When you think of protein, you might not realize that it is composed of a set of building blocks called amino acids. Of these amino acids, there are two sets: essential amino acids and non-essential amino acids. Although both sets of amino acids are essential for survival, those dubbed as essential cannot be produced by the human body and must be found in food sources. To confuse matters more, there are a few amino acids that begin as essential and change to non-essential as the body learns how to produce them.
One of these semi-essential amino acids is called taurine, which is not produced by newborns and must be supplied in food shortly after birth. Eventually, the newborn’s body will start producing Taurine on its own, but in the beginning it is usually supplied in breast milk or formula.
Taurine is an amino acid that is rarely heard of, but resides in various parts of the circulatory system, such as the heart, and in white blood cells. Taurine can also be found in the central nervous system and muscle tissue.
There are very few cases when someone might be deficient in taurine, such as a vegetarian diet or lack of red meat, but this can easily be overcome by supplementing with Taurine supplements. Taurine supplements are easy to find in health food stores, nutrition stores, and online. Most often, you’ll also find Taurine included in energy drinks and energy pills.
If you are deficient in Taurine or find that you need additional dosages to further support your bodybuilding or athletic activities, you’ll likely have a variety of indiscriminant issues that will signal to you that something is wrong. Taurine supplements are used to help metabolize fats, treat certain types of diseases, and even support the immune system.
Taurine is also important because it is a building block for other amino acids, which means that if you are deficient, you will suffer from a deficiency elsewhere, leading to improper growth of body and brain tissue.
For the most part, if you eat any type of dairy products or red meats, you should be fine. However, if you are a bodybuilder or athlete, you might consider adding a Taurine supplement to your diet. Taurine is usually included in amino acid blends, meaning you might not have to buy Taurine individually. It is also included in many protein powders, particularly whey proteins.
If you struggle from high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease, taurine supplements might be of use to you as well. Since it is a key ingredient for the metabolism of fats and for the elimination of free radicals, it can boost the productivity of your vital organs and improve your overall health.
The great thing about taurine or L-taurine is that there is a very small chance of an adverse reaction when taking too much, which is a different case when compared to other vitamins. Although you never want to ingest too much of any supplement, Taurine supplements are generally safe for almost every category of health status. Obviously, you will want to read the label to make sure you are taking the correct dosage.
Amino acids are vitally important to the human body. Without amino acids, your body cannot make protein, which means that your body lacks a vital nutrient and will begin to consume itself for energy. Educating yourself about amino acids, regardless of whether you are a bodybuilder or not, can help you learn how your body functions and how to run at peak capacity. You’ll be amazed at what you can learn and how you can improve your own health without ever having to visit a doctor.
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