Can Taurine Slow Down Skin Aging? Here’s What Derms Have to Say

If you haven’t yet heard about taurine in skincare, mark our words, you soon will. More on exactly what it is (and what it can do) in a moment, but the high level summary is that it’s an ingredient naturally found in our bodies and is used both topically and orally. The claims behind it are impressive, ranging from the ability to help prevent moisture loss to anti-inflammatory benefits, a theoretical anti-aging home run. So, are those benefits legit? Should you use taurine in your skincare routine, and, if so, how? We tapped Robyn Gmyrek, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City to answer those questions—and more. 

What is taurine?

Taurine is an amino acid, and, quick reminder, amino acids are the building blocks of protein. It occurs naturally in our body, but we also get it via our diet, Dr. Gmyrek notes, with main sources coming from animal proteins. There’s taurine found in our skin, too. More specifically, “Taurine is mainly found in the epidermis where it’s involved in helping control the skin’s moisture content,” Dr. Gmyrek explains. 

What can taurine do for the skin?

To the point of it being important for moisture, “Taurine can help with rehydration and decrease water loss. It can also act as an antioxidant and is anti-inflammatory,” says Dr. Gmyrek. All of those things are a major boon when it comes to aging skin, which naturally gets drier as we get older, not to mention is more susceptible to inflammation and damage from free radicals. Plus, it’s also worth noting that our natural taurine levels decrease with age, she notes. Sounds like it’s a no-brainer to add to your anti-aging skincare line-up, right? Kind of, but there’s one big caveat. “There are very limited studies looking at topical taurine,” she cautions. In the lab, it’s been shown to help increase hydration and the production of both ceramides and hyaluronic acid—two other ingredients important for healthy, youthful skin. But, there definitely still isn’t enough data backing it in the same way there is for other, more proven, anti-aging topicals, think retinoids or glycolic acid. (Anti-aging benefits aside, there’s also some data—and Reddit threads—claiming that topical taurine can help with acne.) 

Oral taurine is a thing, too.

We’re talking about topical taurine, but it does bear mentioning that oral taurine may have benefits for skin, too. For example, Dr. Gmyrek notes that it’s been shown to decrease wrinkle formation caused by UV radiation—although that study was conducted in mice, not humans, she notes. (And, while not directly intended for skincare purposes, you’re also likely to find taurine in a lot of pre-workout and energy supplements, given that it may delay muscle fatigue, she notes.) 

How to use taurine in your skin care routine

Okay, so should you consider using taurine? In short, it can’t hurt. According to Dr. Gmyrek, there are really no known side effects of the ingredient, even when taken orally, nor are there any ingredients that it doesn’t mix well with. Your best bet: Look for it in formulas where it’s combined with other, more proven effective ingredients. Dr. Gmyrek calls out that it would likely be particularly synergistic when paired with a hydrating ingredient such as glycerin, given its ability to help prevent moisture loss.