Latest news with #taurine
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Energy Drinks Seen Fuelling Cancer, But There's a Strange Catch
Energy drinks are big business. Marketed as quick fixes for fatigue and performance dips, energy drinks are especially popular among young people, athletes, sports enthusiasts, and so-called "weekend warriors" – people who pack their workouts into the weekend instead of exercising regularly. Gamers are now a major target too. But as the market grows, so do concerns about what's actually in these drinks – and what these ingredients might be doing to our bodies. Many energy drinks contain some combination of three familiar stimulants: caffeine, found naturally in coffee, tea and cacao; guarana, an Amazonian plant rich in caffeine; and taurine, a naturally occurring amino acid found in scallops, mussels, turkey and chicken. Related: Taurine, in particular, has drawn both hype and hope. It is credited with performance-enhancing properties and potential health benefits. But new research is raising important questions about how it behaves in the body – and when it might do more harm than good. In May 2025, a study published in Nature sparked headlines and unease in equal measure. It found that taurine may fuel the progression of leukaemia, a group of blood cancers that begin in the bone marrow. The study showed that while healthy bone marrow cells naturally produce taurine, leukaemia cells cannot. But they can absorb taurine from their surroundings and use it as a fuel source to grow and multiply. Research on mice and in human leukaemia cell samples demonstrated that taurine in the tumour microenvironment – the area around a tumour that includes blood vessels, immune cells and structural support – accelerated the progression of leukaemia. Crucially, when researchers blocked taurine uptake by leukaemia cells (using genetic techniques), cancer progression slowed significantly. The authors suggest taurine supplements could potentially worsen outcomes in people with leukaemia and propose that developing targeted ways to block taurine uptake by cancer cells might offer a new treatment strategy. Taurine: friend or foe? Taurine is one of the most abundant free amino acids in the human body, found in especially high concentrations in the heart, muscles and brain. In healthy people, it's mainly obtained through diet, but the body can also synthesise taurine from the amino acids methionine and cysteine, provided it has enough vitamin B6, which is found in foods such as salmon, tuna, chicken, bananas and milk. Most people consuming a typical western diet take in 40mg–400mg of taurine a day from food alone. This figure refers only to taurine that is directly ingested, not including the additional amount the body can synthesise internally, which may vary depending on age, diet and health. Taurine is listed on the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) generally recognised as safe (GRAS) database, and according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), it's safe to consume up to six grams per day. By comparison, a serving of Red Bull or Monster contains around one gram – comfortably below that threshold. Despite recent concerns about a possible link to blood cancer progression, taurine isn't inherently harmful. In fact, some people may benefit from supplementation, especially those receiving long-term parenteral nutrition, where nutrients are delivered directly into the bloodstream because the gut isn't working properly. People with chronic liver, kidney or heart failure may also have trouble producing or holding on to enough taurine, making supplementation helpful in specific clinical settings. Ironically, some research suggests taurine may actually help reduce the side effects of chemotherapy in leukaemia patients – even as emerging studies raise concerns that it could also fuel the disease. This contradiction underscores how much context matters: the effects of taurine depend not just on dosage and delivery, but also on the patient's underlying condition. What helps in one context, could harm in another. But here's the catch: taking taurine as a supplement for particular health reasons is very different from consuming large quantities through energy drinks, which often combine taurine with high levels of caffeine and sugar. This combination can put strain on the heart, interfere with sleep and increase the risk of side effects, particularly for people with underlying health conditions or those taking other stimulants. The latest research raises important questions about whether taurine-heavy products could be harmful in some cases, especially for people with, or at risk of, blood cancers. So, should you worry? According to the current evidence, if you're a healthy adult who occasionally sips an energy drink, there's little cause for alarm. But moderation is key. Consuming multiple high-taurine drinks daily or taking taurine supplements (without prior professional consultation), on top of a taurine-rich diet might not be wise, especially if future research confirms links between taurine and cancer progression. Until more is known, the safest approach would be to enjoy your energy boosts by consuming a nutritious diet rather than consuming energy drinks. If you have any underlying health conditions – or a family history of cancer – it's always best to consult a healthcare professional before diving into taurine supplementation or consumption of energy drinks. Gulshanara (Rumy) Begum, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition & Exercise Science, University of Westminster This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the . Related News Study of 1.2 Million Children Finds No Risk From Common Vaccine Additive Signs of Autism Could Be Encoded in The Way You Walk It's True: Soup Can Help You Recover Faster From Colds And Flus Solve the daily Crossword
The Guardian
10-07-2025
- The Guardian
Sauce Boss the rodeo bull becomes latest US animal escape artist
Animals that have proven themselves to be escape artists as of late in the US have included a terrier and nearly four dozen monkeys. And now a rodeo bull reportedly referred to by the names of Sauce Boss and Twinkle Toes can join their ranks after breaking free from his handlers and spending four days at large. The bull in question was being unloaded in preparation for the Snowmass Village, Colorado, rodeo on 2 July when he somehow got away, local police chief Brian Olson told the state's Aspen Times. Olson suspected the creature found and forced his way through a gap in the fencing that was being used during the unloading. Authorities spent several hours looking for the taurine fugitive, but he eluded them, primarily by heading into tall brush and trees in the village's Horse Ranch neighborhood, Olson said. Police then issued an alert asking the public to call them if they saw the escaped rodeo bull – and to avoid either approaching the animal or letting pets get near him. Olson said the bull came in and out of view while remaining in that brush in the coming days. A local homeowner told CBS Colorado that cowboys roped the bull at one point during the animal's abscondence – but, as it rained heavily, he managed to slip away. The bull on Sunday then 'did make himself visible' for a longer period than had been usual and let cowboys working for his owner approach him. Olson said that was when the bovine's owner's cowboys finally caught him, and they began planning on him to soon make his debut at the rodeo – which is held every Wednesday during the summer. There were conflicting reports about the bull's moniker. CBS Colorado reported he went by Sauce Boss. But, in an interview with Cowboy State Daily, Snowmass Village police officer Zach Wilcher said he understood the bull's name to be Twinkle Toes. Whatever the case, corners of the internet dedicated to lighthearted news stories seized on Sauce Boss/Twinkle Toes's time on the lam. News consumers in the US are fascinated by tales of pets or animals in captivity making daring dashes for freedom. For instance, a wiry terrier named Scrim earned a reputation as New Orleans's most ungovernable dog after he bolted his adoptive family's yard in April 2024 and spent about six months on the run. After he was caught, he escaped again in November by chewing through a window screen on the second floor of his new adoptive home, leaping 13ft to a driveway and going on the run for another three months before being captured again. Both hunts for Scrim were elaborate, involving people equipped with traps, nets and tranquilizer guns. He earned a measure of social media stardom as users posted videos from cellphones and security cameras that recorded him jaunting through the streets to the distress of those searching for him. Meanwhile, as another example, in November, 43 rhesus macaque monkeys earned international headlines by escaping from a South Carolina research facility into nearby woods after an employee failed to fully lock the animals' enclosure. It took until January for the last of those monkeys to be recaptured. Most were lured back into captivity with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Julius Constantine Motal contributed to reporting
The Guardian
09-07-2025
- The Guardian
Sauce Boss the rodeo bull becomes latest US animal escape artist
Animals that have proven themselves to be escape artists as of late in the US have included a terrier and nearly four dozen monkeys. And now a rodeo bull reportedly referred to by the names of Sauce Boss and Twinkle Toes can join their ranks after breaking free from his handlers and spending four days at large. The bull in question was being unloaded in preparation for the Snowmass Village, Colorado, rodeo on 2 July when he somehow got away, local police chief Brian Olson told the state's Aspen Times. Olson suspected the creature found and forced his way through a gap in the fencing that was being used during the unloading. Authorities spent several hours looking for the taurine fugitive, but he eluded them, primarily by heading into tall brush and trees in the village's Horse Ranch neighborhood, Olson said. Police then issued an alert asking the public to call them if they saw the escaped rodeo bull – and to avoid either approaching the animal or letting pets get near him. Olson said the bull came in and out of view while remaining in that brush in the coming days. A local homeowner told CBS Colorado that cowboys roped the bull at one point during the animal's abscondence – but, as it rained heavily, he managed to slip away. The bull on Sunday then 'did make himself visible' for a longer period than had been usual and let cowboys working for his owner approach him. Olson said that was when the bovine's owner's cowboys finally caught him, and they began planning on him to soon make his debut at the rodeo – which is held every Wednesday during the summer. There were conflicting reports about the bull's moniker. CBS Colorado reported he went by Sauce Boss. But, in an interview with Cowboy State Daily, Snowmass Village police officer Zach Wilcher said he understood the bull's name to be Twinkle Toes. Whatever the case, corners of the internet dedicated to lighthearted news stories seized on Sauce Boss/Twinkle Toes's time on the lam. News consumers in the US are fascinated by tales of pets or animals in captivity making daring dashes for freedom. For instance, a wiry terrier named Scrim earned a reputation as New Orleans's most ungovernable dog after he bolted his adoptive family's yard in April 2024 and spent about six months on the run. After he was caught, he escaped again in November by chewing through a window screen on the second floor of his new adoptive home, leaping 13ft to a driveway and going on the run for another three months before being captured again. Both hunts for Scrim were elaborate, involving people equipped with traps, nets and tranquilizer guns. He earned a measure of social media stardom as users posted videos from cellphones and security cameras that recorded him jaunting through the streets to the distress of those searching for him. Meanwhile, as another example, in November, 43 rhesus macaque monkeys earned international headlines by escaping from a South Carolina research facility into nearby woods after an employee failed to fully lock the animals' enclosure. It took until January for the last of those monkeys to be recaptured. Most were lured back into captivity with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Julius Constantine Motal contributed to reporting
Daily Mail
16-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Celsius breaks silence over link between its drinks and cocaine
Celsius has finally addressed claims that its popular energy drinks can cause false positives for cocaine in drug tests. The controversy began on June 8 when a Detroit Tigers sports reporter tweeted that Major League Baseball (MLB) teams were advising players to avoid the drink. 'Celsius has an ingredient known to flag as cocaine in MLB drug testing, and although it's not officially banned, it's strongly discouraged,' the reporter wrote in a now-deleted X post. The drink maker has dismissed these comments, stating: 'Claims that Celsius could cause someone to fail a drug test have been proven false, and there is no merit to these claims.' The claims went viral online, prompting a response from the MLB drug watchdog, which also said the claims were untrue. However, it comes at a time when Americans are increasingly concerned about ingredients in their food and drinks. Celsius beverages contain about 1,810 milligrams of taurine, far exceeding the typical daily intake of 40 to 400 milligrams. Taurine is an amino sulfonic acid that may promote the growth of bacteria associated with colorectal cancer, which are often more abundant in affected individuals' guts. While there was no scientific evidence to support the notion that Celsius ingredients could be read as cocaine in a drug test, the post quickly spread across social media, likely due to how popular Celsius has become in the US. Celsius is the third-largest energy drink company in the nation, following Monster and Red Bull. But the MLB's product certifier was quick to deem the claims false. 'We are not aware of any specific ingredient in Celsius that would cause a positive drug test result, nor have we communicated such concerns to any MLB club or player,' the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) said last week. Celsius contains common energy drink ingredients like caffeine, green tea extract and guarana seed extract, as well as artificial sweeteners. These are not classified as banned substances, and there is no scientific evidence that they can trigger a false positive for the narcotic. However, Celsius is not on the list of certified energy drinks for professional athletes. Beverages including C4 and Red Bull do carry the NSF certification and are commonly recommended to athletes. Obtaining NSF Certified for Sport status involves rigorous testing, including lot-by-lot analysis for banned substances, label accuracy and manufacturing audits. Celsius may not have pursued this certification due to the significant cost, time and effort required, especially if their target market includes non-athlete consumers who do not prioritize NSF certification. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has not banned Celsius, though it does enforce strict limits on caffeine intake for student athletes. 'Some collegiate athletes may have questions about whether one ingredient in CELSIUS products, caffeine derived from guarana extract, raises any issues under NCAA rules,' Celsius stated on its website. NCAA states that a urine caffeine concentration above 15 micrograms per milliliter will trigger a positive result, typically the equivalent of consuming 500 milligrams of caffeine within a few hours of competition. A single can of Celsius contains 200 to 270 milligrams of caffeine, meaning two cans consumed in a short time frame could easily exceed the NCAA threshold. These limits are in place to reduce health risks from excessive stimulant use, including jitteriness, rapid heart rate and dehydration. Celsius energy drinks contain guarana (a concentrated source of caffeine), taurine and L-carnitine, none of which are banned by the NCAA or US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). A 12-ounce can of Celsius typically contains about two eight-ounce cups of coffee. The FDA recommends healthy adults limit caffeine to 400 milligrams daily (roughly two cans of Celsius), but individual sensitivity varies. For some, even one can may cause jitters or other effects. Caffeine's half-life of three to five hours means repeated consumption can lead to accumulation. Celsius has faced a class-action lawsuit over alleged misbranding, such as misleading claims about preservatives.
Daily Mail
06-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Hyped longevity pill loved by biohacker Bryan Johnson fails to stop aging, study reveals
A supplement beloved by Bryan Johnson and other biohackers for its age-defying properties might be flawed, new research reveals. Previous animal studies have suggested taurine, an essential amino acid that supports immune health and nervous system function, declines with age. It's found naturally in the body, in various high-protein foods, and it is also added to energy drinks for its potential to enhance mental and athletic performance. It was thought that replenishing it by taking supplements could keep the body young by protecting against damage to DNA and cells. Off the back of the research in 2023, taurine was quickly picked up by those looking to fight the effects of aging and Johnson became one of its proponents, with it added to his daily roster of supplements. But scientists behind a new study claim taurine doesn't actually decline with age; instead it either increases or stays stable and can vary wildly from person to person. Therefore, the amino acid is not a good indicator of age-related changes as originally thought, and taking a taurine supplement may have no effect whatsoever on a person's longevity. What's more, other studies have shown high doses or prolonged taurine intake can actually cause a variety of side effects, including gastrointestinal discomfort, kidney strain, and in rare cases, liver pain or even leukemia. The human body uses taurine for actions in cells, such as energy production, and helps the body process bile acid and balance fluids, salts and minerals. The amino acid also has important functions in the heart and the brain and helps support nerve growth. There are no current recommendations on how much taurine a person should consume or what adequate levels are in the body. However, lower levels have been associated with an overactive thyroid, vision impairment and kidney dysfunction. It may benefit people with heart failure and prevent their condition from worsening by lowering blood pressure and calming the nervous system. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and has been studied for its role in energy production and improving exercise performance. Commenting on the findings of the new study, Joseph Baur, a professor of physiology at the University of Pennsylvania, told Live Science: 'The main takeaway is that a decline in taurine is not a universal feature of aging.' Scientists analyzed data from both humans and animals. Included in the research were 1,000 people aged 20 to 100 years old who had participated in several studies from around the world. In animals, the team analyzed blood from rhesus macaque monkeys ages three to 32 and blood from lab mice ages nine to 27 months old. What surprised the researchers is that over time, taurine levels actually increased with age. Thus, study co-author Maria Emilia Fernandez, a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute on Aging, said taurine is 'unlikely to serve as a good biomarker of aging'. Meanwhile Rafael de Cabo, chief of the Translational Gerontology Branch at the National Institute on Aging who was another co-author of the study, added: 'It's not a reliable biomarker of anything yet. 'I think that we need to be digging into the basic mechanisms… before it can be used reliably as a marker.' Vijay Yadav, an associate professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School who co-authored the 2023 taurine study, is currently taking part in an ongoing clinical trial to see if it could have any effect on aging in middle-aged humans.
