Better living through poor life choices

Recent studies suggest taurine might be key to living a longer life. What? Taurine?? The glowing, chemical-TNT that Monster pumps into their energy drinks? Yes. That stuff. Recent studies have shown that large doses of taurine… 

• increase mouse lifespan by up to 25% when the mice begin receiving supplements in middle-age. 
• increase mouse bone density and muscle strength. 
• decrease the number of senescent cells compared with their no-taurine pals. 

That’s important because senescent cells don’t do much apart from causing inflammation and generally ageing us faster. 

While the monkey trials have been slower to reach firm conclusions, results so far show similar effects. Better bone density, lower body fat and a decrease in inflammation. 

But don’t run out and replace your health foods with a six-pack of Thirst Mutilator just yet. Actually, taurine (and this is a ‘hence the name’ bit) is found naturally in meat, fish and dairy products. Like ‘Taurus the bull’, it’s present in foods that contain protein, like beef. Our bodies use taurine to produce energy (so it makes sense that they put it in energy drinks). And there are a bunch of further (apparent) bonus effects that scientists are seeing too. 

So right now there are probably a bunch of Red Bull and Monster guzzlers feeling very smug that, like cockroaches in the apocalypse, they’ll outlive the rest of us, slurping down their neon ultra-carbonated beverages into the next century. And I wondered if there are any other apparently bad lifestyle choices that are actually healthy in some way. Here’s my findings: 

Delicious booze

How it helps: It lowers stress (according to a new study). It reduces stress signalling in the brain which has a significant effect on cardiovascular health. Put simply, your evening tipple could help you have a healthier heart. We aren’t designed to be under constant stress, so this is a really good thing.  

Better way to get the benefit: Booze is fine. But the study stresses light to moderate drinking. And if your idea of light to moderate drinking is eight or nine blue WKDs with port, that is definitely not what the study is indicating. It’s like one or two glasses of wine. Anyhow the scientists involved in the study are trying to discover the mechanism involved so you can get the benefits without having the pesky task of drinking the booze. Do these guys know how to party or what??  

Smoking

How it helps: Whisper it but nicotine is pretty much the only proven substance we can consume that consistently comes out of trials with real benefits as a cognitive enhancer. It improves memory, memory after sleep deprivation, and, anecdotally, a lot of smokers find they get brain fog when they try to quit. Oh, and some people have done studies that show that 99% of great works of literature over the last 200 years were written under the influence of nicotine and caffeine.

But… The delivery method is toxic as could be. If you smoke, you’re a lot more likely to get a whole smorgasbord of nasty respiratory cancers (and more). It doesn’t just kill you, it kills you slowly and painfully.     

Better way to get the benefit: Nicotine mouth sprays are apparently the safest way to get the benefits without the risks. Might help us give up smoking too? Who knows.

Energy drinks

How it helps: Our bodies use taurine to make energy. It keeps your eyes and your central nervous system healthy and repairs cells throughout the body. 

But… Sugar? Aspartame-based sweeteners? Also you have that annoying thing that, to this day, vitamin companies still can’t claim their products are healthy. Why? We know our bodies love vitamin C (for example) when we consume it in an orange or a tomato. There’s never been convincing evidence to show that when isolated in pill form it has the same effect. Same might well be true of taurine.  

Better way to get the benefit: Eat good quality meat, fish, eggs and other unprocessed high protein foods. Also (vegan-friendly) seaweed. This article lists eight foods that are healthy and high in taurine.  

Lazing around

How it helps: Recent studies show that (in addition to the benefits for hard wiring new learning) taking a nap during the day can help keep our brains healthy. And delay the nastier effects of brain degeneration, like dementia. 

Better way to get the benefit: Forget it. Take a nap. What do you want? Nap pills?