We’ve always heard that energy drinks like are bad for us. The caffeine and sugar combination makes you bounce off the walls, struggling to focus and sleep.
Health experts also say that the large amounts of caffeine in energy drinks “may cause serious heart and blood vessel problems such as heart rhythm disturbances and increases in heart rate and blood pressure.” Additionally, caffeine may harm children’s still-developing cardiovascular and nervous systems.
But some scientists are now calling for more research to be done into energy drinks as they believe they contain ingredients that could potentially help us live longer.
Within the myriad of chemicals, sweeteners and caffeine that’s found in popular energy drinks, there’s one key ingredient that scientists are interested in: taurine.
So, what exactly is taurine?
Taurine is an amino acid found naturally in the body and decreases as we get older. You get it from protein-rich foods like meat such as chicken and turkey, seafood (specifically scallops and tuna), eggs and seaweed.
The amino acid helps with everything from boosting energy, helping balance important minerals and improving heart disease risk factors.
And this month, research carried out by Columbia University has revealed that there’s a surprising link between taurine and how it affects how long we live.
The report published following the research shows that levels of taurine fell by around 80% as we age, but a “reversal of this decline through taurine supplementation increases health span and life span in mice and worms and health span in monkeys.”
Not only that, but they found that the taurine supplementation in these animal species increase their overall health, as well as how long they lived.
The taurine-fed middle-aged mice had an improved functioning of bone, muscle, pancreas, brain, fat, gut and immune system, which the team said indicated “an overall increase in health span.” The same effects were found in the monkeys tested.
All very well and good for mice, worms and monkeys, but what about humans?
The researchers say that long-term, controlled taurine supplementation trials need to be carried out on humans to find out how it affects our health and life span.
In the meantime, it might be worthwhile topping up your taurine sources if you want to live longer and healthier.
Energy drinks might not be the most efficient way to do this, though… try loading up on your lean, white meats and eggs. And for vegans, you can add in a supplement to get your hit, too.