Effect of taurine treatment on insulin secretion and action, and on serum lipid levels in overweight men with a genetic predisposition for type II diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasing with an epidemic growth rate. Animal studies with taurine supplementation have shown increased insulin secretion and action, suggesting that taurine supplementation may have a potential to prevent T2DM. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of taurine treatment on insulin secretion and action, and on plasma lipid levels in overweight men with a positive history of T2DM. DESIGN: 20 nondiabetic subjects were included in a double-blinded, randomized, crossover study, receiving a daily supplementation of 1.5 g taurine or placebo for two periods of 8 weeks. The subjects were overweight first-degree relatives of T2DM patients. An intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) was used to measure first-phase insulin secretory response, and a euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp was used to determine peripheral insulin action. RESULTS: Mean plasma taurine concentration was 39 +/- 7 (s.d.) micromol/l after placebo and 131 +/- 62 micromol/l after taurine intervention (P < 0.0001). There was no significant difference after taurine intervention compared to placebo in incremental insulin response (Insincr.) neither during the IVGTT, nor in insulin-stimulated glucose disposal during the clamp. Insulin secretion, adjusted for insulin sensitivity, was also unchanged. There was no significant effect of taurine supplementation on blood lipid levels as well. CONCLUSION: Daily supplementation with 1.5 g taurine for 8 weeks had no effect on insulin secretion or sensitivity, or on blood lipid levels. These findings in persons with an increased risk of T2DM are in contrast to those from animal studies, and do not support the assumption that dietary supplementation with taurine can be used to prevent the development of T2DM.

No effect of taurine on platelet aggregation in men with a predisposition to type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Any diet therapy that potentially could affect platelet function would also influence the initiation of atherosclerotic plaque formation which is an important complication of diabetes mellitus eventually resulting in myocardial infarction and stroke. Blood platelets are rich in taurine, and it has been shown that taurine inhibits platelet aggregation in healthy subjects. The purpose was to examine the effect of taurine supplementation on platelet aggregation in high-risk subjects with a positive family history of T2DM. Twenty healthy men were included in a double-blinded, randomized, crossover study, receiving daily supplementation of 1.5 g taurine or placebo for two 8-week periods. Subjects were overweight and first-degree relatives of T2DM patients. At the end of each treatment, fasting blood samples for assessment of platelet aggregation was drawn. Platelet aggregation was induced by ADP. Plasma taurine concentration was significantly greater after taurine intervention compared to placebo (131.4+/-61.7 vs. 38.9+/-6.7 micromol/l, P<0.0001). There was no difference in the threshold level for complete platelet aggregation induced by ADP in vivo between placebo and taurine intervention (placebo 3.86+/-2.21 vs. taurine 3.86+/-3.25 micromol/l). Supplementation with 1.5 g of taurine for 8 weeks had no effect on platelet aggregation in overweight prediabetic men.