If you’re a fan of energy drinks, you might need seen taurine as an ingredient listed behind your go-to can.

However, any such chemical known as an amino sulfonic acid is of course present in meat, fish and even your physique.

What’s extra, the amino acid might add an additional seven to eight years to your lifespan, primarily based on animal research, revealed within the journal Science.

While taurine is produced by your physique, the degrees of this nutrient normally decline with age in numerous species, together with individuals.

Looking at middle-aged animals, the analysis staff from Columbia University, in New York, discovered that boosting the amino acid again to youthful ranges prolonged life by over 10 p.c.

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This newest improvement within the seek for longer life began by making an attempt to find out the variations between younger and previous within the blood of various species.

Interestingly, one of many “most dramatically” downgraded molecules was taurine.

To illustrate this, aged individuals had 80 p.c decrease ranges of the amino acid, in comparison with the younger. 

While the just about non-existent chemical in vegetation comes from meat and fish, the nutrient can be manufactured by your physique.

To take a look at the results of taurine on longevity, the analysis staff administered a each day dose to 14-month-old mice, which is the equal to about 45 years of age for people.

The findings confirmed that mice not solely lived longer, however additionally they gave the impression to be in higher health.

Researcher Dr Vijay Yadav stated: “Whatever we checked, taurine-supplemented mice were healthier and appeared younger.

"They were leaner, had an increased energy expenditure, increased bone density, improved memory and a younger-looking immune system."

What’s more, if the data from mice were applied to people, it would represent an extra seven to eight years added to life, according to the researchers.

The team also looked at worms and monkeys to delve deeper into the “too good to be true” findings.

However, the researchers defined that taurine merely someway “hits the engine room of ageing”.

With this in thoughts, they added that taurine could possibly be an "elixir of life”.

While the findings look very promising, there’s a need for proper clinical trials, where some participants are given the amino acid and others a placebo pill, to draw firm conclusions for humans.

Currently, it remains unclear why taurine slows down ageing and if there are any dangers in taking it.

Furthermore, the team suggested that differences in human biology may stop taurine from working or there may be some evolutionary reason why levels naturally decline with age. 

Therefore, the researchers warned against purchasing taurine pills or energy drinks packed with the amino acid in an attempt to boost longevity.