The popular drink Prime is facing scrutiny by health experts and lawmakers in the USA over its potentially dangerous levels of caffeine.
Prime, which was launched by YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI in 2022, has been flying off the shelves since being released in the UK. Some fans of Logan Paul and KSI’s endorsed drink paid £100 for a can from smaller newsagents such as Wakey Wines.
Advertising itself as zero sugar and vegan, the neon-coloured cans are among a growing number of drinks with elevated levels of caffeine; in Prime’s case, 200 milligrams per 12 ounces, equivalent to about half-a-dozen Coke cans or nearly two Red Bulls.
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This high caffeine content prompted the banning of the drink in some schools in the UK and Australia, where some paediatricians warned of possible health impacts on young children including heart problems, anxiety and digestive issues. However, company representatives have defended the product as clearly labelled “not recommended for children under 18”.
They also sell a separate sports drink, known as Prime Hydration, which contains no caffeine at all. Representatives for Prime did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A US senator has called on the country’s Food and Drug Administration to investigate the drink. In his letter to the FDA, Senator Charles Schumer, a Democrat from New York claimed there was little noticeable difference in the online marketing of the two drinks – leading many parents to believe they were purchasing a juice for their kids, only to wind up with a “cauldron of caffeine”.
He added: “One of the summer’s hottest status symbols for kids is not an outfit, or a toy – it’s a beverage. But buyers and parents beware because it’s a serious health concern for the kids it so feverishly targets.
“A simple search on social media for Prime will generate an eye-popping amount of sponsored content, which is advertising,” he wrote.
He added: "This content and the claims made should be investigated, along with the ingredients and the caffeine content in the Prime energy drink.”
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