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Taurine deficiency as a driver of aging
Parminder Singh1, Kishore Gollapalli2, Stefano Mangiola3,4,5,6
1Metabolic Research Laboratories, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|June 8, 2023
Summary
Taurine levels decrease with aging. Supplementing taurine extended lifespan and improved healthspan in animal models, suggesting it may combat aging processes.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology and molecular biology
- Metabolomics and aging research
Background:
- Aging is linked to molecular changes, with some factors remaining unknown.
- Circulating taurine levels are observed to decrease with age across species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of taurine in the aging process.
- To determine if taurine supplementation can impact healthspan and lifespan.
Main Methods:
- Measured circulating taurine levels in aging mice, monkeys, and humans.
- Administered taurine supplementation to animal models.
- Assessed healthspan and lifespan following supplementation.
- Investigated molecular mechanisms including cellular senescence, telomere length, mitochondrial function, DNA damage, and inflammaging.
- Correlated taurine levels with age-related diseases in humans.
Main Results:
- Taurine concentrations decline with aging in mice, monkeys, and humans.
- Taurine supplementation reversed this decline, increasing healthspan and lifespan in mice and healthspan in monkeys.
- Mechanisms included reduced cellular senescence, protection against telomere shortening, improved mitochondrial function, decreased DNA damage, and attenuated inflammaging.
- Lower taurine levels in humans correlated with age-related diseases.
- Taurine levels increased after endurance exercise in humans.
Conclusions:
- Taurine deficiency may contribute to aging.
- Reversing taurine deficiency through supplementation shows potential for increasing healthspan and lifespan across species.
- Human clinical trials are warranted to confirm taurine's role in human aging.
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