Dr. Ahmed Key points
- Leukemia cells actively absorb taurine from their bone marrow environment.
- Taurine fuels glycolysis, which is a key energy-producing process in leukemia cells, and it promotes their growth.
- Blocking taurine uptake significantly slowed leukemia progression in lab and animal models.
- Healthy bone marrow cells are a source of taurine within the leukemia niche.
Bone marrow is the soft, spongy tissue found inside the hollow centers of most bones. It is the body’s primary site for producing blood cells, including red blood cells (which take oxygen), white blood cells (which combat infection), and platelets (which help with clotting).
There are two main types: red bone marrow, which is actively involved in blood cell production, and yellow bone marrow, which is mainly composed of fat and can convert to red marrow if the body needs more blood cells.
There is a new study published in the journal Nature that has revealed a shocking truth about the link between taurine and the growth of leukemia cells.
Taurine is a typical component of energy drinks and some protein supplements. Researchers at the University of Rochester in New York have discovered that leukemia cells can absorb taurine from their nearby environment in the bone marrow and use it as a fuel source to drive their aggressive growth.
Discussions
The study, led by Dr. Jeevisha Bajaj and colleagues at the Wilmot Cancer Institute, investigated the link between leukemia cells and their niche.
That is the specialized microenvironment within the bone marrow where blood cancers originate and develop.
Moreover, their investigations revealed that healthy bone marrow cells produce taurine, and this amino acid is then transported into leukemia cells through a specific transporter protein.
“Since taurine is a common ingredient in energy drinks, our work suggests that it may be of interest to carefully consider the risks and benefits of supplemental taurine in leukemia patients,” the researchers stated in their publication.
While the human body naturally produces taurine and it is also found in protein-rich foods like meat, fish, and eggs.
The high concentrations present in some energy drinks have raised concerns among the scientific community.
Furthermore, previous studies have investigated the potential of taurine to lessen some side effects of chemotherapy in leukemia patients [ref].
However, this new research shows that additional intake of taurine might worsen the blood cancer by providing it with more fuel.
Dr. Jane Liesveld, a co-author of the study and a hematologist-oncologist, emphasized the importance of understanding how leukemia cells reprogram their metabolism to thrive and resist treatments.
“Dr. Bajaj’s work shows that local levels of taurine in bone marrow may enhance leukemia growth, suggesting caution in the use of high-dose taurine supplementation,” she noted [ref].
Although this research is still in its early stages, it highlights how closely cancer cells interact with their surroundings.
Discovering that leukemia depends heavily on the taurine-taurine transporter pathway could lead to new and more targeted treatments that may help improve outcomes for patients with this tough disease.
The study authors advise consumers to be mindful of their intake of beverages and supplements containing taurine, especially individuals with or at high risk of developing blood cancers.
Further research is now underway to fully understand the role of taurine in different types of cancer and to explore the potential clinical implications of these findings.
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Methodology and analysis
The researchers used a multi-faceted approach to investigate taurine’s role in leukemia. They began by performing temporal single-cell RNA sequencing on leukemia stem-enriched cells and their bone marrow niche over time to map gene expression changes and identify key signaling molecules.
This revealed increased taurine production by stromal cells and upregulation of the taurine transporter, SLC6A6, in leukemia cells.
To confirm taurine uptake, they used radiolabeled taurine and observed its accumulation in leukemia cells.
Functionally, they demonstrated that exogenous taurine promoted leukemia cell proliferation and glycolysis in vitro.
Conversely, blocking taurine uptake using genetic knockdown of SLC6A6 or pharmacological inhibitors significantly reduced leukemia cell growth and glycolytic activity both in vitro and in vivo xenograft mouse models.
Further analysis involved metabolomic profiling of leukemia cells, confirming increased glycolytic intermediates upon taurine exposure.
They also showed that taurine supplementation exacerbated disease progression in a mouse model of myelodysplastic syndrome.
Moreover, the study mixed advanced sequencing, cell biology techniques, and in vivo models to create a causal link between niche-derived taurine and leukemia progression using enhanced glycolysis.
Clinical Implications and Future Directions:
This study shows that high amounts of taurine from energy drinks and supplements might be risky for people who have or are at risk of getting leukemia.
It also found that a protein called SLC6A6, which helps move taurine in the body, plays an important role in how leukemia grows.
This discovery could help in creating new treatments that target this protein. In the future, researchers should focus on testing these ideas in clinical trials to see if blocking taurine or its transporter can help treat leukemia.
It is also important to study how taurine affects different types and stages of leukemia, and to look at whether taurine in the diet has any effect on leukemia risk or progression in real people.
Which Energy Drinks Have The Most Amount of Taurine?
Here’s a list of common energy drinks, teas, and beverages that contain taurine, ranked in descending order based on typical taurine content.
Taurine content is usually expressed per serving, often 8 oz or 16 oz, but can vary by manufacturer and region.
Beverages with Taurine (Descending Order of Content)
| Energy Drink | Taurine Levels |
|---|---|
| Red Bull Energy Drink | ~1,000 mg per 8.4 oz can |
| Monster Energy Drink | ~1,000 mg per 16 oz can |
| Rockstar Energy Drink | ~1,000 mg per 16 oz can |
| NOS Energy Drink | ~1,000 mg per 16 oz can |
| AMP Energy Drink | ~500–1,000 mg per 16 oz can (varies by flavor) |
| Burn Energy Drink | ~800 mg per 8 oz can (varies by market) |
| Full Throttle Energy Drink | ~800 mg per 16 oz can |
| Reign Total Body Fuel | ~500 mg per 16 oz can |
| V Energy Drink (Australia/New Zealand) | ~300–1,000 mg per 8 oz can |
| Bang Energy Drink | ~300 mg per 16 oz can |
| Lucozade Energy (UK) | ~200–300 mg per 8 oz serving |
| Rip It Energy Fuel | ~200 mg per 8 oz can |
| Taurine-Enhanced Teas | Some specialty teas, such as “Focus Tea” or other performance blends, may contain taurine, typically in amounts ranging from 50–500 mg per serving. |
Considerations
- Many brands include taurine in similar amounts (~1,000 mg per serving for traditional energy drinks).
- Newer or niche products may have varying taurine levels or none at all, as manufacturers diversify their formulations.
- Always check the label for exact taurine content, as this can differ by country due to regulations or reformulations.
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