Researchers at the University of Alberta have found that higher blood taurine levels may play a role in easing long-term Covid symptoms. The findings were published in Cell Reports Medicine.
The study tracked 117 patients admitted to an Alberta hospital with acute Covid-19. Blood samples were collected at admission and again six months later, with medical information gathered over an 18-month period. Long-term Covid developed in 55 of the participants. Those enduring prolonged symptoms often reported shortness of breath, muscle weakness, fatigue, and difficulties with thinking and memory.
Using machine learning, the researchers built a model to forecast clinical outcomes after discharge. The model achieved an 83% accuracy in identifying negative outcomes. Overall, longer and more severe cases of long Covid tended to occur in individuals with lower taurine levels. Conversely, patients with higher taurine in their blood reported fewer ongoing symptoms and felt better as time went on.
Taurine is an amino acid found in meat and fish, and it is also produced by the liver. It helps regulate several bodily functions, including the immune system. The researchers emphasized that they do not endorse taurine supplements as a treatment. While supplements are generally considered safe, conclusive evidence of their effectiveness requires further clinical studies.
As context, artificial intelligence has been used previously to identify plaques in blood vessels from ECG data, illustrating how AI tools can support medical insights across different conditions.