Taurine facts for kids

Taurine is a special kind of organic compound that your body needs. It's found in many parts of your body, making up a small but important part of your total weight. Taurine is a key ingredient in bile, which helps you digest food. It's also super important for your heart, your muscles, your retina (which helps you see), and your nerves. Your body can actually make its own taurine from another building block called cysteine.

The name "Taurine" comes from the Latin word taurus, which means "bull" or "ox". This is because it was first discovered and taken out of ox bile way back in 1827.

Where Does Taurine Come From?

Taurine is naturally found in foods like fish and meat. Most people get about 58 milligrams (mg) of taurine each day from their diet. This amount can vary a lot, from as little as 9 mg to as much as 400 mg. If someone follows a strict vegan diet (meaning they don't eat any animal products), they might get very little or no taurine from their food. Generally, people consume less than 200 mg of taurine per day from their regular meals.

Taurine in Energy Drinks

You might have heard of taurine because it's often added to "energy drinks." The taurine used in these drinks is made in a lab, not taken from animals. Many energy drinks contain a lot of taurine, sometimes 1000 mg in just one serving. Some even have as much as 2000 mg!

Images for kids

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  This image shows the basic structure of taurine.

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  A ball-and-stick model of taurine, showing how its atoms are arranged.

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  A space-filling model of taurine, showing the actual size and shape of the molecule.

See also

In Spanish: Taurina para niños