When our cells process the oxygen we breathe and the food we eat every day to survive, they generate potentially toxic byproducts popularly known as “free radicals.” Some of these molecules perform essential functions for the body, but if there are too many, the internal structures of cells can be damaged, which prevents cells from working properly and can lead to chronic diseases. This process is called oxidative stress.
Our bodies contain a veritable arsenal of antioxidant enzymes that help maintain a proper balance of reactive oxygen species, but these control mechanisms become less efficient as we age. According to an article published in the magazine Nutrition supplementing the diet with the amino acid taurine could be a viable nutritional strategy to combat the problem.
The study described in the article was conducted at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil and involved 24 female volunteers aged between 55 and 70 years. They were randomly divided into two groups. One group took three 500mg taurine capsules daily for 16 weeks (1.5g daily). The other took capsules containing only cornstarch (placebo). Neither the participants nor the researchers knew which group each volunteer belonged to.
Oxidative stress markers were analyzed in blood samples collected before and at the end of the intervention. One of the most interesting results was a nearly 20% increase in levels of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the group receiving taurine, compared to a 3.5% decrease in the control group. As the authors explain, SOD protects cells from damaging superoxide radical reactions.
Preventing the buildup of free radicals that occurs naturally with aging likely prevents cardiovascular disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, among other chronic conditions.”
Ellen de Freitas, professor at the Ribeirão Preto School of Physical Education and Sports (EEFERP-USP) and co-principal investigator of a project supported by FAPESP
According to Freitas, very few studies on the effects of taurine in the context of aging can be found in the scientific literature. “This study was a first step, aimed at investigating the ideal dose and possible side effects, neither of which were seen in any of the participants,” he said.
anti-aging therapy
Taurine is a nutrient found in certain foods, such as fish, shellfish, chicken, turkey, and beef. It also occurs naturally in some tissues of the human body, especially the liver, and is important for central nervous system function, immunity, vision, and fertility.
The group led by Freitas has studied the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of taurine for ten years or more, initially in high-performance athletes and then in obese people, with daily doses ranging between 3 and 6 g. “The results showed that oxidative stress in these people could be controlled when their diet was supplemented with this amino acid. So we decided to test the strategy in the context of aging. This was very novel, so we started with a very low safe dose. Freitas said.
The original idea was to investigate the effect of taurine supplementation combined with physical training and both interventions separately. Physical activity is considered one of the main ways to modulate the levels of oxidant and antioxidant substances in the body, and it is believed that the right amount enhances the benefits of taurine. However, with the arrival of the pandemic and the fact that the volunteers belonged to a group at high risk of complications from COVID-19, the researchers decided to continue only with the nutritional part of the study, which could be monitored remotely.
In addition to SOD, two other oxidative stress markers were analyzed: the antioxidant enzyme glutathione reductase (GR), which decreased significantly in both groups, and malondialdehyde (MDA), which increased by 23% in the control group and decreased by 4% in the control group. % in the group supplemented with taurine.
“These results were modest, but we believe that a higher dose of taurine might produce stronger evidence of its benefits,” Freitas said.
For Gabriela Abud, first author of the article and currently a doctoral student at the Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine (FMRP-USP), the changes in the diet of the volunteers in the first months of the pandemic due to confinement may have affected the results. of biochemical analysis.
“In addition to oxidative stress markers, we analyzed the levels of minerals such as selenium, zinc, magnesium and calcium, which are important for the functioning of these enzymes,” Abud explained. “Selenium, for example, is a cofactor of glutathione peroxidase [ which indirectly helps eliminate hydrogen peroxide from the organism ] and it was reduced in both groups.
For Freitas, taurine supplementation is just the “icing on the cake” and cannot work miracles on its own. “A healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and regular exercise is essential for the anti-aging effect to occur,” she said.
In the next study, the group plans to include obese women between the ages of 60 and 75 with sarcopenia, a gradual loss of muscle mass that can be exacerbated by chronic inflammation. “These people face an acute risk of developing complications. We will offer physical training associated with taurine supplementation at 3 g per day and we will observe the possible alterations due to these interventions”, said Freitas.
It is important to note that the benefits and risks of dietary taurine supplementation are still under investigation. Food supplements should not be taken without medical supervision.