It is frequently touted that it “gives you wings.”
The decades-old tagline of Red Bull, however, could hold some truth after all, according to recent studies.
Researchers found that feeding mice taurine, an element found in energy drinks, extended their lives by three to four months.
That equates to around seven or eight human years, according to the specialists who believe the chemical may be a “elixir of life.”
Columbia University academics also claimed that taurine slowed the aging process and helped rodents avoid age-related problems such as weakened bones and muscle loss.
Further experiments, this time on humans, showed that people with more taurine in their bodies are generally healthier.
The study does not provide any evidence that taurine will improve human longevity. But sharing their results in the prestigious journal Science, the team claimed they believe it has “potential.”
Red Bull has claimed for over two decades that their drink ‘gives you wings’. But the tagline may contain some truth. Each can contains 1g of taurine – an amino acid made in the body and also present in meat, fish and dairy – which scientists believe may help people live longer
Each Red Bull can contains 1g of taurine, an amino acid considered essential for maintaining muscle function, vision and metabolism. Research also suggests that it supports the central nervous system and immune system.
Taurine is also present in meat, fish and dairy, often in higher amounts. And it can also be made naturally in the body.
Dr. Vijay Yadav, one of the authors, said: ‘We realized that if taurine regulates all these processes that decrease with age, then taurine levels in the bloodstream might affect overall health and longevity.’
First, his team looked at taurine levels in the bloodstream of mice, monkeys and humans and found that they dropped dramatically with age.
For example, the results showed that a 60-year-old human had a third of the taurine content of a five-year-old. The typical Western diet usually contains about 750 mg per day.
To determine whether a taurine deficiency stimulates the aging process, the researchers studied 250 mice aged 14 months – about 45 years old in human years.
Half received taurine every day, the others received a control solution.
The results show that female mice given taurine lived 12 percent longer than those in the control group, while male mice lived 10 percent longer.
In the UK, the average man and woman die at 82 and 86 respectively.
If the findings in mice were ever proven to apply to humans, this would equate to an increase to 88 and 94 for men and women.
In a second branch of the study, scientists gave taurine supplements to mice, monkeys and worms for a year to investigate the effect on health and longevity.
The results showed that mice given the supplement were healthier “in almost every way,” with higher energy levels and a “younger-looking” immune system, the team said.
They also had improved bone mass, muscle endurance and strength, and lower levels of depressive and anxious behaviors, insulin resistance, and age-related weight gain.
Monkeys given taurine had less weight gain, blood sugar levels and liver damage, while having higher bone density and stronger immune systems.
‘Not only did we find that the animals lived longer, we also found that they lead healthier lives,’ said Dr Yadav.
Further tests suggest that taurine’s anti-aging effects are in part because it lowers the number of “zombie cells” in the body ? cells that are supposed to die, but instead hang around and release harmful substances.
In addition to energy drinks, it is also found in meats including chicken, beef and turkey, seafood such as tuna, shellfish and clams, and dairy products including eggs and milk
They also noted that taurine was associated with higher levels of stem cells in some tissues — which may help with healing after injury — and reduced DNA damage.
As part of another study, researchers looked at taurine levels and 50 markers of health among 12,000 European adults over the age of 60.
The results showed that those with higher levels were less likely to have type 2 diabetes or be obese. They also had lower blood pressure and inflammation levels.
Dr. Yadav said, ‘These are associations that do not establish causation.
“But the results are consistent with the possibility that taurine deficiency contributes to human aging.”
Finally, the Columbia team recruited athletes and sedentary people to complete a strenuous cycling workout to determine whether exercise affected taurine levels.
The results showed that all participants saw an increase in the amino acid afterward.
“Regardless of the individual, they all had increased taurine levels after exercise, suggesting that some of the health benefits of exercise stem from an increase in taurine,” said Dr. Yadav.
He said taurine should be considered for a randomized clinical trial to determine whether it has health benefits in humans.
The supplement has advantages over other anti-aging drugs in the pipeline because it has “no known toxic effects,” can be obtained naturally through food, and can be boosted by exercise.
“Taurine abundance decreases with age, so restoring taurine to youthful levels in old age may be a promising anti-aging strategy,” he said.
‘This study suggests that taurine could be an elixir of life in us that helps us live longer and healthier lives,’ added Dr Yadav.
Red Bull really DOES give you wings! Secret to living until 100 might be lurking in energy drinks