I don’t usually expect research to show much benefit from supplements made from individual nutrients. One reason is that individual nutrients are never found in isolation. They’re always found in complex configurations with other food components, and our bodies have adapted to take maximal advantage of food complexity.

So I was surprised when I came across this research about the effects of taurine.

Taurine is an amino acid that’s naturally part of your diet and can be produced by your metabolism. It’s considered “semi-essential,” because supplies of taurine can run low during stressful conditions – if you’re ill or nutritionally stressed, for instance.

Here are some of the findings that point to potential benefits of taurine supplementation:

• Taurine levels in circulation tend to decline with age
• Taurine supplementation slows the decline of key metabolic markers of aging including DNA damage and mitochondrial dysfunction
• Low taurine levels are associated with aging-related diseases
• Taurine supplementation increases longevity and health in mice and monkeys

I’m planning to order some taurine from my nutritional supplier, Fullscript. Here’s where you can register with them to obtain taurine, or other quality supplements, at a discount.

Dr. Lavine has been an innovator in the use of movement and touch to promote health since 1981. He practices in New York City and Princeton, NJ.