Taurine

An amino acid that supports heart, nerve, and bile function.

Last reviewedJune 16, 2026

Plasma

sample type

~5 mL

blood needed

~7 days

results in app

Morning, fasting

best timing

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Why test Reference ranges What you'll learn What affects it How testing works Sources FAQ

In short

Taurine is a sulphur-containing amino acid that is not used to build proteins. It is found at high levels in the heart, muscle, eyes and brain, and helps with bile salt formation, fluid balance, antioxidant defence and nerve signalling. The body makes some, and the rest comes from food.

Comprehensive Health Check

Reviewed against DGKL reference practice.

Why test this?

Plasma taurine is part of a full amino acid profile. Low levels can reflect limited intake, for example on a strict plant-based diet, or certain medical conditions. It is read in the context of the whole profile rather than alone.

What is a normal result?

Aniva reads your result against research-backed ranges, not just the lab's wide normal. The reference shown below is specific to this biomarker.

Adult reference values as used by Aniva. Ranges are guidance and can vary by laboratory and method.

Group	Normal range
Adults	31 to 102 µmol/L

Sources: Quest Plasma Amino Acid Table 2026

Your Aniva report reads your result against these values together with your age, sex and the rest of your panel.

Ranges are guidance and vary by lab and assay, aligned with DGKL practice. Always read your result against your own lab's reference interval.

What insights will this test give you?

Whether taurine sits in the usual adult fasting range.
A signal of intake, relevant on low-animal-protein diets.
Context for the other amino acids in your profile.

What can affect this result?

What can skew the result

Results are affected by recent diet, recent protein intake, fasting state and the time of day the sample is taken.

Best interpreted with

Read as part of the full plasma amino acid profile.

How is this tested?

Sample

Plasma

Blood needed

~5 mL

Method

Ion-exchange chromatography or LC-MS/MS

Best timing

Morning, fasting

Sources. The evidence behind this

Mayo Clinic Laboratories: Amino Acids, Quantitative, Plasma

Common questions

Which Aniva panels include this marker?

Amino Acids

These tests assess essential, non-essential, and branched-chain amino acids, plus related metabolites and functional ratios.