Taurine
Taurine is a lesser know amino acid which is not part of our muscle protein yet is important in metabolism, especially the brain. Adults can produce sulfur containing taurine from cysteine with the help of vitamin B6 but it is possible that not enough taurine is made in the body, especially if cysteine or B6 deficient. Newborns cannot produce taurine thus is especially important for dietary inclusion. Taurine functions in electrically active tissues such as the brain and heart and help stabilize cell membranes. It also functions in the gallbladder, eyes and blood vessels and appears to have some antioxidant and detoxifying activity. Taurine aids the movement of potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium in and out of cells and thus helps generate nerve impulses. Zinc seems to support this effect of taurine. Taurine is found in the central nervous system, skeletal muscles and heart. It is very concentrated in the brain and high in heart tissues. Taurine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter and its main use has been to help treat epilepsy and other excitable brain states where it functions as a mild sedative. Research shows low taurine levels at seizure sites and its anti-convulsant effect comes from its ability to stabilize nerve cell membranes which prevents the erratic firing of nerve cells. Doses for this effect are 500mg 3xs a day. Other possible uses of taurine include immune suppression (by sparing L-cystein), visual problems and eye disease, cirrhosis and liver failure, depression and as a supplement to mothers-to-be and newborns. Overall dosage used may range from 500mg to 5-6g with the higher amounts needed for the cardiovascular problems and possibly epilepsy. Possible symptoms of taurine toxicity include diarrhea and peptic ulcers.

Teavigo™
 See Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG)

Thiamin
 See Vitamin B1

Turmeric Root (Curcumin)
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a member of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It's also called tumeric or kunyit in some Asian countries. Its dried roots are ground into a deep yellow spice and its active ingredient is curcumin which has an earthy, bitter, peppery flavor. In the Ayurvedic medicine, turmeric is thought to have many medicinal properties and many in India use it as a readily available antiseptic for cuts and burns. Whenever there is a cut or a bruise, the home remedy is to reach for turmeric powder. Ayurvedic doctors say it has fluoride which is essential for teeth. It is also used as an antibacterial agent.
The U.S. National Institutes of Health has four clinical trials underway to study curcumin treatment for pancreatic cancer, multiple myeloma, Alzheimer's, and colorectal cancer.
A 2004 UCLA-Veterans Affairs study involving genetically altered mice suggests that curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, might inhibit the accumulation of destructive beta amyloids in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients and also break up existing plaques. "Curcumin has been used for thousands of years as a safe anti-inflammatory.
It is taken in some Asian countries as a dietary supplement, which allegedly helps with stomach problems and other ailments. It is popular as a tea in Okinawa, Japan. It is currently being investigated for possible benefits in Alzheimer's disease, cancer and liver disorders.
Another 2004 study conducted at Yale University involved oral administration of curcumin to mice homozygous for the most common allele implicated in cystic fibrosis. Treatment with curcumin restored physiologically-relevant levels of protein function. Anti-tumoral effects against melanoma cells have been demonstrated.