Even small amounts of endotoxin markedly enhance liver injury from hepatotoxic substances such as carbon tetrachloride, ethanol, and cadmium. Taurine was found to significantly inhibit intestinal endotoxin translocation and subsequently decrease hepatic injury from these substances. Taurine's ability to stabilize cell membranes may be attributed to several events. Taurine has been shown to regulate osmotic pressure in the cell, maintain homeostasis of intracellular ions, inhibit phosphorylation of membrane proteins, and prevent lipid peroxidation. As an osmotic regulator, it has been suggested that taurine, along with glutamic acid, is instrumental in the transport of metabolically-generated water from the brain.
Taurine is both an intra- and extracellular calcium regulator.
Excessive accumulation of intra-cellular calcium ultimately leads to cell death. Excessive influx of calcium into cells has been demonstrated in various types of myocardial injury, as well as migraines and prolonged epileptic episodes. Taurine supplementation has been shown to be cardioprotective, and of benefit in patients predisposed to epilepsy or migraine. Several studies indicate taurine is a safe, effective therapeutic tool in the management of various types of cardiovascular disease. Research indicates supplementation with taurine at three to six grams daily for two to three weeks results in reduced serum cholesterol levels in human subjects when compared to placebo.