In 2023, a study published in Science put taurine forward as a possible driver of aging. Taurine is an amino-acid-like molecule the body makes naturally, and you also get it from meat, fish and shellfish. The researchers reported that circulating taurine falls with age in mice, monkeys and humans.
The experiments were what drew attention. When middle-aged mice were given taurine, their lifespan increased by roughly 10-12%. Improvements were also reported in markers of aging such as cellular senescence, DNA damage, mitochondrial function and low-grade inflammation. In monkeys, what was examined was healthspan-related measures, not lifespan.
The story quickly became an anti-aging headline. The paper's own assessment was more cautious, though: it said clinical studies were needed to find out whether taurine deficiency drives aging in humans.
In 2025, two independent studies tested the human side of the premise: does taurine really decline with age?
No, and the distinction matters. The 2025 studies do not overturn the effect of taurine supplementation on lifespan in mice. What they question is the human link in the chain: does taurine fall with age in people, and does that fall drive aging? If that link is weak, translating the mouse experiments to humans rests on thinner ground.
Science worked here the way it should. A striking finding was tested by other groups with different data, and the human side could not be confirmed in those tests. Still, the two studies don't close the debate on their own. Differences in measurement methods, samples and cohorts may have influenced the results.
These two studies don't test whether a supplement works in humans. What they test is the assumption behind "taurine falls with age, so let's supplement it." The sources we relied on for this article contain no data showing that a supplement extends human life.
Taurine occurs naturally in meat, fish and shellfish. These data give no reason for someone eating a balanced diet to start a high-dose supplement. With kidney disease, regular medication or pregnancy, the decision on a supplement should be made together with a doctor.
Taurine is an amino-acid-like compound the body makes naturally. You also get it from foods such as meat, fish and shellfish.
A 2023 study in Science reported that taurine-treated mice lived roughly 10-12% longer. It has not been shown to slow aging in humans; the paper itself says clinical studies are needed.
The 2023 study reported that it does. In 2025, NIH researchers found that circulating taurine often increased or stayed constant with age across three human cohorts, and an Aging Cell study found no association between taurine and age in 137 men. The debate is not fully settled.
"A finding's worth shows when other labs ask the same question and it holds up. The taurine story is a good example."
— Vivelong Longevity Science Team