Taurine has lengthy been a staple in vitality drinks and pre-workout formulation, however it’s just lately landed in sizzling water. A new Nature study set off alarms, suggesting this frequent compound might speed up the development of leukemia. All of a sudden, a molecule as soon as recognized for mobile safety and efficiency is being framed as a pink flag for most cancers. So, should you’re questioning whether or not there’s extra to the story, you’re proper. There may be.
What Is Taurine?
Taurine is a naturally occurring semi-essential amino acid present in meat, fish, and dairy. It’s synthesized within the liver and is most concentrated within the coronary heart, mind, retina, and nerves. Research have proven it to play important roles in bile acid formation, regulating calcium signaling, stabilizing cell membranes, supporting cardiovascular perform, and modulating the immune system.
Whereas it’s not a stimulant like caffeine, it’s usually lumped into the identical class because of its heavy use in energy drinks. As a substitute, taurine works extra behind the scenes to assist mobile well being and increase antioxidant exercise.
The Research Stirring Controversy
On this new examine on mice and human mobile cultures, researchers discovered a hyperlink between taurine and a sooner development of leukemia. It appeared to assist the mitochondria giving most cancers cells the gasoline they should develop beneath stress.
Nonetheless, it’s essential to remember that the findings might show that it promotes leukemia in a selected organic context: the bone marrow tumor microenvironment. The researchers aren’t claiming taurine causes most cancers in wholesome folks. They’re saying that within the presence of leukemia, taurine seems to behave as a growth-supporting think about mice and mobile cultures in a lab.
They found that sure cells, referred to as osteolineage cells, within the bone marrow (the identical cells that assist construct bone) produce taurine, and that this may occasionally act as gasoline for leukemia cells.
When scientists inhibited taurine manufacturing in these bone-forming cells, by deleting a gene referred to as CDO1, close by leukemia cells turned considerably much less viable and shaped fewer colonies. However as soon as they added it again, the most cancers cells bounced again too. Once they supplemented mice with it, it accelerated leukemia development and tripled the dying charge in mice with regular immune programs.
They noticed the identical impact utilizing human bone marrow cells and leukemia samples from actual sufferers.
These outcomes counsel that within the presence of leukemia, taurine might act as an unwitting confederate, serving to most cancers cells thrive by stabilizing their vitality manufacturing. It’s not that taurine causes leukemia, however as soon as the illness is current, it could assist the most cancers cells survive longer.
Nonetheless, this can be a very particular situation, in leukemia, in bone marrow, in mice and co-cultured cells. The findings don’t routinely imply taurine is harmful to wholesome people. However they do open the door to extra questions.
Might sure cancers exploit vitamins that in any other case assist wholesome metabolism? Might a “good” molecule flip “dangerous” within the improper atmosphere?
Science continues to evolve, so solutions change over time. That’s why this can be a immediate to start out asking extra questions.
Wait, Isn’t Taurine Speculated to Be Protecting?
Right here’s the place it will get fascinating: taurine isn’t new to most cancers analysis. A number of research counsel it would inhibit most cancers progress in sure contexts. A randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics highlighted that taurine dietary supplements helped scale back the dangerous uncomfortable side effects of chemotherapy in younger adults being handled for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Other studies have shown taurine’s ability to trigger apoptosis (cell dying) in numerous most cancers cells, together with breast most cancers. It additionally reduces oxidative stress and modulates irritation, each essential components in most cancers prevention.
How can taurine be each cancer-feeder and anticancer? As a result of biology is context-dependent. Taurine might shield wholesome cells and promote restoration in burdened environments. However within the presence of malignant, fast-dividing cells, its similar supportive properties might improve most cancers cell survival.
In different phrases: Is it good or dangerous? The higher query is perhaps, “Good or dangerous for whom… and beneath what circumstances?”
Is Supplementing Taurine Nonetheless Secure?
Taurine has been discovered to play important roles in cardiovascular perform, mind well being, and central nervous system well being. Some research even counsel taurine deficiency could also be a driver of growing older.
However should you’re present process therapy for most cancers, particularly leukemia, it’s price asking your oncologist earlier than supplementing.
