Taurine status
Cysteine-derived amino sulfonic acid
Also searched as Cysteine-derived amino sulfonic acid.
A product of the same transsulfuration branch that makes glutathione, so cysteine supply is shared between them. Present in very high concentration in excitable tissue, where it appears to act osmotically and on calcium handling rather than as a classical neurotransmitter.
In depth
A sulfonic acid from cysteine — in bile salts, membranes, and at high concentration in heart, retina and muscle.
What drives it
Sulfur clearance route increases it.
Taurine is a product of the same cysteine branch that makes glutathione - supply is shared between them. Carried by the intermediary-metabolism, micronutrient and clinical reviews. doi 10.3390/nu18132141 · PMC9967593
What it drives
It increases Cardiac output.
Weaker evidence - present at very high concentration in myocardium, apparently acting osmotically and on calcium handling. Carried by the intermediary-metabolism, micronutrient and clinical reviews. doi 10.3390/nu18132141 · PMC9967593
It increases Gut-liver bile signaling.
Taurine conjugates bile acids. Carried by the intermediary-metabolism, micronutrient and clinical reviews. doi 10.3390/nu18132141 · PMC9967593
It increases Vision.
Weaker evidence - retinal taurine concentration is among the highest in the body. Carried by the intermediary-metabolism, micronutrient and clinical reviews. doi 10.3390/nu18132141 · PMC9967593
It reduces Neuronal overexcitation.
Taurine prevents calcium overload and inhibits specific endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways - a named, orally available intervention on this cascade rather than a laboratory tool. PMC4630664
It reduces Eases ER stress.
Taurine prevents calcium overload and inhibits specific ER stress pathways, acting on two points of this cascade by name. PMC4630664
Blends that modulate it
Each blend page names this pathway and carries the study behind its claim.
See it on the map
Open the causal map to follow this pathway upstream and downstream, arrow by arrow, each with its study.