The Effects of Oral Taurine on Resting Blood Pressure in Humans: a Meta-Analysis.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Meta-analysis of clinical intervention studies
PubMed 30006901 · doi:10.1007/s11906-018-0881-z
What was done
A systematic database search through May 2018 identified 7 peer-reviewed human studies (totaling 103 participants of varying ages and health statuses) evaluating the effects of orally administered isolated taurine (1 to 6 g/day across durations ranging from 1 day to 12 weeks) on resting systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP).
What was found
Taurine ingestion significantly lowered resting SBP (Hedges' g = -0.70, 95% CI -0.98 to -0.41, P < 0.0001) and DBP (Hedges' g = -0.62, 95% CI -0.91 to -0.34, P < 0.0001). These translated to mean reductions of approximately 3 mmHg in both SBP (range: 0 to 15 mmHg) and DBP (range: 0 to 7 mmHg). No adverse events were reported.
Why it matters
This review compiles decades of fragmented human data to show that oral taurine produces modest, statistically significant blood pressure reductions with good short-term tolerability.
Limits
The total sample size is very small (103 participants across 7 studies). Dosing and duration varied substantially (1 to 6 g/day; 1 day to 12 weeks), participant health statuses differed, and the abstract does not report specific trial designs (such as randomization or blinding) or long-term clinical outcomes.
Cited by
- supports In human trials, taurine doses typically range from 1.5 to 3 grams per day for 8 to 12 weeks.