29 replies to this topic

[~ Honey ~]

So i've read lately that taurine has helped a lot off peeps in here, so I thought i could try it aswell.
I read that Red Bull contains taurine, but unfortunatly they don't sell Red Bull in Norway, they have other energydrinks called "Battery" and another called "Burn", i looked it up and to my big surprise they both contained taurine. so for two days now i've been drinking "battery" but still no changes.. it's to soon to tell, but at least it's the same, not worse or anything..
but is it bad if i just continue drinking "Battery" , cause of the taurine? like one Battery a day? (stupid question ) I went to the healtshop today, and asked if they had some taurine supplments. and the lady just looked totally wierd at me, they didn't had anything taurine-ish lol. But my question is, isn't there an other way to add taurine to the diet besides from taurine in supplmt. ? like eating some spesific food. And where else could i look for taurine supplmts? the farmacy? do they sell it? hmmm

thaank u guys (:

[LiliVG]

Taurine is not legal in Norway because of a controversy regarding 3 people who died after consuming taurine-containing energy drinks following extreme exercise in Sweden. The Swedes conducted a thorough investigation, and they cleared all suspicion against taurine, and taurine is freely available in Sweden, but other nearby countries got spooked and banned taurine. However, they are reviewing more research, and seem to be leaning toward legalizing it again, in light of all the recent studies demonstrating all of its health benefits. I'm actually surprised you found an energy drink containing taurine in Norway, you might want to tell the user Mr. M about that, he's in Norway and looking for taurine too.

What are the ingredients in Battery? Is it high in sugar? Does it say how much taurine is in it?

[~ Honey ~]

whhooa your kidding ? its forbidden..? omg that's so stupid! but what about cat food? don't they have it there eighter? hahah maybe im going have to eat that if i don't find it anywhere else lol ! here everything is so damn strict it didn't actually stand on the label , on the label it stands " ..aromaes, among coffein ect" i wondered what that other aromaes where , so i looked it up on the norwegian wikipedia :

(the norwegian version)
Ingredienser
Energidrikken inneholder vann, sukker maltodextrin, taurin, sitronsyre, koffein, guarana-ekstrakt, B-vitaminer, aroma, fargestoffer og konserveringsmiddel. Etter hva som er normal praksis i Finland, opplyser produsenten at drikken inneholder «32 milligram koffein per 100 centiliter», hvilket vil si 320 mg/l, som tilsvarer 105.6 mg i en 330 mililiters boks. Dette er omtrent like mye koffein som i en kopp med espresso.

(on english)
Ingredients
The energy drink contains water, sugar maltodextrin, taurine, citric acid, caffeine and guarana seed extract, B vitamins, aromas, coloring agents and preservatives. In terms of caffeine content, due to normal practice in Finland, the official website announces it contains "32 milligrams per each 100 centilitres", which is to say: 320 mg/l, making 105.6 mg the content for a 330 ml can, about the same amount as found on a cup of espresso coffee.

Here's a pic of Battery

[LiliVG]

whhooa your kidding ? its forbidden..? omg that's so stupid! but what about cat food? don't they have it there eighter? hahah maybe im going have to eat that if i don't find it anywhere else lol ! here everything is so damn strict it didn't actually stand on the label , on the label it stands " ..aromaes, among coffein ect" i wondered what that other aromaes where , so i looked it up on the norwegian wikipedia :

(the norwegian version)
Ingredienser
Energidrikken inneholder vann, sukker maltodextrin, taurin, sitronsyre, koffein, guarana-ekstrakt, B-vitaminer, aroma, fargestoffer og konserveringsmiddel. Etter hva som er normal praksis i Finland, opplyser produsenten at drikken inneholder «32 milligram koffein per 100 centiliter», hvilket vil si 320 mg/l, som tilsvarer 105.6 mg i en 330 mililiters boks. Dette er omtrent like mye koffein som i en kopp med espresso.

(on english)
Ingredients
The energy drink contains water, sugar maltodextrin, taurine, citric acid, caffeine and guarana seed extract, B vitamins, aromas, coloring agents and preservatives. In terms of caffeine content, due to normal practice in Finland, the official website announces it contains "32 milligrams per each 100 centilitres", which is to say: 320 mg/l, making 105.6 mg the content for a 330 ml can, about the same amount as found on a cup of espresso coffee.

Here's a pic of Battery

It's still in cat food and baby formulas because without it they will get very sick. So it doesn't actually list taurine as an ingredient on the label of your can of Battery? Because I think Red Bull sells a taurine free version for the spooked countries. If it doesn't say taurine on the actual label, it might not have it in there.

[~ Honey ~]

[/quote]

It's still in cat food and baby formulas because without it they will get very sick. So it doesn't actually list taurine as an ingredient on the label of your can of Battery? Because I think Red Bull sells a taurine free version for the spooked countries. If it doesn't say taurine on the actual label, it might not have it in there.
[/quote]


nope, it didn't say taurine on the label ohh.. now im dissapointed... what am i going to do now.. how can i get taurine... ?

[alternativista]

Your body makes taurine. And you can eat other sulfur rich foods like onions, garlic and broccoli. And you can avoid sugar which cause a taurine deficiency. There should be some mention of that in the first few pages of Fructose and taurine discussion.

[LivesInABox]

It's awfully wacky living in Europe! Although they aren't in the EU they have signed up to the European Free Trade Association. Part of the four freedoms is the free movement of goods.

According to this, a product or a service is allowed to access markets of other member states if it has lawfully been made/provided in the state of origin (Home State). Host State rules that present a barrier to this movement will be illegal unless justified by a set of specifically provided rules in the EC Treaty.

However i thought they classified it as a medicine to get round this, and then they can easily restrict the importing/selling of it in that case. If that is they case then they may sell energy drinks in pharmacies. And i doubt the taurine has much todo with those deaths.

The Swedish National Food Administration (NFA) issued a public warning not to take Red Bull with alcohol or after heavy exercise. This warning was issued as a result of the deaths of three healthy young people who died shortly after consuming Red Bull. After an investigation into the deaths, the NFA released a statement that the drink appeared to be safe for adults, but it did require a warning on the label informing people who may be sensitive to caffeine about its caffeine content.

But they can't ban caffeine or make that a medicine (the coffee industry would stop giving them money!) - so what could they control on that ingredient list few would complain about - Taurine! Nice to know the governments have got your best interests at heart!

[LivesInABox]

Your body makes taurine. And you can eat other sulfur rich foods like onions, garlic and broccoli. And you can avoid sugar which cause a taurine deficiency. There should be some mention of that in the first few pages of Fructose and taurine discussion.

Your body requires multiple processes to create taurine. You require 1 of 2 amino acids (1 essential, 1 is not), and P5P which is the active (converted) form of B6. Even if you have those in your diet the conversion progress isn't perfect and can be very lossy and even get completely disrupted (in the case of P5P conversion). You can also have higher demands for taurine then you can produce, which Taurine then becomes an essential amino (Taurine is known as a conditionally essential amino acid).

Is taurine essential?

Taurine is a conditionally essential amino acid in adult humans; it is an essential amino acid for infants (mother's milk contains taurine). Gaull [1982, p. 90] discusses the need for taurine:

The finding of a dietary requirement for taurine in the human infant is consistent with the negligible activity of cysteinesulfinic acid decarboxylase present both in fetal and in mature human liver (4)...

In adult man only 1% of an oral load of L-cysteine was recovered as increased urinary excretion of taurine, giving further evidence that mature human beings also have a relatively limited ability to synthesize taurine and may be largely dependant on dietary taurine (22). The rat, in striking contrast, has considerable ability to convert dietary cysteine to taurine (17).

See also Gaull [1977] as cited in Gaull [1982, 1986] for more information on taurine synthesis in humans vs. other animals.

2-Aminoethane sulfonic acid, or taurine, is a phylogenetically ancient compound with a disjunct distribution in the biosphere. It is present in high concentration in algae (159, 649, 748) and in the animal kingdom, including insects and arthropods, but is generally absent or present in traces in the bacterial and plant kingdoms. In many animals, including mammals, it is one of the most abundant of the low-molecular-weight organic constituents. A 70-kg human contains up to 70 g of taurine. One is not stumbling into the abyss of teleology in thinking that a compound conserved so strongly and present in such high amounts is exhibiting functions that are advantageous to the life forms containing it.

Taurine isn't just sulphur, i've tried things like MSM and although they help my skin, they made no difference to my acne though. Taurine & low fructose diet restrictions stop it dead!

[~ Honey ~]

It's awfully wacky living in Europe! Although they aren't in the EU they have signed up to the European Free Trade Association. Part of the four freedoms is the free movement of goods.

According to this, a product or a service is allowed to access markets of other member states if it has lawfully been made/provided in the state of origin (Home State). Host State rules that present a barrier to this movement will be illegal unless justified by a set of specifically provided rules in the EC Treaty.

However i thought they classified it as a medicine to get round this, and then they can easily restrict the importing/selling of it in that case. If that is they case then they may sell energy drinks in pharmacies. And i doubt the taurine has much todo with those deaths.

The Swedish National Food Administration (NFA) issued a public warning not to take Red Bull with alcohol or after heavy exercise. This warning was issued as a result of the deaths of three healthy young people who died shortly after consuming Red Bull. After an investigation into the deaths, the NFA released a statement that the drink appeared to be safe for adults, but it did require a warning on the label informing people who may be sensitive to caffeine about its caffeine content.

But they can't ban caffeine or make that a medicine (the coffee industry would stop giving them money!) - so what could they control on that ingredient list few would complain about - Taurine! Nice to know the governments have got your best interests at heart!

yeah, they should rather controle the caffeine. aarrhh.. i really don't know where i can get taurine now.. i'm doomed, gotta eat baby food, or cat food lol.
but seriously, they have these stupid laws, no alcohole sale after 8 o'clock and at weekends 6 o'clock ( but still norway has a lot of alcoholisam, and when norwegians go out of boarder on vacation fex. and have unlimited acess to alcohol they go nuts and end up in jail overnight ) everything, even the discoes and pubs have 18 or 21 years age limit, but still younger people find a way to get in. smoke is strictly 18 years, but still i can get it whenever i want.. i mean, stupidity...

[alternativista]

Your body makes taurine. And you can eat other sulfur rich foods like onions, garlic and broccoli. And you can avoid sugar which cause a taurine deficiency. There should be some mention of that in the first few pages of Fructose and taurine discussion.

Your body requires multiple processes to create taurine. You require 1 of 2 amino acids (1 essential, 1 is not), and P5P which is the active (converted) form of B6. Even if you have those in your diet the conversion progress isn't perfect and can be very lossy and even get completely disrupted (in the case of P5P conversion). You can also have higher demands for taurine then you can produce, which Taurine then becomes an essential amino (Taurine is known as a conditionally essential amino acid).

Taurine isn't just sulphur, i've tried things like MSM and although they help my skin, they made no difference to my acne though. Taurine & low fructose diet restrictions stop it dead!

Yes, I know taurine is wonderful, but this person can't get it and was asking what else to do.

And we don't all need to supplement with it. And many people have reported clear skin from MSM and such and even sulfur topicals. And the amino acids needed to produce taurine are in the sulfur containing foods I named. The more you get of those, the more taurine your body can make. And the other thing to do is avoid things that cause taurine deficiency.

[LiliVG]

You could try supplementing with cysteine and b complex instead of taurine and b complex. I'm a little more wary of that though because unlike taurine, cysteine does does have an upper limit toxicity. But I think that would be your closest bet. I think you can get cysteine in Norway?

[LivesInABox]

yeah, they should rather controle the caffeine. aarrhh.. i really don't know where i can get taurine now.. i'm doomed, gotta eat baby food, or cat food lol.
but seriously, they have these stupid laws, no alcohole sale after 8 o'clock and at weekends 6 o'clock ( but still norway has a lot of alcoholisam, and when norwegians go out of boarder on vacation fex. and have unlimited acess to alcohol they go nuts and end up in jail overnight ) everything, even the discoes and pubs have 18 or 21 years age limit, but still younger people find a way to get in. smoke is strictly 18 years, but still i can get it whenever i want.. i mean, stupidity...

We all have crazy laws i think. I can't believe they found the problem was todo with caffeine and still restricted Taurine. Thats moneyocracy for you! Those with the most $$$ have the loudest voice! I just posted a list of foods with Taurine levels in them (in the pinned fructose/taurine thread), but cooked foods (meat and fish are pretty low - couple hundred milligrams in a 1000g of chicken breast!). Cat food it is then (baby formulas can be full of soy and even if they are whey they still have very little taurine in them compared to human milk). The only alternative i can think of is to check out bodybuilding supplies available in norway - there may be some with taurine in them (there is everywhere else). Depends how much they have clamped down i guess.

Yes, I know taurine is wonderful, but this person can't get it and was asking what else to do.

And we don't all need to supplement with it. And many people have reported clear skin from MSM and such and even sulfur topicals. And the amino acids needed to produce taurine are in the sulfur containing foods I named. The more you get of those, the more taurine your body can make. And the other thing to do is avoid things that cause taurine deficiency.

I didn't mean to have a go - i just get tired of everyone knocking the importance of taurine when it has helped quite a few people. As far as i can tell there's no way to replace 3g of taurine a day either through diet or by taking sulphur or having enough required precursors and no blockers of taurine. So far, That and only that plus a low fructose diet has me 100% clear. Some people are clear/much improved just from Taurine. We all have our own opinions, but i hope no one on here underestimates how essential Taurine actually is.

[Alfalfa]

How far away is Sweden? Can you get on a train and get some at the border pharmacy?

What about the vet? Call your local vet and ask if he can sell you some 100% taurine powder for your cat. When I was at the apotheke yesterday to get some taurine powder (my online shipment has still not arrived...), the pharmacist asked me if I'm getting it for my cat. I didn't feel like explaining the whole acne story, so I smiled and said yes. It's worth a shot.

[LiliVG]

How far away is Sweden? Can you get on a train and get some at the border pharmacy?

What about the vet? Call your local vet and ask if he can sell you some 100% taurine powder for your cat. When I was at the apotheke yesterday to get some taurine powder (my online shipment has still not arrived...), the pharmacist asked me if I'm getting it for my cat. I didn't feel like explaining the whole acne story, so I smiled and said yes. It's worth a shot.

Hmm...that's a thought, do they provide pure taurine as a pet supplement in Norway?

[~ Honey ~]

How far away is Sweden? Can you get on a train and get some at the border pharmacy?

What about the vet? Call your local vet and ask if he can sell you some 100% taurine powder for your cat. When I was at the apotheke yesterday to get some taurine powder (my online shipment has still not arrived...), the pharmacist asked me if I'm getting it for my cat. I didn't feel like explaining the whole acne story, so I smiled and said yes. It's worth a shot.

omg what a good idea! im gonna do that! go to the vet ! sweden is like 8-9 hours away, but if i ever go there i will definitly buy! i could also go to the farmacy but im having strong doubts that they don't sell it..hmm..i will try at least. thank you so much for the tip!

[LivesInABox]

How far away is Sweden? Can you get on a train and get some at the border pharmacy?

What about the vet? Call your local vet and ask if he can sell you some 100% taurine powder for your cat. When I was at the apotheke yesterday to get some taurine powder (my online shipment has still not arrived...), the pharmacist asked me if I'm getting it for my cat. I didn't feel like explaining the whole acne story, so I smiled and said yes. It's worth a shot.

omg what a good idea! im gonna do that! go to the vet ! sweden is like 8-9 hours away, but if i ever go there i will definitly buy! i could also go to the farmacy but im having strong doubts that they don't sell it..hmm..i will try at least. thank you so much for the tip!

Gets my vote! Awesome idea Alfalfa More power to the cats!

[LiliVG]

I didn't mean to have a go - i just get tired of everyone knocking the importance of taurine when it has helped quite a few people. As far as i can tell there's no way to replace 3g of taurine a day either through diet or by taking sulphur or having enough required precursors and no blockers of taurine. So far, That and only that plus a low fructose diet has me 100% clear. Some people are clear/much improved just from Taurine. We all have our own opinions, but i hope no one on here underestimates how essential Taurine actually is.

I agree taurine is great, but finding a replacement/similar routine for those without taurine access would be worthwhile I think. This issue has come up a few times from people in Norway. And without having tested trying cysteine for example instead of taurine, we don't really know for sure if it would work or at least help. yesterday i was in the vitamin store, and found a supplement by Now Foods called Skin and Hair (**Edit, I think it's this one) which was made of, All the b vitamins, several sulphur-containing amino acids (but not taurine), and a couple minerals, which I also recommend but haven't found a good multi mineral yet...so overall, very similar to what I'm recommending, though the amounts in the supplement were ridiculous (5 mgs? wtf? lol) But it really confirmed for me that we're on the the right track totally with this regimen. So I think it's worth experimenting with other sulfur-containing amino acids to see how effective they are. I still vastly prefer taurine though because it's so non-toxic.

[Alfalfa]

How far away is Sweden? Can you get on a train and get some at the border pharmacy?

What about the vet? Call your local vet and ask if he can sell you some 100% taurine powder for your cat. When I was at the apotheke yesterday to get some taurine powder (my online shipment has still not arrived...), the pharmacist asked me if I'm getting it for my cat. I didn't feel like explaining the whole acne story, so I smiled and said yes. It's worth a shot.

omg what a good idea! im gonna do that! go to the vet ! sweden is like 8-9 hours away, but if i ever go there i will definitly buy! i could also go to the farmacy but im having strong doubts that they don't sell it..hmm..i will try at least. thank you so much for the tip!

You're welcome. Sometimes you just have to be economical with the truth.

[alternativista]

I didn't mean to have a go - i just get tired of everyone knocking the importance of taurine when it has helped quite a few people. As far as i can tell there's no way to replace 3g of taurine a day either through diet or by taking sulphur or having enough required precursors and no blockers of taurine. So far, That and only that plus a low fructose diet has me 100% clear. Some people are clear/much improved just from Taurine. We all have our own opinions, but i hope no one on here underestimates how essential Taurine actually is.

I wasn't knocking it, I was specifically answering the original poster's question. And I don't think it's an opinion that we don't all have to supplement taurine. Several of us have clear skin without it. Diet has helped quite a few people also, you know.

[LivesInABox]

I wasn't knocking it, I was specifically answering the original poster's question. And I don't think it's an opinion that we don't all have to supplement taurine. Several of us have clear skin without it. Diet has helped quite a few people also, you know.

I know - i don't advocate slapping loads of taurine onto an unhealthy diet. I think diet is a part of it, but i know that taurine has already helped lots and has the potential to help even more. But i know that it doesn't cure all problems that cause acne, and in the past many different things have helped people (MSM, fibre, fruit & veg, water, better eating habits, vitamins, not washing with chemicals, not washing more than once a day, exercise, flushes, cleanses, brushing instead of washing, not masturbating, glandular supplements, antioxidant supplements etc).

But what i've not seen is more than a couple of people improve so much by doing the same thing, and i've read and tried probably 90% of the things that other people have had success with and seen little if any improvement like the "rest" of us. I think they are a lot of us that come into the sugar problematic / taurine deficient groups and could benefit with Taurine supplementation.

All the people that have seen improvement by cutting down/out sugar (especially HFCS)
All the people that have a diet mainly based on meat/fish (low sugar diet, slightly more taurine)

But if you just take the people that have tried taurine and had success, it's probably the most important breakthrough in this group since B5 (and we all know that B5 works for a hell of a lot of people, but due to the megadosing has serious side effects and isn't a very natural solution). I expect to see a lot of acne cure websites pushing Taurine based solutions in the not too distance future just like they did with B5 (without telling you all the problems you could face).