponectin to name just a few.

BCAAs have been marketed to athletes who are training to make muscle for years. Recently, EAAs have entered the arena because of their ability to make proteins that support muscle building. But that’s not the only group that may benefit as a recent study demonstrated. I’ll cover that on Thursday.

What are you prepared to do today?

Dr. Chet