Urine
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Vitamins, minerals and amino acids · Urine
Taurine (urine)
A sulfur-containing amino acid from meat, fish and energy drinks; the value in urine mainly follows intake.
At a glance
- Measured in urine
- In 1 test panel
- Check the preparation
Explanation
Taurine (urine): what is measured?
This test measures taurine in the urine, usually relative to creatinine to correct for how concentrated the urine is. Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that is not a building block of proteins. The body makes it from cysteine, and it is found in meat, fish and many energy drinks. Among other things, it plays a role in making bile salts. The kidneys regulate the amount in the body by excreting more or less taurine. Normally the kidneys take back most amino acids from the primary urine, so only a small amount ends up in the urine.
What can it detect?
- A snapshot of taurine excretion, which mainly reflects recent diet and supplements
- Sometimes a clue that the kidneys take back amino acids less well, which can only be assessed together with other amino acids and kidney values
- Rarely: an inborn disorder in the metabolism or transport of amino acids
Result
What does the result mean?
Taurine (urine) too high
A raised value is usually caused by recent intake of meat, fish, energy drinks or supplements containing taurine; the kidneys excrete the excess straight away. A raised value does not cause symptoms by itself. Rarely, a raised excretion, together with raised levels of other amino acids, fits reduced reabsorption by the kidneys.
Taurine (urine) too low
A low value is usually caused by eating little meat and fish, for example with a vegetarian or vegan diet; the kidneys then hold on to taurine. A low value does not mean you need taurine as a supplement. A low value does not cause symptoms by itself.
After an abnormal result
A slightly abnormal value in someone without symptoms usually does not lead to further tests; the GP looks at diet, supplements, medicines and the circumstances of the sample collection, and has the test repeated while fasting if needed. With strongly abnormal values or an abnormal pattern together with matching symptoms, the GP consults, or refers you to, an internist (specialist in internal medicine) or pediatrician with experience in metabolic diseases.
Reliability
How reliable is the test?
In the Netherlands, amino acids are mainly measured in specialized laboratories for metabolic diseases, at the request of a specialist when an inborn metabolic disease is suspected or to monitor its treatment and diet. According to the American laboratory standard (ACMG), blood plasma, preferably collected while fasting, is the recommended sample; urine is less reliable as a first test, because the kidneys take back most amino acids and medicines can interfere with the measurement. As a 'functional' profile for finding deficiencies or tailoring supplements in adults without symptoms, the test has not been validated.
What can affect the result?
- Food, especially a protein-rich meal, and supplements shortly before the sample collection shift the values strongly; a fasting sample gives a more reliable picture.
- Blood must be centrifuged quickly and kept cool or frozen; otherwise some amino acids break down (including glutamine) or are released from blood cells. With home sample collection or shipping, this is a real risk.
- Time of day, exercise, age, pregnancy, kidney function and medicines (such as some epilepsy medicines) affect the result.
- Laboratories use different methods and reference values; results from different laboratories are hard to compare.
Preparation
- After getting up, first pass urine into the toilet as usual, then collect the second morning urine.
- You may have breakfast, but drink no more than 1 glass of water and no coffee before the second urine.
- Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol for 2 days beforehand.
- Do not exercise in the 8 hours before collecting the sample.
- Do you take medication? Then check with your doctor.
- Do not collect urine during your period.
Who it is for
Who is the test useful for?
Useful for
In hospitals, a specialist uses this test when a metabolic disorder is specifically suspected, or to monitor a known metabolic disease and the diet that goes with it. For adults without symptoms, to find nutritional deficiencies or to choose supplements, the test is not useful according to current knowledge. If you use protein supplements or single amino acids, you get a result that mainly shows that intake.
How common is it?
Inborn disorders of amino acid metabolism are rare. In the Netherlands, the heel prick finds on average about 12 children with PKU (phenylketonuria) per year and about 1 child with MSUD (maple syrup urine disease) or tyrosinemia type 1. There are no Dutch figures on abnormal amino acid values in adults without symptoms.
RIVM, heel prick screening (pns.nl)
Get tested
Taurine (urine): test panels
Taurine (urine) is part of these test panels. You order online and have your blood drawn at a collection point or collect the sample at home.
Evidence
Sources
This explanation is based on Dutch guidelines and independent information. It is general information, not a diagnosis. Discuss an abnormal result with your GP.
More about risks and resultsMore explanations
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- Antibodies against intrinsic factor
- Arginine
- Calcium
- Calcium (albumin-corrected)
- Carnitine, free
- Carnitine, total
- Coenzyme Q10
- Copper
- Folic acid