where does taurine come from

Taurine is an amino acid that is naturally synthesized in the human body, primarily in the liver. In addition to this internal synthesis, taurine is found in various dietary sources. The richest sources of taurine are animal- based foods such as seafood (e.g., tuna, scallops, catfish, and octopus), poultry, bovine or pork liver, red meat, and dairy products including mammalian milk (especially goat's milk). Taurine is also present in smaller amounts in some plant sources like dried seaweed and prickly pear fruits, but generally, plants contain much less taurine compared to animal products. Cooking and heat treatment can significantly reduce taurine content in food. Taurine was originally isolated from ox bile, which is reflected in its name derived from the Latin "taurus" (meaning bull or ox). In the human body, taurine is not considered an essential dietary nutrient because the body can produce it, mainly from sulfur-containing amino acids cysteine and methionine. For vegetarians or vegans, intake of taurine is usually lower since plant sources contain very little taurine, but deficiency is uncommon due to endogenous synthesis. Taurine is also added to energy drinks, where it is predominantly synthesized chemically rather than extracted from animals. In summary, taurine comes from both internal synthesis in mammals and dietary intake mainly through animal proteins such as meat, fish, and dairy, with some presence in certain seafood and plant sources like seaweed.