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Sub-optimal taurine status may promote platelet hyperaggregability in vegetarians
1Pantox Laboratories, 4622 Santa Fe St., San Diego, CA 92109, USA. mmccarty@nai-online.com
Medical Hypotheses
|August 4, 2004
Summary
Vegetarian diets may increase platelet aggregation due to lower taurine levels. Supplementing with taurine could potentially normalize platelet function in vegetarians, improving vascular health.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Science
- Cardiovascular Health
- Platelet Physiology
Background:
- Vegan diets generally benefit vascular risk factors.
- However, vegetarians exhibit increased platelet sensitivity to pro-aggregatory agonists.
- Platelet function significantly impacts thromboembolic event risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cause of platelet hyperaggregability in vegetarians.
- To explore the role of taurine status in vegetarian platelet function.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of plasma and urinary taurine levels between vegetarians and omnivores.
- Review of existing literature on taurine's physiological role in platelet aggregation.
- Analysis of studies on taurine supplementation and platelet sensitivity.
Main Results:
- Vegetarians have lower plasma taurine levels and urinary taurine excretion compared to omnivores.
- Taurine is abundant in platelets and physiologically dampens agonist-evoked calcium influx, down-regulating aggregation.
- Low-dose taurine supplementation (400 mg/day) has shown to reduce platelet sensitivity ex vivo.
Conclusions:
- Poor taurine status is a likely cause of platelet hyperaggregability in vegetarians.
- Taurine supplementation may normalize platelet function in vegetarians.
- Taurine and other 'carninutrients' are potential candidates for vegan supplementation.