Taurine – A Powerful Antioxidant and Mitochondrial Nutrient

by Timothy M. Marshall, Ph.D. 
Neuropharmacologist, Nutritional Biochemist 
NorthStar Neurology PC, Tucson, AZ 
Chief Science Officer at FoodPharma

Healthy Mitochondria – A Key to Optimal Health 

Healthy mitochondria is one of the keys to optimal health and wellbeing. According to Dr. Mark Hyman, Director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, “when mitochondria are damaged, we suffer from low energy, fatigue, memory loss, pain, rapid aging, and more”.  One of the most common factors that promote mitochondrial dysfunction is nutrient deficiencies – along with excess refined sugar, toxin exposure, lack of exercise, and the overuse of antibiotics.

 

Common Nutrient Deficiencies

The most prevalent mitochondrial nutrient deficiencies are those of magnesium, zinc, copper, vitamins A, C, D, B-vitamins, glycine, and taurine.  An optimum intake of these and other micronutrients protect highly sensitive mitochondria from free-radical injury (i.e. oxidative stress), promote healthy mitochondrial function, and can reverse mitochondrial dysfunction and aging.

 

This brings me to one of the key and oft-forgotten mitochondrial nutrients – taurine – present in each HempMag high-performance nutritional supplement.

 

A Conditional Vitamin 

Taurine is known as a conditional vitamin because it is synthesized by humans and animals, but often not in sufficient amounts, and thus must be consumed from the diet (or supplements) for optimal health and disease prevention.

Restoration of taurine levels restores respiratory chain activity (i.e. energy production), decreases free-radical production, and increases the synthesis of ATP.  Taurine has been shown to be important in preventing numerous health issues including brain dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and mitochondrial diseases in large part due to its ability to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation via its powerful antioxidant properties.

 

Essential for Optimal Health and Wellbeing

Due to taurine’s extensive role in a number of chronic health issues that lead to a decline of overall health and well-being, it is considered a longevity nutrient.  It can be found in high concentration in the cytosol and mitochondria, and is present in virtually all tissues at low concentrations.  In humans and animals, diet is the primary source of taurine (a sulfur-containing molecule) with smaller amounts synthesized endogenously in the liver from the two sulfur-containing amino acids, methionine and cysteine.  Rich dietary sources include fish, seaweed, eggs, and dark-meat poultry – all containing greater than 50 mg per serving.  The average daily intake of taurine for adult, non-vegetarians is approximately 40-400 mg per day, typically falling closer to the lower end of the range.

 

Neuroprotective and Helps Remove Heavy Metals

Taurine also plays an important role in brain health and development, including neuronal proliferation, stem cell proliferation, and differentiation, and has no toxic effects in humans.  It functions as a neuromodulator in the brain and nervous system where it inhibits the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, while activating the inhibitory and calming, GABA- and glycine-insensitive chloride channel.

Taurine helps to neutralize the presence of toxic heavy metals by reducing their generation of free radicals along with helping to promote the removal of these metals from the body.

 

The HempMag Difference

In all of our supplements, we utilize only the purest, most bioavailable nutrients available including two forms of organic magnesium – malate and taurinate – which provide beneficial amounts of both malic acid (an excellent detoxifier of aluminum) and the nourishing, antioxidant amino acid, taurine.

 

If you’re new to nutritional supplementation – or are a well-versed pro – I recommend starting with a well-balanced, multi-nutrient supplement that uses doses on the lower end of the spectrum, and focuses on nutrient synergy rather than mega-doses as featured in the HempMag line of high-performance brain supplements:

 

HempMag MOOD – for improved energy, mood, and well-being.

 

HempMag CALM – for greater calmness and relaxation.

 

HempMag FOCUS – for improved focus, alertness, and concentration.

 

HempMag COOLDOWN – for improved well-being, and inflammatory balance.

 

HempMag SUPER IMMUNITY – for powerful immune support.

 

Nutrition You Can Feel

With our patent-pending, proprietary blend of “feel-good, brain nutrients“, ALL of our supplements provide the same core, “feel-good” elements, which promote a sense of greater well-being.   These “core nutrients”, which include organic hemp oil extract, magnesium (malate, taurinate), niacin-bound chromium, and seven B-vitamins are further enhanced with key synergistic nutrients specifically chosen for their scientifically validated benefits.  For example, boron is added to our FOCUS formula for its ability to improve focus and alertness, and selenium and molybdenum are added to our COOLDOWN formula for their powerful antioxidant benefits.

 

*The taurine in each of our supplements is provided as magnesium (taurinate), which is 8% elemental magnesium with the remaining 92% of the mass of the complex being taurine.  Each chew contains approximately 344 mg of taurine.

 

Our Mission

We view this as a sacred mission to serve the world with products that strengthen and provide nutritional support at the deepest level. Based on irrefutable science and grounded in nature — our products embody the values of our company — with unsurpassed quality, safety and effectiveness. Designed to provide our customers with profound nourishment while promoting a greater sense of vitality and well-being.

 

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