Loose Women: Dr Hilary discusses how to live longer
If you’re a fan of energy drinks, you might have noticed taurine as an ingredient listed at the back of your go-to can.
However, this type of chemical called an amino sulfonic acid is naturally found in meat, fish and even your body.
What’s more, the amino acid could add an extra seven to eight years to your lifespan, based on animal research, published in the journal Science.
While taurine is produced by your body, the levels of this nutrient usually decline with age in different species, including people.
Looking at middle-aged animals, the research team from Columbia University, in New York, found that boosting the amino acid back to youthful levels extended life by over 10 percent.
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This latest development in the search for longer life started by trying to determine the differences between young and old in the blood of different species.
Interestingly, one of the “most dramatically” downgraded molecules was taurine.
To illustrate this, elderly people had 80 percent lower levels of the amino acid, compared to the young.
While the virtually non-existent chemical in plants comes from meat and fish, the nutrient can also be manufactured by your body.
To look at the effects of taurine on longevity, the research team administered a daily dose to 14-month-old mice, which is the equivalent to about 45 years of age for humans.
The findings showed that mice not only lived longer, but they also appeared to be in better health.
Researcher Dr Vijay Yadav said: “Whatever we checked, taurine-supplemented mice were healthier and appeared younger.
“They were leaner, had an increased energy expenditure, increased bone density, improved memory and a younger-looking immune system.”
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What’s more, if the data from mice were applied to people, it would represent an extra seven to eight years added to life, according to the researchers.
The team also looked at worms and monkeys to delve deeper into the “too good to be true” findings.
However, the researchers explained that taurine simply somehow “hits the engine room of ageing”.
With this in mind, they added that taurine could be an “elixir of life”.
While the findings look very promising, there’s a need for proper clinical trials, where some participants are given the amino acid and others a placebo pill, to draw firm conclusions for humans.
Currently, it remains unclear why taurine slows down ageing and if there are any dangers in taking it.
Furthermore, the team suggested that differences in human biology may stop taurine from working or there may be some evolutionary reason why levels naturally decline with age.
Therefore, the researchers warned against purchasing taurine pills or energy drinks packed with the amino acid in an attempt to boost longevity.
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