An ingredient found in popular energy drinks might heighten the risk of blood cancers, according to a recent study.
Researchers from New York are advising consumers to be cautious about taurine, which appears in energy drinks like Red Bull and Celsius.
This study is the first to indicate that taurine serves as a source of energy for leukemia cells that form in bone marrow, the spongy material located inside bones.
While the body naturally produces taurine, the researchers from the University of Rochester caution that additional intake could potentially make blood cancer more severe.
The report mentions, “Given that taurine is prevalent in energy drinks, it may be prudent to carefully evaluate the advantages of taurine supplements for leukemia patients.”
Although the study is in its early stages, they seem “very excited” because targeting taurine production in leukemia cells could be a viable treatment option for these aggressive forms of cancer.
In experiments involving mice and human leukemia cells, the researchers noted that preventing taurine from entering cells might slow the disease’s progression.
This research, published in the journal Nature, is part of a broader effort to see if taurine could also contribute to other cancers, like colorectal cancer.
Taurine, an amino acid, is naturally occurring in areas such as bone marrow, the brain, heart, and muscles. It’s also found in various meats and fish, and is included in some drinks to energize cells and enhance mental clarity.
It is thought to help manage calcium levels in nerve cells and control inflammation, among other functions.
The new investigation focused on mice with a specific SLC6A6 gene responsible for transporting taurine between body areas. Additionally, human leukemia cell samples were transplanted into the mice.
The team found that taurine is created by a subset of healthy cells in the bone marrow, where leukemia develops. The SLC6A6 gene facilitates the transport of taurine to the leukemia cells.
As leukemia cells consume taurine, they undergo glycolysis, a metabolic process that breaks down glucose to generate energy. This process provides cancer cells with the energy necessary to divide and grow, potentially making the leukemia more aggressive.
This study may be the first to document taurine’s presence in bone marrow and its link to worsening leukemia, a condition affecting about 67,000 Americans and 10,000 people in the UK each year.
Approximately 23,000 Americans and 5,000 Britons are projected to die from the disease this year.
While taurine is regarded as safe in small quantities, excessive amounts may lead to nausea, stomach issues, dizziness, diarrhea, and constipation.
The precise role of taurine in other cancers remains unclear, although researchers suspect it may be connected to the troubling increase in colon cancer among young individuals.
In a separate phase two trial, a University of Florida team is enlisting adults aged 18 to 40 who have not been diagnosed with colon cancer. Half of this group is expected to drink at least one Red Bull or Celsius daily, while their gut bacteria will be compared to a control group that does not consume the drinks.
This study aims to explore whether taurine boosts hydrogen sulfide metabolizing bacteria, which are prevalent in colon cancer cases and can lead to inflammation in the colon.
Dr. Jeevisha Bajaj, the lead researcher at the Wilmot Cancer Institute, emphasized the need for further studies to examine taurine levels in leukemia patients and find ways to reduce them. This is particularly critical given that taurine supplements are often recommended to cancer patients, as they may help lower inflammation and mitigate chemotherapy side effects.
Dr. Bajaj noted, “Current data indicate that it would be beneficial to develop reliable methods to stop taurine from entering leukemia cells.”
