(WDNews) — A new study out of the University of Rochester is raising serious questions about taurine — a popular ingredient in energy drinks and protein supplements — after researchers found it may help fuel the growth of certain blood cancers, including leukemia.
Led by Dr. Jeevisha Bajaj at the Wilmot Cancer Institute, the research team discovered that leukemia cells depend on taurine for survival and growth. While these cancer cells can’t produce taurine themselves, they’ve developed a way to absorb it from nearby bone marrow cells — where myeloid cancers typically form.
The team was able to stop leukemia growth in both mice and human cells by genetically blocking taurine from entering the cancer cells. “We are very excited about these studies,” Bajaj said in a May press release. “They demonstrate that targeting uptake by myeloid leukemia cells may be a possible new avenue for treatment of these aggressive diseases.”
Taurine is a naturally occurring amino acid found in the heart, brain, and muscles — and it’s widely added to foods like meat, fish, eggs, energy drinks, and protein powders. It’s also sometimes used to help reduce the side effects of chemotherapy.
But the new findings suggest this may need a second look. According to researchers, when leukemia cells take in taurine, it speeds up how they break down glucose — giving them more energy to grow.
The Wilmot team said future studies should investigate taurine levels in people with leukemia, especially those who take it as a supplement.
For now, researchers urge caution, especially when it comes to using taurine supplements in cancer patients.
