Taurine, a potent antioxidant, has been reported to improve research drug-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus in rats. The drug development of diabetes results from an attack by oxygen free radicals on the pancreas. However, taurine also increases the excretion of cholesterol via conversion to bile acid and would be expected to improve insulin resistance. Abdominal fat accumulation, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance were significantly lower in the taurine-supplemented group of rats in this study than in the unsupplemented group. Taurine-supplemented rats also showed higher nitric oxide secretion, evidenced by increased urinary excretion of nitrite. Taurine appears to effectively improves metabolism in rats by decreasing serum cholesterol and triacylglycerol, presumably via increased secretion of cholesterol into bile acid and decreased production of cholesterol because of increased nitric oxide production.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 71, No. 1, 54-58, January 2000