Taurine, A Product Of Methionine And Cysteine

[Dotdash]

If taurine is a product of methionine and cysteine metabolism, then why are they considered harmful?

Quote: "Taurine is a naturally occurring beta-amino acid produced by methionine and cysteine metabolism."

Quote: "Durk Pearson has been recommending supplementing with taurine for hair loss for decades. This is he says, because taurine down-regulates the oxidation of Cysteine to taurine, leaving more cysteine for the hair, improving both its growth rate and shaft diameter. "

Quotes taken from:
Protective effects of taurine on human hair follicle grown in vitro(1). Collin C, Gautier B, Gaillard O, Hallegot P, Chabane S, Bastien P, Peyron M, Bouleau M, Thibaut S, Pruche F, Duranton A, Bernard BA

L'Oréal Recherche, Clichy, France.

 

[Kasper]

Yes, I think this is true. However, a omnivore diet also contains taurine directly form the diet.

I'm interested as well, I think the reasoning was that cysteine and methionine are inflammatory? I think methionine is shown to directly decrease life span, while taurine levels are shown to increase life span. So I think the reasoning "methionine can get converted to taurine, so must be healthy" is too short sighted.

 

[Dotdash]

Yes, I think this is true. However, a omnivore diet also contains taurine directly form the diet.

I'm interested as well, I think the reasoning was that cysteine and methionine are inflammatory? I think methionine is shown to directly decrease life span, while taurine levels are shown to increase life span. So I think the reasoning "methionine can get converted to taurine, so must be healthy" is too short sighted.

Good start Kasper. I was not aware taurine is obtainable directly. Whenever my horses have needed something to strengthen their hooves or help with their hair coat products containing methionine and cysteine have always been used with great success; therefore avoidance of these amino acids has puzzled me since first reading RP articles.

 

[michael94]

Glutathione is also a product with cysteine as the rate limiting factor.

 

[michael94]

Yes, I think this is true. However, a omnivore diet also contains taurine directly form the diet.

I'm interested as well, I think the reasoning was that cysteine and methionine are inflammatory? I think methionine is shown to directly decrease life span, while taurine levels are shown to increase life span. So I think the reasoning "methionine can get converted to taurine, so must be healthy" is too short sighted.

Yes there are a lot of cofactors and enzymes involved in the conversions. So eating more methionine doesn't necessarily lead to production of the favorable products downstream. More cysteine + adequate levels of the cofactors and enzymes would likely be beneficial. Even glutathione if taken directly in liposome form still requires enzymes to attach it to free radicals/toxins.

 

[Dotdash]

Glutathione is also a product with cysteine as the rate limiting factor.

I like charts. Thank you.

So, looking at this chart, and applying the above quote that the benefit of Taurine is that it "down-regulates" the oxidation of Cysteine to Taurine, leaving more Cysteine for the hair, would indicate that the usefulness of Taurine is in its ability to enhance Cysteine. Or, put another way, Taurine negates (or reduces) its own formation leaving more room for cysteine, and/or sulfate, or with added glutamine/glycine it produces glutathione, or with added zinc it produces metallathionein.

That is my interpretation of the term "down-regulates". Which may or may not be an accurate interpretation.

I am posing these questions before I race off to purchase another supplement in search of something to stop the horrid hair shedding. Thank you for your input.

 

[michael94]

I like charts. Thank you.

So, looking at this chart, and applying the above quote that the benefit of Taurine is that it "down-regulates" the oxidation of Cysteine to Taurine, leaving more Cysteine for the hair, would indicate that the usefulness of Taurine is in its ability to enhance Cysteine. Or, put another way, Taurine negates (or reduces) its own formation leaving more room for cysteine, and/or sulfate, or with added glutamine/glycine it produces glutathione, or with added zinc it produces metallathionein.

That is my interpretation of the term "down-regulates". Which may or may not be an accurate interpretation.

I am posing these questions before I race off to purchase another supplement in search of something to stop the horrid hair shedding. Thank you for your input.

Yea I think that's a pretty reasonable view of things.

When one takes a look at glutathione vs taurine it becomes apparent the glutathione system is much more complex than taurine. There's a lot more cofactors/enzymes/recycling etc. This suggests to me perhaps taurine is bargain shopping when your body doesn't have the resources to afford glutathione-based-reduction of oxidative stress. Maybe that's wrong or exaggerated because taurine does some things glutathione doesn't, but I think it's an interesting way of looking at it.

Now, I've never dealt with hair issues or spent much time looking into it but oxidative stress seems the be the unifying theory behind hair issues. Oxidative stress in ageing of hair. - PubMed - NCBI So anything that reduces oxidative stress should help with hair issues...

How to reduce oxidative stress? Well that's one of the main reasons for this forum existing...but If one were to focus on anything I think it should be the body's antioxidant/detoxification system. I say taking the taurine is a good idea, however it's only scratching at the surface imo.

 

[Dotdash]

Yea I think that's a pretty reasonable view of things.

When one takes a look at glutathione vs taurine it becomes apparent the glutathione system is much more complex than taurine. There's a lot more cofactors/enzymes/recycling etc. This suggests to me perhaps taurine is bargain shopping when your body doesn't have the resources to afford glutathione-based-reduction of oxidative stress. Maybe that's wrong or exaggerated because taurine does some things glutathione doesn't, but I think it's an interesting way of looking at it.

Now, I've never dealt with hair issues or spent much time looking into it but oxidative stress seems the be the unifying theory behind hair issues. Oxidative stress in ageing of hair. - PubMed - NCBI So anything that reduces oxidative stress should help with hair issues...

How to reduce oxidative stress? Well that's one of the main reasons for this forum existing...but If one were to focus on anything I think it should be the body's antioxidant/detoxification system. I say taking the taurine is a good idea, however it's only scratching at the surface imo.

Thank you for your thoughts and the PubMed reference. I agree with your scratching at the surface idea, which is why I question things more intently than I used to do. At the least, this forum and Dr Peat have taught me much, but with that education comes more, and hopefully, better questions. More than likely I will give Taurine a try while continuing to do research. For certain if it works I'll be searching with a smile.

 

[michael94]

Hey, have you ever had a hair mineral analysis done? Excess copper/ depleted zinc or even too little copper is a common hair problem. Usually insurance should cover it otherwise I think it's like $100 or so, but I think it's worth it to see where your copper/zinc levels are at. I'm not sure how accurate they are but I had WAY WAY too much copper via hair analysis months back and benefited from a zinc supp.

Copper in your hair isn't necessarily indicative of getting too much copper in your diet but rather a zinc deficiency, copper from liver/shellfish is probably beneficial in small amounts. This is just what I've read I really don't know too much about it other than zinc supp was a lifesaver.

 

[Dotdash]

Hey, have you ever had a hair mineral analysis done? Excess copper/ depleted zinc or even too little copper is a common hair problem. Usually insurance should cover it otherwise I think it's like $100 or so, but I think it's worth it to see where your copper/zinc levels are at. I'm not sure how accurate they are but I had WAY WAY too much copper via hair analysis months back and benefited from a zinc supp.

Copper in your hair isn't necessarily indicative of getting too much copper in your diet but rather a zinc deficiency, copper from liver/shellfish is probably beneficial in small amounts. This is just what I've read I really don't know too much about it other than zinc supp was a lifesaver.

I appreciate your comments. I've had blood tests for copper/zinc but no hair mineral analysis. The results were in an acceptable range so I did not pursue that any further. I have wondered though at the repetitive lack of zinc in what I eat. The ratio with copper is continually coming up in the negative when using cronometer.

I received the taurine supp yesterday & took one 500mg capsule before bed. Sure did sleep good, but temps/pulse were lower this morning. I'll give it a chance & see what happens on the hair shed issue. Thanks again for your comments.

 

[BibleBeliever]

Glutathione is also a product with cysteine as the rate limiting factor.

Very interesting