ID 612 - Tauryna

PL: Tauryna
EN: Taurine
Pdf: taurine

Oświadczenie (2)

1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika

The food constituent that is the subject of the health claims is taurine (2- amino-ethanesulfonic acid), which is a well recognised nutrient and is measurable in foods by established methods.
Taurine occurs naturally in foods of animal origin and is practically absent from foods of plant origin.
The Panel considers that the food constituent, taurine, which is the subject of the health claims, is sufficiently characterised.

2.1. Ochrona DNA, białek i lipidów przed uszkodzeniem oksydacyjnym (ID 612, 1658, 1959)

The claimed effects are “antioxidant activity, detoxifying properties, and protection of body cells from oxidative damage”. The Panel assumes that the target population is the general population.
In the context of the proposed wordings, the Panel notes that the claimed effects relate to the protection of body cells and tissues from oxidative damage caused by free radicals.
Reactive oxygen species including several kinds of radicals are generated in biochemical processes (e.g. respiratory chain) and as a consequence of exposure to exogenous factors (e.g. radiation, pollutants). These reactive intermediates damage biologically relevant molecules such as DNA, proteins and lipids if they are not intercepted by the antioxidant network which includes free radical scavengers like antioxidant nutrients.
The Panel considers that protection of DNA, proteins and lipids from oxidative damage is beneficial to human health.

3. Naukowe uzasadnienia wpływu na zdrowie człowieka

Taurine is synthesised in the body from sulphur containing amino acids, especially from cysteine, by oxidation of the sulphur function and decarboxylation. This last step is rate limiting. Compensatory mechanisms for dietary taurine deprivation (e.g. in vegans) include alteration of the bile salt glycine/taurine ratio, decrease in whole body taurine turnover and reduction of urinary excretion of taurine (Kendler, 1989). Taurine concentrations in tissues, particularly in the brain, are largely independent of taurine intakes. However, endogenous synthesis and usual consumptions can be insufficient to meet the metabolic needs in certain pathological conditions, so that taurine is considered to be a conditionally indispensable amino acid, particularly in preterm infants (Lourenço and Camilo, 2002).

3.1. Ochrona DNA, białek i lipidów przed uszkodzeniem oksydacyjnym (ID 612, 1658, 1959)

The references provided for the substantiation of the claimed effect include general reviews on the role of taurine in human nutrition, on the role of antioxidants in free-radical scavenging, on the role of oxidative stress in the development of chronic disease; studies on the role of taurine in the prevention/treatment of hypoxia and oxidative stress-induced tissue injury in animal models; and human intervention studies on taurine supplementation, both orally and intravenously, for the treatment of various disease conditions.
The Panel considers that no conclusions can be drawn from these references in relation to the claimed effect. The Panel also considers that the evidence provided in the animal studies does not predict an effect of taurine consumption on the protection of body tissues from oxidative damage in humans.
One human intervention study which investigated the effects of taurine supplementation on the prevention of exercise-induced oxidative damage was presented (Zhang et al., 2004). In an open label, single arm intervention, 11 young men (18-20 years of age) underwent an identical exhaustive test procedure using a bicycle ergometer before and after taurine supplementation (6 g/d for 7 days). Single cell gel assay was used to study DNA damage in white blood cells (WBC). Plasma lipid oxidation products were assessed using the plasma thiobaribituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) assay. Pre-supplementation of taurine, a significant negative correlation was found between plasma taurine concentrations before exercise and TBARS 6 hr after exercise. WBC showed a significant increase in DNA strand breakage 6 hr and 24 hr after exercise. Seven-day taurine supplementation reduced serum TBARS before exercise and resulted in a significantly reduced DNA migration 24 hr after exercise. The Panel notes that the small number of subjects studied, the lack of an appropriate control group, the high doses of taurine used in the study as compared to those proposed in the conditions of use, and the lack of appropriate methods to assess either lipid or DNA oxidative damage limit the conclusions that can be drawn from this study in relation to the claimed effect under the proposed conditions of use.
The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of taurine and the protection of DNA, proteins and lipids from oxidative damage.

Warunki i możliwe ograniczenia stosowania oświadczenia

75-150 mg