This popular drink may increase the risk of blood cancer, warn doctors

A hidden ingredient in popular energy drinks like Red Bull and Celsius may be fueling blood cancers, a new study published in Nature cautions.

Taurine, long hailed as a performance-boosting ingredient in many common energy drinks, is now under fresh scientific scrutiny as a new study has raised red flags about its potential link to blood cancers, particularly leukemia.

Researchers at the University of Rochester’s Wilmot Cancer Institute explained that leukemia cells may exploit taurine, which develops in bone marrow, to fuel their growth through a process called glycolysis. The process enables cells to break down glucose to produce energy, which cancer cells use to grow.

This new finding has prompted urgent questions about the safety of excessive taurine intake through supplements and beverages.

Taurine is usually found in animal proteins, specifically meat, seafood, and dairy products. In energy drinks, it is added to improve mental performance and reduce inflammation. It is also used to relieve chemotherapy side effects in leukemia patients. According to a study published in the Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutic, “taurine supplementation could be a protection against chemotherapy-induced toxicities probably by its antioxidant capacity.”

While in moderation, this compound is useful, its excessive intake, whether through supplements or energy drinks could increase leukemia risk by way of fueling the cancer cells.

How the study was conducted

The study focused on mice with a specific gene called SLC6A6, which plays a key role in transporting taurine throughout the body.

Researchers introduced human leukemia cells into these mice to observe how they would respond. They found that healthy bone marrow cells naturally produce taurine, and the SLC6A6 gene helps move this taurine to the leukemia cells, potentially aiding their growth.

Given how commonly taurine is consumed through energy drinks and supplements, the researchers stressed the importance of carefully weighing the potential risks and benefits, especially for leukemia patients and regular energy drink users.

Researchers are of the view that blocking taurine in leukemia cells could lead to development of new treatment options. The researchers eventually also want to find out whether taurine can also contribute to the spike of other cancers, such as colorectal cancer.

“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," researchers wrote in Nature.