Taurine, also known as β-aminoethanesulfonic acid, was first isolated from bezoar, hence the name. It is chemically stable and insoluble in organic solvents such as ether. It is a sulfur-containing non-protein amino acid that exists in a free state in the body and does not participate in the biosynthesis of proteins in the body. Although taurine does not participate in protein synthesis, it is closely related to the metabolism of cystine and cysteine.

1. Promote the brain tissue and intellectual development of infants and young children

Taurine is rich in content and widely distributed in the brain. It can significantly promote the growth and development of the nervous system and cell proliferation and differentiation in a dose-dependent manner. It plays an important role in the development of brain nerve cells.

Studies have shown that the content of taurine in the brain of premature infants is significantly lower than that of full-term infants, because the cysteine ​​sulfinate dehydrogenase (CSAD) in premature infants is not mature enough to synthesize taurine to meet The needs of the body must be supplemented by breast milk.

The content of taurine in breast milk is higher, especially in colostrum. If the supplement is insufficient, the growth and development of the child will be slow and the mental development will be retarded.

Taurine is closely related to the development of the central nervous system and retina of infants and fetuses. Long-term simple milk feeding can easily lead to the lack of taurine. If the supplement is insufficient, the growth and development of the child will be slow and the mental development will be retarded.

2. Improve nerve conduction and visual function

Hayes et al. reported in 1975 that if taurine is lacking in cat feed, it will cause retinal degeneration, long-term lack, and eventually blindness. The main reason why cats and nocturnal owls prey on mice is that mice are rich in taurine, and eating more can maintain their sharp vision. If infants lack taurine, retinal dysfunction will occur.

For patients with long-term intravenous nutrition infusion, if there is no taurine in the infusion, the electroretinogram of the patient will change, and only a large dose of taurine can correct this change. Supplementing taurine can inhibit the occurrence and development of cataract, and taurine has important functions such as regulating crystal osmotic pressure and anti-oxidation.

3. Prevent cardiovascular disease

Taurine can inhibit platelet aggregation in the circulatory system, lower blood lipids, maintain normal blood pressure and prevent arteriosclerosis; it has a protective effect on myocardial cells and can resist arrhythmia; it has special effects on reducing blood cholesterol levels and can treat heart failure .

4. Affect the absorption of lipids

The role of taurine in the liver is to combine with bile acids to form taurocholic acid, which is necessary for the absorption of lipids in the digestive tract. Taurocholic acid can increase the solubility of lipids and cholesterol, relieve bile obstruction, reduce the cytotoxicity of some free bile acids, inhibit the formation of cholesterol stones, and increase bile flow.

5. Improve endocrine status and enhance human immunity

Taurine can promote the secretion of pituitary hormones, activate the function of the pancreas, thereby improving the state of the body's endocrine system and beneficially regulating the body's metabolism; it also has the effect of promoting the enhancement of the body's immunity and anti-fatigue.

6. Affect sugar metabolism

Taurine can bind to insulin receptors, promote pituitary hormone secretion, activate pancreatic function, promote cell uptake and utilization of glucose, accelerate glycolysis, and lower blood sugar concentration.

Studies have shown that taurine has a certain hypoglycemic effect, and does not depend on increasing the release of insulin.

Another point of view is that the regulating effect of taurine on cellular glucose metabolism may be realized through a post-receptor mechanism, which mainly relies on the interaction with insulin receptor protein, rather than directly binding to the islet receptor.

7. Improve memory function

In animal experiments on the relationship between taurine and brain development, it was found that taurine can promote the learning and memory ability of rats. Supplementing an appropriate amount of taurine can not only improve the speed of learning and memory, but also improve the accuracy of learning and memory, and it also has a certain effect on the anti-aging of the nervous system.

8. Maintain normal reproductive function

Normal reproductive function needs to be maintained with taurine. It has been confirmed by data that when the content of taurine in cat feed is lower than 0.101%, its reproductive function is poor, the rate of stillbirth, abortion and congenital defects increases, and the survival rate of cubs decreases. When it contains more than 0.105%, normal reproductive function can be maintained.

Taurine has many physiological functions and is an essential nutrient for human health. Taurine is mainly used in medicine in my country. Although it is gradually recognized and accepted by Chinese people as food nutrition, the amount of taurine consumed by Chinese people is still very small.

The per capita annual consumption of taurine in some major countries in the world is roughly 60g in Japan, 50g in the United States, 34g in the United Kingdom, 32g in Germany, 29g in Canada, 26g in France, 19g in South Korea, 17g in Indonesia, and 17g in Singapore, while my country is less than 0.2g. Taurine is relatively safe as a health product. It is advisable to take some products containing taurine for health care.

Taurine exists in almost all organisms, and the main organs of mammals, such as: heart, brain, and liver, have a higher content; the most abundant content is sea fish, shellfish, seaweed, such as cuttlefish, octopus, Shrimp, shellfish oysters, conch, clams, etc. Fish such as mackerel, horse mackerel, and sardines are rich in taurine.

The content of taurine in seaweed is about 1% of the total amount of dried seaweed, which is even higher than the content in some marine animals. 

In fish, the taurine content in the blackened part of the fish back is 5-10 times that of other white parts. Therefore, more intake of suc