A US senator believes the PRIME Energy drink should be investigated because it is a "serious health concern" for children.
Charles Schumer, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, has pointed towards the potentially dangerous levels of caffeine in the beverage that continues to be promoted by YouTube creators KSI and Logan Paul.
Such is his concern, Schumer has called on the Food and Drug Administration to launch an investigation into Prime Energy.
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In a letter to the FDA, Schumer suggests parents are being led to believe that they are purchasing juice for their children, only to end up with 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 said.
“This content and the claims made should be investigated, along with the ingredients and the caffeine content in the Prime energy drink.”
So how much caffeine does PRIME contain? In 12 ounces of Prime (around 354 millilitres), there are 200 milligrams of caffeine.
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To put that amount into perspective, a single can of original Coca Cola (330ml) contains 32 milligrams of caffeine, while Diet Coke has 42 milligrams.
A 250-ml can of Red Bull Energy Drink, meanwhile, contains 80mg of caffeine.
"One of the summer’s hottest status symbols for kids is not an outfit, or a toy—it’s a beverage," Schumer added. "But buyer and parents beware because it’s a serious health concern for the kids it so feverishly targets.”
According to a warning on the company's website, PRIME Energy is not recommended for children under the age of 18.
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Dr Deborah Lee of Dr Fox Online Pharmacy warned parents about the harmful consequences of consuming energy drinks.
She told The Mirror: "The European Food Standards Agency (EFSA) states a safe limit of caffeine for children (aged three to 18 years) as 3 mg/kg body weight per day.
"For a 10-year-old weighing 30kg, this means an upper limit of 90 mg of caffeine. In this one Prime drink, there is 140 mg of caffeine – 36% more than the recommended levels."
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She added: "Energy drinks are not safe, and children, teenagers and their parents need to be made aware of this right away."
Following its launch in early 2021, the PRIME energy drink became a worldwide phenomenon, with millions clamoring to get their hands on the beverage.
In fact, people continue to wake up in the early hours to purchase a bottle from selected supermarkets around the United Kingdom.
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A statement from a PRIME representative told SPORTbible: “PRIME has two drinks on the market, PRIME Hydration and PRIME Energy. It is very important to make the distinction between the two products because they are vastly different.
"We started PRIME last year with the launch of Hydration, a healthier sports drink alternative that comes in a bottle.
"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.
"It complied with all FDA guidelines before hitting the market and states clearly on packaging, as well as in marketing materials, that it is an energy drink and is 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 organization regarding suggested industry changes they feel are necessary in order to protect consumers.”
Topics: Logan Paul, KSI
Jack Kenmare