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Taurine, a common ingredient in some energy drinks, is making headlines again–and this time it’s not for a cattle-related rumor. A recent study published in the journal Nature has found that taurine, an amino acid naturally produced in the body and found in foods like meat and fish, might drive the growth of leukemia.
Taurine is involved in several processes in the body’s cells. According to the Mayo Clinic, taurine is used for energy production, balancing fluids, and processing bile acid.
The study identified “taurine as a key regulator of myeloid malignancies,” which are blood cancers like leukemia. Researchers found that taurine promotes glycolysis in myeloid leukemia cells—in other (simpler) words, taurine gives cancer cells energy and helps them grow.
Furthermore, Wilmot Cancer Institute investigators at the University of Rochester were able to block the growth of leukemia in mice and human leukemia cells by preventing taurine from entering cancer cells, according to an article by the University of Rochester Medical Center.
So, what does this mean for energy drinks? Here’s what researchers say: “As taurine is a common ingredient in energy drinks, and is often provided as a supplement to mitigate the side-effects of chemotherapy, our work suggests that it may be of interest to carefully consider the benefits of supplemental taurine in patients with leukaemia.”
In the UR Medicine article, Jeevisha Bajaj, Ph.D., says that future research should examine taurine levels in patients with leukemia and develop methods to prevent taurine from entering cancer cells.
The study doesn’t definitively say whether energy drinks are safe or not, but it shows that taurine, an ingredient in them, can help cancer cells grow. For now, I’ll stick to my morning coffee.
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