Sarina Tangyingyong

Energy Drink Ingredients and Early-Onset Cancer: A Review of Taurine, Guarana, and B Vitamin Mechanisms

Started Sept. 10, 2025

Abstract or project description

Early-onset cancer, defined as a cancer diagnosis in individuals under 50 years of age, has increased steadily over the past few decades. This trend parallels the dramatic global rise of energy drink consumption, particularly among adolescents and young adults. While energy drinks’ primary ingredients, such as glucose and caffeine, have already been well established in the literature, comparatively little attention has been directed toward lesser-studied compounds. Emerging data suggest that ingredients such as taurine, guarana, and B vitamins affect tumor cells through pathways involving proliferation, viability, and immune evasion. Moreover, the combined and potential synergistic effects among these ingredients remain largely uncharacterized. This literature review evaluates the current evidence on the individual effects of taurine, guarana, and B vitamins on cancer risk and progression, and explores potential synergistic interactions among these components that may influence carcinogenesis and tumor behavior. In the context of early-onset cancers, our review highlights gaps in the existing literature and the need for further mechanistic, epidemiologic, and clinical studies to better define the role of these ingredients in cancer development and outcomes.