Taurine Content of Selected Foods: Taurine Deficiency Very Unlikely on a Normal Diet

From the reactions to the latest courses on taurine (thx Metabolic Alchemy) I concluded it would be nice to have some insight into natural sources of the sulfur-amino acid. It is however important to note that under normal conditions  man is also able to produce sufficient levels of taurine (2-aminoethane sulfonic acid) from methionine and cysteine. Other than cats we are thus not dependent on exogenous consumption of taurine if our diet does not lack the aforementioned essential amino acids (EAAs). In view of the many beneficial effects (hypoglycaemic, important for testosterone production, anti-oxidant, etc.) ascribed to taurine the consumption of taurine-rich foods (cf. table below) might benefit overall health and/or specific medical conditions such has diabetes or high blood pressure.

Food	Amount	Taurine (mg)
Cheese	3 ounces	1000
Cheese,cottage	1 cup	1700
Milk,whole	1 cup	400
Yogurt	1 cup	400
Wild game	3 ounces	600
Pork	3 ounces	540
Granola	1 cup	650
Oatmeal flakes	1 cup	500
Chocolate	1 cup	400
Meat (luncheon)	1 cup	390
Wheat germ,toasted	1/4 cup	350
Egg	1 (medium size)	350
Turkey	3 ounces	240
Duck	3 ounces	240
Chicken	3 ounces	185
Sausage	3 ounces	185
Avocado	1/2 (medium)	75
Table 1:Taurine content of selected foodstuff (USDA Handbook Number 8)

In view of these figures it is highly unlikely that you must fear testicular malfunction from improper taurine levels on a normal diet. This does not say that additional supplementation may not be beneficial for blood pressure, blood glucose and other factors associated with the metabolic syndrome or other conditions such as

• chemotherapy
• trauma / surgery
• sepsis
• total parenteral nutrition

which are commonly associated with taurine deficiency.

Going overboard on taurine supplementation, on the other hand, has anecdotally been linked to tiredness, drowsiness and a general feeling of weekness. While the exact mechanism of action related to this symptoms has not been investigated yet, studies suggest that the GABA-mediated inhibitory effect taurine has on the brain may be responsible for these side effects.