Taurine: An underrated nootropic and performance enhancer

Some of you may be thinking, what is taurine, and what does it do?

Taurine is an amino acid found naturally in the body. It’s present in many common foods, and is generally well-tolerated. It’s gotten somewhat of a bad rap due to its legacy as a key ingredient in mainstream energy drinks, like Red Bull and Monster. This has misled people into thinking that taurine is some stimulating, energizing ingredient. Actually, it’s quite the contrary. So what are its true benefits?

1. Decreased anxiety - Taurine increases the production of GABA, a neurotransmitter known for its calming effects on the nervous system. This action helps to quiet NMDA receptors, which are stimulated by glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter. By increasing GABA levels and reducing the activity of NMDA receptors, taurine helps to decrease excitability within the brain, leading to reduced anxiety.
2. Increased fat metabolism - Taurine enhances fat metabolism by increasing lipolysis (the breakdown of fats) and altering fuel utilization during exercise, which shifts the metabolic efficiency towards a higher use of fats as an energy source. 
3. Improved muscle function - Taurine helps your muscles work better by playing a key role in the way calcium is handled within muscle cells. Calcium is crucial for muscle contraction—the process that occurs when your muscles tighten up during activities like lifting weights or running.

Taurine plays a key role in Klar, primarily due to its ability to lower anxiety - in our formula, this functions as a nice balancing act to the stimulating effects of caffeine, so you can achieve that focused effect without being wired or strung out. The physical performance benefits are an added bonus, making Klar suitable as a pre-workout supplement, without the nasty ingredients.