TauAge randomised, controlled pilot trial: Does taurine supplementation with 4 g/day for 6 months slow human ageing?

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Hans Hauner; Professor Dr. Henning Wackerhage
• Subject Area: Biogerontology and Geriatric Medicine
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 574580611

The biological age of a person is the most important risk factor for many chronic diseases. Preclinical studies have identified taurine, a semi-essential amino acid, as a promising candidate for slowing ageing and extending healthspan. In mice, taurine supplementation improved health parameters and extended lifespan by 10%, while in humans, lower circulating taurine levels have been associated e.g., with diabetes mellitus. However, whether taurine supplementation can slow biological ageing as well modulate cardiovascular and metabolic health as well as strength and endurance in humans remains unknown. The TauAge trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study designed to address this question. We have already enrolled 91 women and men aged 55-75 years to receive either 4 g/day taurine or placebo for six months. The trial has three primary objectives: (1) to determine whether taurine slows biological ageing as measured by a plasma proteomics-based organismal and organ age clock; (2) to assess whether taurine affects biological ageing as indicated by a DNA methylation-based epigenetic clock in blood; and (3) to characterize the acute and long-term effects of taurine on taurine levels and the broader metabolome in plasma and urine. Participants will undergo deep phenotyping at baseline and after six months of supplementation, including blood, stool and urine sampling, physical and cognitive function testing, and lifestyle assessment. A subgroup will receive an acute 4 g taurine dose to assess immediate metabolic responses. By integrating high-resolution proteomic, epigenetic, and metabolomic data, TauAge will provide the first causal evidence on whether taurine modulates biological ageing, health and fitness in humans. If successful, this trial may establish taurine as a low-cost, low-risk intervention to slow human ageing and reduce the burden of age-related disease, with broad implications for public health and preventive medicine.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: United Kingdom, USA
• Cooperation Partners: Dr. Chiara Herzog; Professor Christoph Thaiss, Ph.D.; Professor Tony Wyss-Coray, Ph.D.; Professor Vijay Yadav, Ph.D.
• Co-Investigator: Dr. Dominik Lutter