New Study Shows Link Between Taurine & Depression In Women Under 30

A frustrating fact is that women are twice as likely as men1 to have depression. And the difference appears starting at age 122. Some known risks (unique or more prevalent for women) of depression include all the hormonal shifts from puberty to pregnancy to postpartum to menopause as well as financial struggles, work overload, and a history of abuse. 

But there are other biological factors at play here besides sex hormones, that impact depression. One newly identified characteristic is lower taurine concentrations in the brain. Taurine is garnering attention as a crucial amino acid for optimal health, and researchers of a 2023 study published in Biological Psychiatry took a deep dive into whether the presence of this amino acid in the brain differs between women with and without depression.  

Taurine is an amino acid that can be found in food or constructed in the body from other dietary amino acids. Amino acids are most frequently referred to as the building blocks of protein, but that’s not how taurine works in the body. Instead, taurine is known as a free amino acid3 and resides on its own in body tissues.  

It’s especially concentrated in the brain4 where it helps the growth of brain cells, making connections between neurons, and forming a part of the brain called the hippocampus. The hippocampus is heavily involved in regulating emotions, and changes within this part of the brain are linked to depression. 

Until this study, the connection between taurine and depression has only been studied in rats. Research shows that taurine actually reversed depression-like symptoms in rats5. 

A total of 84 women between the ages of 18 and 29 participated in this study—41 with depression and 43 healthy individuals. Researchers then used a specific type of MRI test to look at the chemical makeup of the hippocampus to reveal taurine concentrations. 

The comparison showed that the women with depression had a taurine concentration that (on average) was 19% lower than their counterparts. 

But researchers didn't attribute the lower taurine concentrations to lower dietary intake of protein (or taurine). However, researchers pointed to increasing taurine as a potential treatment option.

Depression is complex, we can’t always point a finger at the exact cause of it. Women are faced with a unique set of considerations when it comes to depression risk and management, and exploring possibly biological reasons why (beyond sex hormones) is much needed.