They are used by millions of workers to overcome afternoon crises.
But high-caffeine energy drinks could be partly fueling the explosion of colorectal cancers in young people, US researchers warn.
They believe an ingredient in Red Bull and other major brands like Celsius and Monster may be linked to bacteria in the gut that accelerate tumor growth.
Florida researchers theorize that cancer cells use taurine, an amino acid believed to improve mental clarity, as their “primary energy source.”
At the world’s largest cancer conference this week, the team announced a new human trial that will test their hypothesis, which is based on animal studies.
They plan to find out if drinking an energy drink every day increases levels of cancer-causing gut bacteria.
High-caffeine energy drinks could be partly fueling the explosion of colorectal cancers in young people, US researchers warn, based on a new hypothesis
The graph above shows the increase in colorectal cancer in young Americans from 1999 to 2020.
DailyMail.com revealed earlier this week how diets high in sugar and low in fiber may also be contributing to the colon cancer epidemic in under-50s.
Researchers at the University of Florida are recruiting about 60 people between the ages of 18 and 40 to study them for four weeks.
Half of the group will consume at least one Red Bull or Celsius Original, a sugar-free energy drink, per day and their bowels will be compared to a control group who do not.
The upcoming trial is “one of the first” studies to evaluate potential factors contributing to meteoric colorectal cancer, researchers say.
Early-onset cancers are still rare. About 90 percent of all cancers affect people over 50 years of age.
But rates in younger age groups have soared about 70 percent since the 1990s, with about 17,000 new cases diagnosed in the United States each year.
Energy drinks first appeared in the United States in the 1940s with brands such as Dr. Enuf, but became popular after the introduction of Red Bull in 1997.
Red Bull’s aggressive marketing, which promoted the drinks as a way to increase focus, stamina, and athletic performance, helped it gain popularity among young adults and college students.
Currently, about one in three Americans say they consume energy drinks regularly.
The new research, called the ROSANNA Trial, will recruit adults with no history of colon cancer.
All participants must report consuming energy drinks less than twice a week and have no other gastrointestinal conditions.
Volunteers will be divided into two groups of equal size. The first group will consume at least one Celsius (Sparkling Peach Vibes flavor) or Red Bull energy drink per day for four weeks, while the other group will follow their usual diet.
Each participant will be required to complete dietary and fitness logs and weekly wellness diaries.
At the beginning of the study, after two and four weeks, blood, feces, urine, saliva and skin samples will be taken.
The goal of the research is to see if the taurine in drinks, which young people consume between six and 16 times the recommended limit, feeds bacteria that are “overrepresented in CRC cases.”
These are hydrogen sulfide (H2S)-metabolizing bacteria, which are “linked to inflammation and may promote a pro-cancer environment,” according to the team.
Plans for the study were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) international annual meeting in Chicago.
“These bacteria preferentially use taurine, an essential amino acid, as a primary energy source,” the team wrote.
The researchers anticipate a 20 to 30 percent increase in levels of HS2-metabolizing bacteria, based on previous studies with mice.
“This study represents one of the first prospective evaluations that potentially elucidates the reasons behind the increase (in early-onset colorectal cancer) and informs the development of future prevention strategies,” the team wrote.
Enrollment will continue through fall 2024.
TO survey 2024 found that 32 percent of adults ages 18 to 29 report consuming energy drinks regularly, and 90 percent of Americans drink some type of caffeinated beverage every day.
Currently, the U.S. energy drink market is valued at about $23 billion, driven largely by sales of Red Bull, Monster and Celsius.
In addition to caffeine, which can be twice as much as a cup of coffee, drinks like Red Bull and Celsius contain large amounts of taurine.
This amino acid is found naturally in proteins such as meat and fish.
While taurine is not actually used to make proteins in the body, as other amino acids are, it has a variety of functions, including regulating the amount of calcium in nerve cells and controlling inflammation, among other things.
Taurine has been considered safe in small amounts, although high levels have been shown to cause vomiting, upset stomach, dizziness, tiredness, diarrhea, and constipation.
Laboratory studies on taurine and cancer have produced contractor results.
In some cases, the amino acid has been shown to stop the growth and spread of tumors by up to 44 percent.
In others, it has been shown to prevent protective T cells from fighting cancer, allowing the disease to become more aggressive.
There are no federal age limits for energy drinks in the US, but some areas have local restrictions for those under 18 years of age.
Drinks, especially sugary ones, have been linked to insomnia, mood problems, dental problems and obesity.
