Plasma Taurine Relative Abundance, Not Dietary Intake or Genetic Predisposition, Predicts All-Cause Mortality and Unhealthy Ageing: A Prospective Cohort Study

  1. Jieun Lyu
  2. Su-Jin Lee
  3. Ji-Yun Hwang
  4. Joong-Yeon Lim
  5. Yoon Jung Park
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Abstract

Background

The influence of taurine on biological ageing remains unclear, particularly whether it acts as a causal driver or a functional biomarker. We aimed to disentangle the distinct roles of plasma taurine relative abundance, dietary taurine supply, and genetic metabolic capacity on all-cause mortality and unhealthy ageing.

Methods

This prospective study used data from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (2001–2022). A subcohort of 2,321 participants (mean age 56.5 years; 51.4% female) with complete metabolomic, dietary, and genomic data was analyzed. Three independent pathways were evaluated: (1) plasma taurine/total amino acid (AA) ratio, (2) dietary taurine-to-protein ratio, and (3) a weighted genetic risk score (GRS) from 21 SNPs in taurine biosynthesis and transport genes. Primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and unhealthy ageing (Physiological Healthy Ageing Index [PHAI] score ≤25th percentile).

Results

A higher plasma taurine/total AA ratio was consistently associated with improved ageing outcomes. Participants in the highest quartile showed 29% lower all-cause mortality (Hazard Ratio [HR], 0.71; 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 0.52–0.98; P for trend = .04) and lower risk of PHAI-based unhealthy ageing (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.59–1.00; P for trend = .04) versus the lowest quartile. Dietary taurine-to-protein ratio was not associated with mortality ( P for trend = .70), nor was the GRS ( P for trend = .74).

Conclusions

The protective association of taurine was linked to its relative abundance within the systemic amino acid pool, rather than dietary intake or genetic predisposition, supporting taurine as a functional biomarker of metabolic efficiency rather than a deterministic causal driver of ageing.

Key Points

  • Higher plasma taurine relative abundance was associated with lower risks of all-cause mortality and PHAI-based unhealthy ageing.

  • Dietary taurine intake relative to protein consumption was not associated with unhealthy ageing outcomes.

  • Genetic predisposition for taurine metabolism showed no significant association with mortality or unhealthy ageing.

  • Preservation of taurine within the systemic amino acid pool may be more important than dietary intake or endogenous synthesis.

Article activity feed

  1. Version published to 10.64898/2026.07.09.26357704 on medRxiv