Author Topic: But what is Taurine really??  (Read 1013 times)

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Offline Shadow

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But what is Taurine really??
« on: May 22, 2013, 12:20:22 PM »
http://www.ferretharmony.net/2013/05/20/but-what-is-taurine-really/

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We know cats and more than likely ferrets need taurine in their diets, but what really do we know about it?
Taurine, number one, is not an amino acid, though many people (even clinically) classify it as such – many clinicians, veterinarians, and pet food manufacturers will call it a “free amino”. All amino acids contain both an amine chain, and carboxylic acid, with an ending chain specific to that amino acid. So all the essential and non-essential aminos look, when chemically written out, similarly. Taurine, however, is an amine chain with a sulfonic acid chain instead of a carboxylic chain. This makes it slightly more acidic, number one, but also means it is utilized differently in the body. Unlike true amino acids, which are incorporated into proteins in the body, taurine is “free” and is easily transported through the body.
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