Taurine, a sulphur - containing amino acid, has been termed
a functional nutrient. Its synthetic form is a common ingredient
in supplements and energy drinks. There is no information
concerning taurine impact on bone microstructure after
prolonged supplemental use. Also, differences in bone
parameters of mice following taurine exposure are unknown. In
this study, a detailed microstructure of compact and trabecular
bone tissues of mice subchronically exposed to taurine was
determined. Animals (n=12) were segregated into three groups:
E1 group – mice received 20 mg/kg b.w. of taurine per day
during 8 weeks; E2 group – mice were fed by taurine at a dose
of 40 mg/kg b.w. for 8 weeks and a control (C) group. Decreased
density of secondary osteons, increased sizes of primary osteon's
vascular canals (P<0.05) were observed in taurine – treated
animals. Cortical bone thickness, trabecular thickness were
decreased (P<0.05) in E1 group, and relative volume of
trabecular bone was lower (P<0.05) in E2 group as compared to
C group. According to our results, prolonged taurine exposure at
the doses used in this study can negatively affect both compact
and trabecular bone tissues microstructure.