Taurine Offers Hope for Long COVID Patients
Written by Shaveta Arora, Arushi Sharma
Lower taurine levels in long COVID patients may be linked to more severe symptoms and increased hospitalization risks, according to a study reported in Cell Reports Medicine.
Lower taurine levels, a semi-essential amino acid found in meat and fish, may indicate long COVID symptoms, and authorized taurine supplementation has been proven to effectively alleviate these symptoms, as reported in Cell Reports Medicine.
"Patients with lower levels of taurine had a lot more symptoms, more of them were hospitalized and there was an increased risk for mortality," said principal investigator Gaviin Oudit, professor of medicine at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry.
Relation Between Taurine Levels and Long COVID Outcomes
"Patients with elevated taurine levels that remained consistently high in their bloodstream experienced fewer persistent symptoms and showed better recovery," explained Oudit. The research team created a predictive test to examine COVID-19 patients' blood for alterations in proteins, metabolites, and signs of inflammation.
Out of 117 patients, 55 developed severe post-COVID conditions, known as long COVID. A machine learning predictive model using 20 molecules was created, achieving 83% accuracy in predicting adverse clinical outcomes after patients were discharged from the acute infection phase.
Researchers found a significant difference in patients' bloodstream taurine levels, which regulates physiological functions like the immune system. Further research is needed to understand the effects of taurine supplementation in humans. Small-scale studies suggest potential benefits like reduced blood pressure, improved cognitive function, and gastrointestinal improvements.
"We are now moving to initiate a Phase 3 clinical trial of taurine supplementation in patients with COVID-19 to test whether we can minimize manifestations of long COVID down the road," said Oudit, noting that Phase 3 trials are designed to determine whether the already-approved product provides benefit to a particular population.
"In the meantime, he advises patience. "Patients should not go out and start consuming taurine in high levels to help with long COVID," he said. "Taurine supplements are relatively safe, but we need to get that evidence from a clinical trial."