Recent research reveals that taurine—a naturally occurring amino acid found in various foods and commonly included in energy drinks and dietary supplements—may inadvertently promote the growth of leukemia cells. This discovery raises concerns that products marketed to enhance energy levels could pose a risk to blood cancer patients during their treatment.
“Our work suggests that developing and testing effective inhibitors of the taurine transporter could lead to new therapeutic options for these deadly cancers,” said Jeevisha Bajaj, an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Genetics at the University of Rochester Medical Center and lead study author.
