Dietary taurine or glycine supplementation reduces plasma and liver cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in rats fed a cholesterol-free diet

The effects of dietary supplementation of taurine or glycine, the two amino acids involved in bile acid conjugation in the liver, on plasma and hepatic lipid concentrations were evaluated in rats fed a cholesterol-free diet. Three groups of male rats (140∼150g) were fed a cholesterol-free diet (CFD), a taurine-supplemented diet (TSD; CFD + 1.5% taurine) or a glycine-supplemented diet (GSD; CFD + 1.5% glycine) for 5 weeks. There was no significant difference in organ weights and cumulative body weight gain between groups at the end of the experimental period. Plasma triglyceride level was significantly lower in rats fed the TSD (53% decrease, P