Energy drink Red Bull could be right all along with its claim that it can give its customers wings. A new study suggests it contains taurine, which could be the "elixir of life."
Red Bull Contains the Possible 'Elixir of Life'
According to Human Kinetics, a 250 ml can of Red Bull contains 1000 mg of taurine, 600mg of glucuronolactone, 80 mg of caffeine, 18 mg of niacin (niacinamide), 6 mg of pantothenic acid (calcium d-pantothenate), 2 mg of vitamin B6 (pyridoxide HCI), vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and more.
Taurine is a safe drink ingredient. It naturally occurs in foods, including meat or fish. The human body also uses taurine for actions in cells and energy production. It also aids the body in processing bile acid and balancing fluids, salts, and minerals, according to Mayo Clinic.
Researchers found that giving mice taurine, an additive found in energy drinks, extended their lifespan by three to four months. The scientists who believe the material might be an "elixir of life," said those months are equivalent to seven to eight years in human years.
Additionally, researchers from Columbia University asserted that taurine slowed the aging process, assisting rodents in avoiding age-related problems like weakening bones and muscle loss.
More research, this time on humans, showed that those with higher body taurine levels typically have better health, Daily Mail reported.
The study provides no evidence that taurine will lengthen human lifespans. However, the scientists said they think it has "potential" when publishing their findings in Science.
According to Dr. Vijay Yadav, we concluded that taurine levels in the bloodstream might impact general health and lifespan if taurine regulates all these aging-related processes.
The researchers looked at 250 mice who were 14 months old, or around 45 years old in human years, to see if taurine depletion is what accelerates aging.
While the other half received a control solution, half of them received taurine daily.
According to the findings, male mice lived 10% longer than those in the control group, while female mice who received taurine lived 12% longer.
In the UK, the average age of death is 82 for men and 86 for women.
This would result in a rise to 88 and 94 for males and women, respectively, should it ever be demonstrated that the results in mice apply to people.
Taurine Could Improve One's Health
In the second part of the study, taurine supplements were given to mice, monkeys, and worms for a year to see their impact on their health and lifespan. The team's findings revealed that mice who received the supplement had improved immune systems and were healthier "in almost every way," including having more energy.
Additionally, they had better bone mass, increased muscle strength and endurance, decreased anxiety and depressive behavior, insulin resistance, and age-related weight gain.
Taurine-treated monkeys had higher bone density and more robust immune systems, but they also experienced decreased rates of weight gain, blood sugar spikes, and liver damage.
According to Dr. Yadav, the animals not only live longer but tend to live healthier lives.
Additional research indicates that taurine may have anti-aging properties by reducing the number of "zombie cells" in the body or cells that should die but persist and emit damaging compounds.
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