Common ingredient in energy drinks fuels leukemia growth, study shows
(Gray News) - A common ingredient found in energy drinks fuels leukemia growth, according to a study published in the journal Nature.
Researchers learned that taurine is a key regulator of myeloid cancers, including leukemia.
EN ESPAÑOL: Ingrediente común en bebidas energéticas potencia el desarrollo de leucemia, según estudio
Taurine is a non-essential amino acid that is found naturally in bone marrow, brain, heart and muscles.
Meats, fish and eggs all naturally contain taurine. Taurine is also a key ingredient in some energy drinks and protein powders, which are often consumed by cancer patients.
Researchers learned that taurine is produced by the tissue inside bones where myeloid cancers begin and expand. Leukemia cells cannot make taurine, “so they rely on a taurine transporter to grab taurine from the bone marrow environment and deliver it to the cancer cells.”
Scientists at the University of Rochester discovered that as leukemia cells consume taurine, it promotes glycolysis, which feeds cancer growth.
Before the study, it was not known that taurine might fuel cancer growth, but the research doesn’t suggest that taurine causes cancer.
The scientists were able to block the growth of leukemia in mouse models and human leukemia cell samples by using genetic tools to prevent taurine from entering cancer cells.
Dr. Vijay Yadav, an associate professor at Rutgers University who was not involved with the new study but who has previously researched taurine, told Health.com that it’s important to note the research was done on mice.
“We need to wait until we have data in humans” to draw firm conclusions, he told the media outlet.
According to experts, people don’t need to avoid taurine, but should consume energy drinks in moderation, Health.com reports.
Yadav told Health.com that the research on taurine is complicated and seemingly “changes depending on the context.”
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