Role of Taurine Supplementation in Obesity: Stimulating Fats to Burn in Cellular Power Plants

With changes in lifestyle and eating habits, obesity is a significant health issue, especially in developed countries. Obesity could be induced by an imbalance between energy expenditure and energy intake. Obesity harms several body organs’ functions by causing impairments in vital intracellular organelles such as mitochondria. Meanwhile, it has been found that chronic inflammation and oxidative stress could induce mitochondrial impairment in various tissues of obese individuals. On the other hand, it has been revealed that there is a negative correlation between obesity and taurine (TAU) biosynthesis. In the current chapter, we tried to present a good body of evidence on the role of mitochondria in various types of fatty tissues, including white adipose tissues (WAT), brown adipose tissues (BAT), and beige/brite/inducible/brownlike adipose tissues (bAT). We also highlighted the effects of TAU on mitochondria related signaling in adipocytes. The data collected in this chapter could help develop new strategies for preventing and treating obesity and its associated complications.

Keywords: Antioxidant, Lipid peroxidation, Mitochondrial impairment, Oxidative stress, Overweight.