If you want to live to a ripe old age, you should make sure you have a steady supply of taurine to guarantee it. Taurine is an amino acid which is found in large concentrations in the brain, heart, retina and platelets. This amazing amino acid protects against heart failure, detoxes the liver, maintains electrolyte balance in the body, supports the immune system, and promotes insulin sensitivity. If you consume a diet which incorporates meat and fish, your taurine levels may be normal, but if you are vegetarian or vegan, chances are that you don’t have adequate levels of taurine in your body. Another factor is the fact that as we age, we become less efficient at producing taurine.

Those of you who lift weights may already be aware of the energy boosting effects of taurine supplementation, and may be already taking it in the form of a preworkout mix which typically has taurine as part of the blend. Taurine also expands muscle cells, increasing the volume and contributing to the ever so familiar “pump” that comes from an intense lifts. But the additional health benefits of taurine supplementation make it almost impossible to pass up.

Taurine supplements are inexpensive and you don’t have to take high doses. A good dosage for most people is 1.5 grams, but you can double the dosage if you wish. You may notice a metabolic boost and significant weight loss as a result of taking taurine supplements. Taurine also causes a drop in serum triglyceride levels, making it an acceptable alternative to prescription lipid-lowering agents. Any excess is excreted by the kidneys.