Jami Dulaney Md Plant Based Wellness

Welcome! and Thank you for listening.  People come to my office with bags of supplements fearing nutrient deficiencies after scanning the internet for life extension hacks.  Sometimes they just feel poorly and hope that the supplements hold the key to more vitality and energy.   Taurine is the latest to make the scene as a much needed supplement for longevity.  It is touted as being a "nearly" essential amino acid.  Essential amino acids are ones our bodies cannot produce and we have to ingest.  Humans make taurine through a series of steps from the essential amino acid methionine.  True carnivores such as cats do not make taurine and have to ingest it from animal sources.  It is most abundant in fast twitch muscle such as wings, thighs, and heart.  Sound great if you are a cat but not so great if you are plant based.   So what do we plant based people do?  We eat methionine in our vegetables and grains and our body makes taurine.  It is true that the blood levels decrease as we age.  It is also true that pla