Taurine

Pronunciation: TOR-een.

Generic name
Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid)
Drug class
Sulfonic-acid-containing amino acid; dietary/food supplement ingredient (not an approved drug in its standard consumer form)
Form
Capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid (supplement forms); sterile injectable solution (hospital TPN product, pharmacy-compounded only)
Route
Oral (supplement forms); intravenous, hospital-administered only (prescription parenteral-nutrition products containing taurine)
Legal status
Dietary/food supplement or food/beverage ingredient (US, UK, EU, New Zealand) or listed/licensed complementary product (Canada, Australia) in every market reviewed for standard consumer use; not an approved prescription or OTC drug in that form anywhere reviewed. Separately, taurine is a labelled component of certain FDA-approved PRESCRIPTION parenteral amino acid nutrition products used in hospital, for infants/young children on total parenteral nutrition (TPN).

Availability and supply rules vary by country

Trade names by country: United States · United Kingdom · Canada · Australia · New Zealand

Australia: Taurine 1000 (7), Taurine (Factors Group) (7) · Full directory

What Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) is and how it works

Taurine is a naturally occurring amino acid found in the body and in foods such as meat, fish, and dairy. As a standard consumer product, it is sold as a dietary/food supplement or a low-risk complementary product -- not as an approved prescription or over-the-counter drug -- and is commonly marketed for cardiovascular, antioxidant, or general energy support, including as an ingredient in many energy drinks. It is conditionally essential in infancy, which is why a completely separate, hospital-only prescription product (an intravenous amino acid nutrition solution) includes taurine for infants and young children who cannot get adequate nutrition by mouth. (6) (3)

Because standard taurine products are regulated as supplements or food ingredients rather than medicines in every market reviewed, they have not gone through the same pre-market evidence and safety review as an approved drug, and marketed claims (such as supporting cardiovascular function) are generally not independently verified by a regulator. This is different from the hospital-only intravenous nutrition product, which is a genuinely FDA-approved prescription medicine used strictly under clinical supervision for a specific, serious nutritional need in infants and young children -- that use is not something a consumer selects or administers themselves.

Mechanism of action: how Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) works

Taurine is a sulfonic-acid-containing beta-amino acid, synthesised endogenously from cysteine, involved in bile-salt conjugation, osmoregulation, antioxidant processes, and central nervous system development. It is conditionally essential in infancy because endogenous synthesis capacity is limited at that stage, which is the pharmacological basis for its inclusion in infant/paediatric parenteral nutrition formulations. (6) (3)

What Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) is used for

General dietary supplement for cardiovascular and antioxidant support (self-selected, not independently verified)

Commonly marketed as a supplement to help support cardiovascular function and provide antioxidant activity, and included in many energy drinks. These are supplement marketing claims, not independently regulator-verified therapeutic indications, though the specific EU/UK energy-drink use has been reviewed by EFSA for general population safety (not efficacy). (6) (5)

Cramp frequency/intensity/duration in chronic liver disease (specific licensed Canadian supplement claim)

One Health-Canada-licensed taurine product carries a specific labelled claim to help reduce the frequency, intensity, and duration of cramps in individuals with chronic liver disease, with a caution to first verify the chronic liver disease diagnosis, since cramps can also stem from dehydration or electrolyte imbalance. (6)

Component of hospital-only prescription total parenteral nutrition (TPN) for infants and young children

Taurine is one of many amino acids in certain FDA-approved prescription intravenous nutrition solutions (e.g. Premasol, Aminosyn-PF) used in hospital for infants (including very low birth weight) and young children who cannot get adequate nutrition through the gut. It is included because it is considered important for normal infant development, including bile-salt handling and central nervous system development. This is a distinct, clinician-directed hospital use, not a general supplement use. (3)

Before taking Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid)

Do not take / not appropriate for

  • Avoid a general taurine supplement or energy drink if you have a known allergy or sensitivity to it. (all countries) (6)
  • Do not assume a chronic-liver-disease cramp claim applies to you without first confirming the diagnosis with a clinician -- muscle cramps have many other causes, including dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. (Canada) (6)
  • The hospital-only prescription parenteral nutrition product containing taurine (e.g. Premasol) must never be self-administered -- it is contraindicated in untreated anuria, hepatic coma, inborn errors of amino acid metabolism, or hypersensitivity to any of its constituent amino acids, and is for pharmacy compounding and hospital administration only. (United States) (3)

Tell your clinician about

  • Whether you are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding, before taking a general taurine supplement.
  • Any diagnosis of chronic liver disease, or any other medical condition, if you are considering a supplement marketed for a specific health claim.
  • All other medicines and supplements you take, particularly lithium or blood-pressure medicines (see interactions).
  • Whether a product you are considering is a general consumer supplement/energy drink or relates to the hospital-only prescription nutrition product -- these are entirely different things with different supervision requirements.
(6) (3)

How to take Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid)

  • General supplement products: follow the manufacturer's label directions -- there is no regulator-established therapeutic dose for taurine as a supplement in any market reviewed.
  • The hospital-only prescription parenteral nutrition product is prepared and administered exclusively by pharmacy/clinical staff as part of an infant's or young child's individualised nutrition plan -- never self-directed and never available for home or consumer use.
  • Do not treat a general supplement/energy drink and the hospital nutrition product as interchangeable -- they serve entirely different purposes.
(6) (3)

Procedures and treatment changes

Tell the treating team before surgery, procedures, or any medicine change. Do not alter treatment without the responsible clinician. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)

Missed dose

For general supplement use, simply resume your usual routine at the next planned use -- there is no medical need to double up. The hospital nutrition product's schedule is managed entirely by the clinical team, not something a patient or caregiver adjusts.

Overdose

If you or someone else has taken a very large amount of a taurine supplement or energy drink, or develops symptoms such as a fast or irregular heartbeat, severe headache, nausea, or unusual tiredness, contact a pharmacist, doctor, or poison control service for advice. Concerns about the hospital nutrition product are managed directly by the treating clinical team. (6)

Side effects

Side effects and their urgency vary; report severe, persistent, or concerning symptoms.

Generally well tolerated at typical supplement doses; mild gastrointestinal upset (such as stomach discomfort, nausea, or diarrhoea) has been reported, particularly with higher intakes.

What to notice: Generally well tolerated at typical supplement doses; mild gastrointestinal upset (such as stomach discomfort, nausea, or diarrhoea) has been reported, particularly with higher intakes.

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (6)

For the hospital parenteral nutrition product, risks relate to the overall multi-amino-acid formulation rather than taurine specifically, and are managed by the clinical team (see serious warnings).

What to notice: For the hospital parenteral nutrition product, risks relate to the overall multi-amino-acid formulation rather than taurine specifically, and are managed by the clinical team (see serious warnings).

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (3)

Serious warnings

Signs of a serious allergic reaction to a taurine-containing supplement or product — emergency

Symptoms: Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat; difficulty breathing; widespread rash or hives.

Action: Get emergency medical help immediately and tell the treating team you have been using $1. (6)

Hyperammonemia or aluminum-toxicity risk with the hospital parenteral nutrition product (Premasol/Aminosyn-PF class) — high caution

Symptoms: This is a clinician-monitored, hospital-administered risk (not a self-recognised symptom pattern for patients/caregivers) tied to the multi-amino-acid IV formulation, particularly in infants with genetic metabolic defects, impaired kidney function, or prematurity.

Action: Managed entirely by the treating clinical team through monitoring during hospital administration -- not applicable to general consumer taurine supplements. (3)

Confusing a general taurine supplement/energy drink with the hospital-only prescription nutrition product — high caution

Symptoms: Not applicable -- this is a product-identification safety point rather than a symptom to watch for.

Action: These are entirely different products with different regulatory status, administration routes, and supervision requirements. The hospital nutrition product is never self-administered or available as a consumer purchase. (3)

Interactions

  • May reduce how quickly the body clears lithium, which could raise lithium levels -- speak to a clinician or pharmacist before combining taurine supplements with lithium therapy. (6)
  • May have a mild blood-pressure-lowering effect in some people; combining with blood-pressure-lowering medicines could increase the risk of blood pressure dropping too low. (6)

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, kidney/liver function, age

Pregnancy

Specific safety data for taurine supplementation in pregnancy is limited in the sources reviewed for the general consumer product; the licensed Canadian product label advises consulting a healthcare practitioner before use if pregnant. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)

Breastfeeding

The licensed Canadian product label advises consulting a healthcare practitioner before use if breastfeeding. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)

Children

General consumer supplement use in children is not well established in the sources reviewed and should be discussed with a clinician. Separately, taurine is a recognised, clinician-administered component of hospital prescription parenteral nutrition specifically for infants and young children who need it -- a different context entirely from a child taking an over-the-counter supplement. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)

Elderly

No specific restriction identified in the sources reviewed for general supplement use. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)

Hepatic_impairment

A licensed Canadian product is specifically marketed for cramp frequency/intensity/duration in chronic liver disease, but the label cautions to verify the diagnosis with a clinician first, since cramps have several possible causes. Separately, the hospital IV nutrition product is contraindicated in hepatic coma. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)

Renal_impairment

The hospital IV nutrition product carries an aluminum-toxicity warning in impaired kidney function; no specific renal guidance was identified in the sources reviewed for the general consumer supplement. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)

Monitoring

Before starting

  • Confirm whether you are considering a general consumer supplement or have been told about the unrelated hospital nutrition product
  • Check other medicines/supplements for lithium or blood-pressure-medicine interactions

During treatment

  • For general supplement use, there is no regulator-mandated monitoring; if you notice any concerning symptoms, consult a pharmacist or doctor promptly and let them advise on whether to continue or stop it.
  • For the hospital parenteral nutrition product, monitoring (including ammonia levels and overall metabolic status) is directed entirely by the treating clinical team as part of managing the infant's or child's nutrition.
(3)

Storage

General supplement products: store per the label, typically at room temperature, away from moisture, out of reach of children. The hospital parenteral nutrition product is stored and handled entirely by pharmacy/clinical staff under controlled conditions.

Professional information

Clinician-facing context only. Taurine is not an approved drug in its standard consumer supplement form, so there is no regulator-approved prescribing information in the conventional sense for that use; this section reflects the supplement/natural-health-product source material reviewed, plus the genuinely separate FDA prescribing information for taurine-containing parenteral nutrition products.

United States / United Kingdom / European Union / Canada / Australia / New Zealand

Indication: General supplement/food-ingredient use (self-selected, label-directed)

Dose summary: No regulator-established therapeutic dose; follow the specific product's label directions (e.g. 750 mg capsules, 4 daily, in one licensed Canadian product).

Renal context: Not applicable -- not a regulated drug with renal dosing guidance in the sources reviewed for the supplement form. (6)

United States

Indication: Component of prescription parenteral nutrition (TPN) for infants/young children

Dose summary: Taurine supplied at a fixed concentration (0.025 g/100 mL in Premasol 10%) within a larger, clinician-individualised multi-amino-acid IV nutrition regimen; not a fixed consumer dose.

Renal context: Aluminum toxicity risk is heightened in impaired renal function and prematurity; the whole formulation (not taurine alone) is contraindicated in untreated anuria. (3)

Mechanism of action

Hepatic guidance

The hospital IV nutrition product is contraindicated in hepatic coma; a licensed consumer supplement product carries a specific chronic-liver-disease cramp-reduction claim, but diagnosis verification with a clinician is advised before relying on it.

Overdose note

No specific antidote for supplement-form taurine; manage suspected overdose with supportive care and advice from a poison control service or clinician. Overdose concerns for the hospital nutrition product are managed by the treating clinical team as part of the overall formulation. (6) (3)

Frequently asked questions

Is taurine a prescription medicine?

Not in its standard consumer form. In every market reviewed (United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Canada, Australia, New Zealand), general-purpose taurine (as a supplement, food ingredient, or energy-drink component) is regulated as a dietary/food supplement or a low-risk complementary/natural-health/listed-medicine product, not as an approved prescription or over-the-counter drug. Separately, taurine is a labelled component of certain FDA-approved prescription intravenous nutrition products used only in hospital for infants/young children -- that is a distinct, clinician-administered use, not something available as a consumer purchase. (1) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)

Is taurine in energy drinks safe?

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed taurine (alongside D-glucuronolactone) as used in energy drinks and concluded in 2009 that exposure at typical and high consumption levels was not a safety concern, resolving earlier questions about possible neurological effects. This is a food-safety assessment, not a medicines approval, and energy drinks remain subject to separate caffeine-content labelling rules. (5) (4)

Why is taurine given intravenously to some infants in hospital?

Taurine is conditionally essential in infancy, meaning babies cannot yet make enough of it themselves. Certain FDA-approved prescription parenteral (IV) amino acid nutrition products (e.g. Premasol, Aminosyn-PF), used in hospital for infants and young children who cannot get adequate nutrition through the gut, include taurine because of its recognised role in bile-salt handling and central nervous system development. This is a hospital-only, clinician-directed use, entirely separate from an over-the-counter taurine supplement or energy drink. (3)

What is the mechanism of action of Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid)?

Taurine is a sulfonic-acid-containing beta-amino acid, synthesised endogenously from cysteine, involved in bile-salt conjugation, osmoregulation, antioxidant processes, and central nervous system development. It is conditionally essential in infancy because endogenous synthesis capacity is limited at that stage, which is the pharmacological basis for its inclusion in infant/paediatric parenteral nutrition formulations. (6) (3)

What is the generic name of Taurine?

The generic name is Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid). (1) (6)

What class of drug is Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid)?

Taurine is classed as: Sulfonic-acid-containing amino acid; dietary/food supplement ingredient (not an approved drug in its standard consumer form). (1) (6)

References

  1. DailyMed search results for taurine-containing productsDailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) -- product label search · United States · accessed 2026-07-30 · source 1
  2. GRAS Notice No. GRN 000586, Taurine (agency response letter, 9 December 2015)U.S. Food and Drug Administration -- GRAS Notice Inventory · United States · accessed 2026-07-30 · source 2
  3. PREMASOL (amino acid) 10% injection, sulfite-free -- full prescribing informationDailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine), full prescribing information, Baxter Healthcare Corporation · United States · accessed 2026-07-30 · source 3
  4. MHRA guidance on determining borderline products and medicinal status (food supplements, amino acids)UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) -- borderline products guidance · United Kingdom · accessed 2026-07-30 · source 4
  5. The use of taurine and D-glucurono-gamma-lactone as constituents of the so-called 'energy' drinks -- Scientific OpinionEuropean Food Safety Authority (EFSA) -- Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS) · European Union · accessed 2026-07-30 · source 5
  6. Taurine / Taurine 750 mg -- Licensed Natural Health Product, NPN 80141973Health Canada, Licensed Natural Health Products Database (LNHPD) · Canada · accessed 2026-07-30 · source 6
  7. Taurine 1000 -- ARTG entry 421370Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australia · Australia · accessed 2026-07-30 · source 7
  8. Regulation of Dietary Supplements (Dietary Supplements Regulations 1985)Medsafe (New Zealand regulator) -- Dietary Supplements Regulations 1985 framework · New Zealand · accessed 2026-07-30 · source 8

Brand names by country

Single-ingredient Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) names are shown separately by country. Product availability, strengths, and supply rules can change; combination products are not included here.

Priority countries

United States

  • L-Taurine High 742215 [hp_X]/59mL · professional complementary health formulas
  • L-Taurine 74214 [hp_X]/59mL · professional complementary health formulas

United Kingdom

  • Various food supplement / energy drink products (4)food supplement borderline products framework confirmed · varies by product · multiple manufacturers

Canada

  • Taurine 750 mg (6)Health Canada NHP licensed confirmed NPN 80141973 · 750 mg · New Roots Herbal Inc.

Australia

  • Taurine 1000 (7)TGA ARTG listed confirmed ARTG 421370 · 1000 mg · Bio Concepts Pty Ltd
  • Taurine (Factors Group) (7)TGA ARTG listed confirmed ARTG 481728 · varies · Factors Group Australia Pty Ltd

New Zealand

  • Various dietary supplement products (8)Dietary Supplements Regulations 1985 confirmed · varies by product · multiple manufacturers (sponsor self-responsibility, no pre-market approval)
View brands in additional countries.

European Union

Various food supplement / energy drink products (5)