# Taurine Supplementation and Human Heat Tolerance: Mechanisms, Evidence, and Integration with Heat Acclimation, Cooling, and Hydration

## TL;DR

Taurine, an amino acid supplement, may help reduce body heat during exercise in hot conditions by increasing sweating, but more research is needed to confirm its effectiveness and safety.

## Contribution

This review integrates emerging evidence on taurine's thermoregulatory effects and its potential interactions with heat acclimation and hydration strategies.

## Key findings

- Taurine supplementation is associated with earlier sweat onset and increased sweat production.
- It may reduce core temperature by 0.3–0.4 °C during exercise in the heat.
- Benefits are context-dependent and may be reduced in conditions with limited sweating.

## Abstract

Heat exposure during strenuous exercise increases core temperature and cardiovascular strain, impairing performance and elevating the risk of heat illness. Standard countermeasures include heat acclimation, cooling, and hydration/electrolyte planning. Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid present in excitable tissues and widely used as an oral supplement; emerging human trials suggest it can augment thermoregulation, primarily by enhancing eccrine sweating and evaporative heat loss. This narrative review synthesizes mechanistic and applied evidence on taurine during exercise in hot environments and evaluates potential interactions with acclimation, cooling strategies (pre- and per-cooling), and hydration practices. Across a small number of randomized, mostly double-blind crossover studies, acute (~50 mg/kg) or short-term multi-day supplementation has been associated with earlier sweat onset, higher sweat production, modestly lower core temperature (~0.3–0.4 °C), and, in one multi-arm trial, a large standardized reduction in core temperature (d ≈ 1.9), with improved exercise capacity or performance. Benefits appear to be context-dependent and may be attenuated when sweating is constrained (e.g., impermeable protective clothing) or when heat acclimation is already optimized. Because taurine may increase sweat losses, its use should be paired with individualized fluid and sodium replacement. Current evidence is promising but remains constrained by small samples and heterogeneous protocols; adequately powered field trials are required to establish dose–response, safety and efficacy across populations, and additive value when combined with established heat-mitigation strategies.