Dear friends,
We’ve all heard the urban legend: taurine is made from bull balls. Bullshit, I say. Those, I’d tell that dirty urban legend, are rocky mountain oysters. Having recently had my first real dose of taurine (in an “energy drink” called a Rumba) and subsequently feeling very very strange (also due to a 4a.m.-12 noon automobile marathon), I was curious…what exactly have I tainted myself with?
-Birdmonster, SF
Taurine is an amino acid. You’re not likely to do much damage to your system by downing an energy drink containing taurine unless you have some sort of genetic metabolic disorder that would interfere with its breakdown.
Google is your friend. From:
http://www.thorne.com/altmedrev/fulltext/taurine3-2.html
Damn, beat me to it.
Molecular Expressions: The Amino Acid Collection - Taurine – This one has a neat picture. 
http://www.serve.com/BatonRouge/taurine_chmr.htm – This site argues that it can be essential for humans under some circumstances. (Cats, apparently, always need it.)
I don’t quite get why energy drinks include it, though.
Because it’s such a cool word to read on the label! Sounds scientific, so it must do something for you!
IIRC Clams are a good source of taurine. If it’s good for clams, it must be good for people.
No, not from that either.
Bile Chemicals! Doubly appetizing! I’m out to get my Rumba 12-pack as we speak.