Taurine: From Energy Drink Darling to Cancer Suspect?
Original Article: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/taurine-energy-drink-darling-cancer-suspect-2025a1000jkx?form=fpf
Taurine’s Rise and the Longevity Myth
Taurine is an amino sulfonic acid (not a protein-building amino acid) that naturally occurs in the body and is found in foods such as meat and fish. It’s also widely used in energy drinks, often promoted for boosting energy and enhancing physical and mental performance. Earlier studies suggested taurine might slow aging in animals and offered hope as a possible aid to living longer
New Study Links Taurine to Blood Cancer Progression
Recent research, however, has suggested that taurine may actually fuel the growth of leukemia cells. While healthy cells can generate taurine, leukemia cells lack this ability—they rely on taking it in from their surroundings. Taurine, absorbed into these cancer cells, supports glycolysis, a process that provides them with energy to grow faster. In mouse studies and human cell tests, blocking taurine production or stopping its uptake significantly slowed leukemia progression and extended survival in the mice.
What It Means for Human Health
The study does not show that taurine or energy drink use directly causes leukemia in humans, but it highlights a potential risk for people with blood cancers. Since taurine is also produced naturally in the body and plays roles in many systems, more research is needed to understand how much outside taurine—like from supplements or energy drinks—affects cancer growth. For now, the findings suggest caution in taurine use.
