Common ingredient in energy drinks linked to blood cancer growth, study finds
A common ingredient in some foods and drinks has been linked to an increased risk of blood cancers.
Taurine — a non-essential amino acid that also occurs naturally in the bone marrow, brain, heart and muscles — was found to promote the growth of leukemia cells, according to a study by Wilmot Cancer Institute investigators at the University of Rochester in New York.
The compound is also found in meats, fish and eggs, as well as some energy drinks and protein powders.
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«The key takeaway from this study is that taurine can be used by leukemia cells to promote cancer progression,» Jeevisha Bajaj, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Genetics and a member of Wilmot’s Cancer Microenvironment research program, told Fox News Digital.
«Developing new methods to block the cancer cells’ ability to take in taurine may improve outcomes for leukemia patients.»
The scientists made the discovery by happenstance as..