Common energy drink ingredient linked to blood cancer, People reports

A common energy drink ingredient has been linked to the progression of the blood cancer leukemia, prompting researchers to voice concerns about the consumption of those beverages, People’s Cara Lynn Shultz reports. Taurine – an amino acid that occurs naturally in proteins like meat and fish – is a common ingredient in energy drinks like Red Bull. As the Mayo Clinic explains it can help balance fluids, salts and minerals. But according to research published in Nature, taurine may promote leukaemogenesis – the development of leukemia cells – and “identifies taurine as a key regulator of myeloid malignancies,” which, like leukemia, are cancers that begin in the blood, the author notes. Publicly traded companies in the space include Monster Beverage (MNST) and Celsius (CELH).