Taurine is one of the prescriptions for perimenopause, menopause, sleep, mood, insulin resistance and migraine prevention.
When you reach the end of your childbearing years, your body reacts to menopause with some expected and sometimes uncomfortable symptoms.
Fortunately, there are ways to manage the side effects of menopause, and your doctor can help you through this phase of your life. Although each person experiences a unique set of symptoms during menopause, you can expect some common changes during this transitional time.
Taurine is an amino acid, but unlike most other amino acids, it is not used to make proteins. Instead, taurine has direct effects on the liver, brain, and immune system. It is also an important antioxidant! And, fact: Taurine makes up 0.1% of the total human body weight.
Taurine is a "semi-essential" amino acid because although we can technically synthesize it from methionine and cysteine, the rate of taurine synthesis is very low in the man. For optimal health, taurine should be ingested from animal foods such as meat, dairy, and fish. There is no taurine in plant foods and a standard omnivorous diet provides about 400 mg. (1)
Dietary or supplemental taurine is more important for women than for men because estrogen slows taurine biosynthesis.(2)
Benefits of taurine for women's health
Calms the brain and soothes anxiety?
Taurine is a calming neurotransmitter structurally similar to glycine and GABA (3) (gamma-aminobutyric acid) – the other two calming neurotransmitters in the brain.
GABA, glycine and taurine have a similar molecular structure.By interacting with GABA receptors, taurine helps support beneficial “GABAergic” tone or overall GABA activity, thereby improving sleep, preventing migraines, and relieving symptoms of premenstrual and perimenopausal mood.
Help reverse insulin resistance and prevent obesity?
Taurine enhances healthy insulin sensitivity by supporting mitochondria and preventing the harmful overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (4). Along with magnesium, taurine can also reduce inflammation, suppress inflammation, appetite and prevent obesity (5) .
Tip: The benefits of taurine for GABA and insulin make it especially useful for hot flashes of perimenopause and menopause.
Supports healthy estrogen metabolism or detoxification
By supporting healthy bile acid formation, taurine may prevent gallstones and help promote the healthy detoxification of estrogen by the liver and intestines (6).
May slow aging
By reducing oxidative stress and preserving mitochondrial function, taurine has been shown to improve biomarkers associated with aging (7) .
Builds muscles and bones
Finally, by supporting healthy muscles, taurine may help prevent osteoporosis (8) . (Because bone and muscle biology are related (9) .)
How to supplement with taurine?
The therapeutic dose of taurine is variable and works best when taken with magnesium, another important nutrient for mood, mitochondria, and insulin sensitivity. A magnesium glycinate powder with taurine.
Is taurine safe with a sulfur allergy?
A “sulphur allergy” is usually an allergy to sulfa drugs or a sensitivity to sulphites, which are common in processed foods and wine. Ask your practitioner for advice if you have a sulfa allergy or sulphite sensitivity.
