Taurine - unexpected effects on me
Everyone thinks taurine is excitatory since it is used in energy drinks. Research says this is not the case, it is contained as an antagonist to the caffeine in it. But:
I tried taurine as its sposed to help sleep and supports GABA (agonist). However it worsened my sleep. After 1g in the evening, a comparatively small dose, I slept only 4h40 and was pretty hyper. This means it works differently in me than expected: We’re all different, but I’m often differenter 
. So my acupressurist suggested I use it as ‘coffee’ to get me awake in the daytime. Starting small with specks 5, 10, 20, 50, then 100mg (spaced out first). The doses didn’t have any effect tho, so I’ve had to start going above of 500mg again. This is having a quite good effect on my energy, altho I felt jittery first taking 1g in the daytime yesterday. So I spread it out 2x500mg at 8:00 and 10:00 today, so I wasn’t jittery and had good energy, however like yesterday a bit overcharged, like on days when I feel good, but I know I’m overdoing it because I’m slightly feverish, which means I’m actually tired. So that’d be one reason to not continue using it like this.
Due to getting a seizure at 15:20 today, with tiny bits of aura I think yesterday, but this morning too, and the auras are still around, I’ve had a look around if I’m missing anything. Turns out as a GABA agonist it sposed to be inhibitory, so should be decreasing seizures, that’s what it’s often used for.
Here - Taurine – Nootropics Expert - it once again says that the excitatory and seizures-inducing effects of energy drinks are due to the caffeine, not the taurine. Also that taurine should also improve my memory - I have 3 examples today, where I was much more taxed trying to understand something easy or my brain is just overcharge somehow. I should need taurine being half-vegan, getting older, praps if I have CFS, ADHD (I am sort of hyper) and having (focal) seizures. Dose recommended is 500mg-2(max. 3)g. (Good also if I take levodopa for Parkinson (or in my case I’d got it prescribed in case I have RLS)). Helps relieving anxiety and stress - errh, no it isn’t really doing that. (Avoid if bipolar!)
Studies / Experiences on forums
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/572649 from 1974 says it might be good for seizures, but I read it that zinc ions are bad for them, which other research doesn’t support.
Taurine treatment of spontaneous chronic epilepsy in a cat - PubMed 1977: helped a cat.
https://tahomaclinic.com/Private/Articles2/Taurine/Oja%202013%20-%20Taurine%20and%20epilepsy.pdf 2013 Oja et al. “Glutamate,GABA,andglycinethusapparentlyplayessentialroles,butaspartateandtau-rinearealsolikelytobeinvolved” “Thecon-centrationsoftheaboveaminoacidsmaybealteredinepilepsy(Wilsonetal.,1996;Sejimaetal.,1997).Anele-vationinglutamateandGABAlevelsimmediatelyafterfitsofseizureshasbeenfoundintherathippocampus” p.190: “However,hightaurinedosesadministeredmayalsodistorttheaminoacidbalancesinbraintissuesandthusbeadverseinrespectofseizureprevention.” nooexpert says the seizures are due to the caffeine, I think it’s subgroups.
“Onaverage,aboutonethirdofhumanpatientshaveshownsignificantalleviationofseizuresbytaurinemedication.Itsefficacytendstovanishwithtime,however,possiblybecausetaurinedoesnotreadilypenetrateintothebrainandthebodyadaptstotheincreasedtaurinesupplybyenhancingtaurineexcretionintourine.”
Taurine information??? | Epilepsy Foundation gconners says it caused seizures, most said it didn’t do anything, kalvin said it helped (seizure- free for 3 years)
What I’m thinking is that a) seizures might come when the effect wears off, or b) just if it excites my brain and stops me sleeping, then it can also cause seizures.
Come to think of it, it was extremely unusual that I was stiff coming out of the cryotherapy, which usually has the opposite effect. And now at the end of the day, I am pretty “fatigued in my head”, not body, also a bit stiff…
What I wrote when it adrenalized me...
“500mg” taurine adrenalized me all night (4h40 sleep) & day Aug 20th. Like coffee for others? I’ll start with specks in the mornings, increasing depending on how I feel or need to get up, like next Tuesday at 7:15 for work. And praps it will get a handle on sleeplessness by getting me up, despite little sleep and then letting me get tired again properly after… Tried maybe 100mg on Aug 28th.
As I wrote on my blog on Sep 3rd. I had a 2nd focal seizure at 19:30, a 3rd at 22:35 after several auras and the seizure at 15:20. So: if it wakes me up (like everyone thinks it would, altho research contradicts this) then it will also excite seizures in me.
Bottom line: things we try may work contrary to the way we expect, so we need to keep on our toes and challenge presuppositions to whichever side…