Is the taurine in energy drinks harmful?
Taurine in energy drinks does not appear to be harmful in the short term, but the real risks lie in the caffeine and sugar. If you want a reason to avoid energy drinks, that is the right one.
The dangers of energy drinks do not come from taurine, but from caffeine and sugar. A single can contains 80 to 300 mg of caffeine and up to 35 grams of sugar per serving. Four documented deaths and four cases of seizures have been linked to caffeine. Insomnia, a rapid heart rate and erosion of tooth enamel are other well-known consequences. Those are the ingredients you should be concerned about.
Taurine itself is less worrying on this point. Research finds no harmful effects at the amounts present in common energy drinks. There is even some indication that taurine actually dampens certain unwanted effects of caffeine on the heart and blood vessels. The EU Scientific Committee on Food noted this as early as 2003. However, this has not been studied well enough in humans to draw firm conclusions.
As for the cardiovascular responses to energy drinks, such as rising blood pressure and heart rate, well-designed research points to caffeine and sugar as the primary causes. A contribution from taurine cannot be ruled out, but has not been demonstrated so far.
There is, however, one serious caveat: the long-term safety profile of taurine is poorly studied. Researchers state explicitly that more research is urgently needed, particularly for children and adolescents. The same applies to effects on the nervous system and hormonal balance, areas in which hardly any research has been done. The absence of evidence of harm is therefore not a clean bill of health, especially not for young people who drink energy drinks regularly.
This answer draws on multiple reviews, including overviews of existing literature and reports from authorities such as the EU Scientific Committee on Food. Researchers agree that taurine in energy drinks does not itself cause any known short-term harm, but they also point to clear gaps: there are no long-term studies and virtually no well-designed research in humans examining taurine as a standalone ingredient. The evidence is therefore thin, not absent.
How harmful are trans fats, exactly?
Industrial trans fats are demonstrably harmful to your heart and blood vessels, even in small amounts. Avoid them by checking ingredient lists for 'partially hydrogenated oil'.
Is taking a daily aspirin smart or dangerous?
Whether a daily aspirin is smart or dangerous depends entirely on your age and medical profile. Take aspirin only on a doctor's advice and never stop or start it on your own.
Is loud snoring dangerous for my health?
Loud snoring is associated with serious health risks: arterial calcification, higher mortality after a heart attack and dangerous daytime sleepiness. If you snore loudly on a regular basis and feel tired during the day, have it checked by your general practitioner.
Is green tea really as healthy as they say?
Two to three cups of green tea a day fits well into a healthy lifestyle and is probably safe, but do not take concentrated green tea extracts as a supplement: they can damage your liver.
Is coffee healthy or unhealthy?
For healthy adults, moderate coffee consumption (3 to 4 cups per day) is more likely to be healthy than unhealthy; if you are pregnant or prone to anxiety, moderation or consultation with your doctor is advisable.
Are eggs bad for your cholesterol?
Eggs are not automatically bad for your cholesterol; the rest of your diet, especially the amount of saturated fat, carries more weight. If you have high LDL, diabetes or a family history of cardiovascular disease, discuss your egg consumption with your doctor.