Logan Paul’s beverage brand PRIME has defended the amount of caffeine in its energy drinks after lawmakers and health experts called on the US Food and Drug Administration to investigate the influencer-backed energy drink.
“PRIME Energy, sold in a can, dropped in 2023 and contains a comparable amount of caffeine to other top selling energy drinks, all falling within the legal limit of the countries it’s sold in,” a spokesperson for the brand told People on 11 July.
Representatives for the brand noted that the beverage “complied with all FDA guidelines” prior to hitting the market and indicated on the packaging that PRIME energy drinks are “not made for anyone under the age of 18.”
“As a brand, our top priority is consumer safety, so we welcome discussions with the FDA or any other organisation regarding suggested industry changes they feel are necessary in order to protect consumers,” they said.
PRIME, which was founded by YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI, recently faced backlash over its potentially dangerous levels of caffeine. A 12 oz can of PRIME contains 200mg of caffeine, equivalent to about half a dozen Coke cans or nearly two Red Bulls.
Earlier this week, New York Senator Charles Schumer urged the FDA to launch a probe into Paul’s energy drink, which became an overnight sensation when it launched last year. “One of the summer’s hottest status symbols for kids is not an outfit, or a toy – it’s a beverage,” the Democratic senator said in a letter to the FDA. “But buyer and parents beware because it’s a serious health concern for the kids it so feverishly targets."
The high levels of caffeine in one PRIME energy drink has even prompted bans from some schools in the United Kingdom and Australia, where some pediatricians warned of possible health impacts on young children such as heart problems, anxiety, and digestive issues.
The popular drink was also recalled in Canada, Health Canada announced on Wednesday. The government agency said that at 200mg of caffeine per can, PRIME Energy exceeds the regulator’s acceptable caffeine limit of 180mg per serving and should not be sold.
Following news that PRIME Energy was recalled in Canada, Logan Paul finally addressed concerns over his energy drink on social media. In a video posted to TikTok on 13 July, the 28-year-old YouTuber claimed that his beverage company doesn’t distribute in Canada.
“Let me repeat that,” he said in the video. “We don’t even distribute PRIME Energy in Canada. So how could it be recalled?”
“The answer is illegal or unauthorised imports of the beverage. But of course, traditional media doesn’t care about that because they just want a headline, they want clicks,” Paul continued. “The level of misinformation currently being spread about PRIME is actually insane and you have to ask yourself…why?”
The YouTuber also claimed that PRIME Energy formulas “are compliant with each specific country’s regulatory bodies”.
He added: “It actually doesn’t surprise me that we’re being targeted by massive corporate conglomerates and the United States government because, using social media, we’ve effectively created a beverage so disruptive that it is eating the market share of some of the biggest corps on the planet.”
“And quite frankly, they’re pissed.”
PRIME Energy comes in six different flavors, ranging from a tropical punch to a strawberry watermelon. The company also sells a separate sports drink, known as PRIME Hydration, which contains no caffeine at all. However, Schumer claimed in his letter to the FDA that there was little noticeable difference in the online marketing of the two drinks – leading many parents to believe they were purchasing the non-caffeinated drink, only to find a “cauldron of caffeine.”
“A simple search on social media for Prime will generate an eye-popping amount of sponsored content, which is advertising," he wrote. “This content and the claims made should be investigated, along with the ingredients and the caffeine content in the Prime energy drink.”
The FDA said in a statement Monday that it was reviewing Schumer’s letter and would respond to the senator directly.
