A sulfur-containing amino acid the body makes and gets from animal foods. The most consistent human evidence shows modest improvements in blood pressure, blood-sugar control, and inflammation, with weaker signals for cholesterol, exercise, and thinking. Well tolerated. Its longevity promise rests mainly on animal studies and remains unproven in people. (Full Review)

Protocol

Standard Dose

1.5–3 g/day

General-health target ~1–2 g/day

Longevity Dose

3–6 g/day

Higher end for tissue restoration; not established as superior

Timing

Any time of day

Split doses above ~3 g/day into two servings; evening for sleep

Time to effect

Cardiometabolic Markers

Weeks to months

Blood pressure, glucose, lipids with consistent use

Exercise Performance

~1 hour

Acute effect from a pre-exercise dose

Longevity Benefit

Years

If real, would accrue over years

Benefits

High: Blood pressure reduction; improved glycemic control and insulin sensitivity

Medium: Improved lipid profile; reduced inflammation and oxidative stress; exercise endurance and recovery

Low: Cognitive and mood support; liver health support; cardiac function in heart failure

Speculative: Lifespan and healthspan extension; reduced cellular senescence and inflammaging; neuroprotection in neurodegenerative disease

Contraindications

Chronic low blood pressure

Advanced chronic kidney disease (eGFR < 30)

Bipolar disorder

Pregnancy or breastfeeding

Tightly titrated glucose- or blood-pressure-lowering therapy

Key Interactions

Antihypertensive drugs (ACE inhibitors, ARBs, calcium channel blockers, diuretics)

Antidiabetic agents (insulin, sulfonylureas, metformin)

Lithium

CNS depressants (benzodiazepines, alcohol, sedatives)

Caffeine and energy-drink stimulants

BP- and glucose-lowering supplements (magnesium, potassium, CoQ10, nitrate; berberine, alpha-lipoic acid)

Risk & Side Effects

High: Gastrointestinal discomfort

Medium: Additive blood-pressure lowering; additive blood-glucose lowering

Low: Neuropsychiatric effects in susceptible individuals

Speculative: Colorectal cancer association; unknown long-term high-dose safety

Monitoring

Marker	Target	Why
Blood pressure	< 120/80 mmHg	Most reliable measurable effect
Fasting glucose	70–90 mg/dL	Tracks glycemic benefit
HbA1c	< 5.4%	Longer-term glucose control
Fasting insulin	2–6 µIU/mL	Insulin sensitivity, an early aging marker
Triglycerides	< 80 mg/dL	Captures lipid benefit
LDL cholesterol	< 100 mg/dL (context-dependent)	Cardiovascular risk
hs-CRP	< 1.0 mg/L	Reflects anti-inflammatory effect
eGFR	> 90 mL/min/1.73m²	Kidney function guides clearance and caution

Cadence: Recheck blood pressure at 2–4 weeks; reassess metabolic panel (glucose, HbA1c, lipids, hs-CRP) at 3 months, then every 6–12 months

Qualitative Assessment

Sleep quality and ease of falling asleep
Daytime energy and exercise recovery
Exercise endurance and perceived effort
General sense of calm or reduced stress reactivity

Taurine for Health & Longevity

Protocol

Benefits

Risk & Side Effects

Monitoring

Qualitative Assessment