If you're a fan of energy drinks, you may have heard that their high amounts of artificial sugar can lead to inflammation, gut issues, and even unintended weight gain. But if that didn't raise a red flag for you, a new study might. Researchers say that a certain amino acid present in energy drinks like Celsius, Red Bull, and Monster could increase the risk of blood cancers.
RELATED: Doctor Says to "Avoid These Energy Drinks Like the Plague."
A component of Celsius and Red Bull could raise the risk of leukemia.
A new study, published in the journal Nature, found evidence that the amino acid taurine can increase the growth of leukemia cells.
Taurine is found in meat, seafood, and dairy. It's also made naturally in the body and "has important functions in the heart, brain, and immune system," registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD, told Cleveland Clinic.
"It helps support nerve growth, helps us maintain proper hydration, and produces bile salts, which help in digestion," she explained. "Taurine also regulates minerals and supports the general function of your nervous system, vision, and eyes."
The taurine commonly found in supplements and energy drinks like Celsius and Red Bull is artificial, though it's still made from natural compounds and considered safe, said Zumpano.
So, why is taurine problematic?
The researchers found that taurine is produced in bone marrow, where blood cancers "begin and expand," according to a press release. "Leukemia cells are unable to make taurine themselves, so they rely on a taurine transporter (encoded by the SLC6A6 gene) to grab taurine from the bone marrow environment and deliver it to the cancer cells."
Furthermore, "as leukemia cells drink up taurine," they "feed cancer growth."
Using mice and human leukemia cells, the research team observed this pattern in the following three leukemia subtypes:
- Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
- Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)
- Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)
Therefore, scientists say that excessive amounts of taurine could increase leukemia risk. Conversely, stopping taurine from entering leukemia cells could slow the cancer progression.
"Since 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 leukemia patients," states the study.
Future research will also focus on how taurine may fuel other cancers, including colon cancer.
RELATED: 50% of Colon Cancer Cases in Young People Tied to 1 Common Factor, Researchers Discover.
However, other research showed the benefits of taurine.
A separate study, published in 2023 in the journal Science, suggested that taurine could have a positive effect on your health.
The research found that as mice, monkeys, and humans age, their taurine levels drop by as much as 80 percent. Middle-aged mice who received taurine supplements exhibited improved bone density, weight, muscle endurance, and immune system function. As Best Lifepreviously reported, the mice also saw a 10 percent longer lifespan, which the researchers said could equate to 7 or 8 years in humans.
Another study published last year in the journal Cell similarly found that taurine can improve immune function and thereby improve outcomes in people with gastric cancers.
However, both theories would require further investigation in a clinical setting before they can be used as treatments in humans.
