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For many people, the consumption of energy drinks has become almost habitual, perhaps because of the pace of life or lack of food culture, combined with effective marketing campaigns. However, the reality about them after the increasingly meticulous nutritional and quality analyses being carried out in the United States and the rest of the world is about to change.
A recent study published in the journal Nature resulted in an alarming finding about energy drinks, as it revealed that a common ingredient found in such products could increase the risk of blood cancer, better known as leukemia.
And this has nothing to do with any specific brand, as they all incorporate in their formulas a component that is the culprit of this risk: taurine, an amino acid that acts as an energy source for cancer cells of this type of cancer, which develops in the bone marrow.
A precautionary measure
Taurine is produced naturally in the body and is found in protein foods such as meat or fish, but additional consumption speeds up metabolism and increases the risk of developing leukemia, and the fact that a product found on shelves and refrigerators around the world is available over the counter is a matter that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.
"Given that taurine is a common ingredient in energy drinks... our work suggests that it might be interesting to carefully consider the risks and benefits of supplemental taurine in leukemia patients, as well as the risk for those who regularly consume energy drinks," says the study, conducted by researchers at the University of Rochester in New York.
Study conclusions
However, the study also yielded something positive, as the researchers observed that targeting taurine production in leukemic cells could represent a new approach to the treatment of these aggressive diseases, as "their experiments with mice and human leukemic cells demonstrated that blocking the entry of taurine into the cells could slow disease progression," Nature states.
Taurine is used in energy drinks because it helps the digestive process, helps maintain proper hydration and provides electrolyte balance, favoring the overall functioning of the central nervous system. However, in patients with specific conditions, cancer cells feed on taurine in a process called glycolysis, in which glucose is broken down to produce energy. This provides cancer cells with the energy to divide and multiply, making leukemia more aggressive.