Even though fitness supplements are still a controversial topic for many people, they’re becoming more widely accepted. This is all thanks to the fact that more research has been conducted about them which has proved that they aren’t as harmful as some people believe. However, with so many different supplements available nowadays, there’s still the rotten bunch and those that walk a thin line between being helpful and being harmful.
One such supplement that was walking the thin line, up until recently, at least, is taurine. Taurine is an ergogenic aid that can significantly enhance workout performance in a couple of ways. It’s a synthetically made essential amino acid which is depleted when the body is put under heavy physical stress. It’s the second most abundant amino acid that’s found in fast twitch fibers and skeletal muscles next to glutamine. But enough about that, you probably want to know how it actually helps you during your workouts, and whether it’s worth taking or not.
It Helps You Focus
Taurine can be found in high concentration in the brain, and it also plays a neuromodulatory role. It alters the functions of inhibitory neurotransmitters, thus increasing brain performance. That being said, a scoop of taurine pre workout can help you focus better on your training and do your best.
It Increases Strength
Once your taurine stores are depleted in the skeletal muscles, you will experience decreases in strength. That being said, taking taurine pre workout supplements can prevent this and help you push through your entire workout without fatiguing midway. Additionally, taurine can help you recover faster, as it also promotes calcium production inside the muscle cells, which leads to more forceful contractions.
It’s Anti-Catabolic
Taurine reduces muscle breakdown by decreasing catabolic 3-methylhistidine. Moreover, it prevents creatinine and creatine from leaving the body, which further showcases its ability to blunt muscle breakdown.
Helps Regulate Blood Sugar
Taurine is shown to help regulate blood sugar levels. Moreover, it increases glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, meaning that taurine supplementation is not only beneficial to gym-goers but people who struggle with high blood sugar levels as well.
It Extends Your Workouts
Endurance is one of the most important aspects to all athletes. The harder you can push your body without overtraining it, the greater anabolic response you get. Taurine supplementation can increase run time to exhaustion as much as 50%.