Taurine has lengthy been a staple in vitality drinks and pre-workout formulation, nevertheless it’s not too long ago landed in scorching water. A brand new Nature examine set off alarms, suggesting this frequent compound might speed up the development of leukemia. Instantly, a molecule as soon as identified for mobile safety and efficiency is being framed as a crimson flag for most cancers. So, in case you’re questioning whether or not there’s extra to the story, you’re proper. There’s.
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 operate, and modulating the immune system.
Whereas it’s not a stimulant like caffeine, it’s usually lumped into the identical class on account of its heavy use in vitality drinks. As a substitute, taurine works extra behind the scenes to help 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 help the mitochondria giving most cancers cells the gas they should develop below stress.
Nonetheless, it’s vital to needless to say the findings might show that it promotes leukemia in a particular 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 consider mice and mobile cultures in a lab.
They found that sure cells, known as osteolineage cells, within the bone marrow (the identical cells that assist construct bone) produce taurine, and that this will act as gas for leukemia cells.
When scientists inhibited taurine manufacturing in these bone-forming cells, by deleting a gene known as CDO1, close by leukemia cells grew to become considerably much less viable and fashioned 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 fee 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 might assist the most cancers cells survive longer.
Nonetheless, this can be a very particular state of affairs, in leukemia, in bone marrow, in mice and co-cultured cells. The findings don’t robotically imply taurine is harmful to wholesome people. However they do open the door to extra questions.
May sure cancers exploit vitamins that in any other case help wholesome metabolism? May a “good” molecule flip “unhealthy” within the unsuitable surroundings?
Science continues to evolve, so solutions change over time. That’s why this can be a immediate to begin asking extra questions.
Wait, Isn’t Taurine Presupposed 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’d inhibit most cancers progress in sure contexts. A randomized managed trial printed within the Journal of Most cancers Analysis and Therapeutics highlighted that taurine dietary supplements helped cut back the dangerous negative effects of chemotherapy in younger adults being handled for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Different research have proven taurine’s potential to set off apoptosis (cell dying) in varied most cancers cells, together with breast most cancers. It additionally reduces oxidative stress and modulates irritation, each vital elements in most cancers prevention.
How can taurine be each cancer-feeder and anticancer? As a result of biology is context-dependent. Taurine might defend 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 unhealthy? The higher query is likely to be, “Good or unhealthy for whom… and below what circumstances?”
Is Supplementing Taurine Nonetheless Protected?
Taurine has been discovered to play important roles in cardiovascular operate, mind well being, and central nervous system well being. Some research even counsel taurine deficiency could also be a driver of getting old.
However in case you’re present process therapy for most cancers, particularly leukemia, it’s value asking your oncologist earlier than supplementing.
