Health chiefs have been urged to look into an energy drink that is selling hot cakes among American youth and is backed by a global YouTube superstar.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to look into the caffeine content of PRIME Energy, which is co-owned by influencer Logan Paul.
Mr Schumer warned it has ‘dazzling caffeine content for a young child’s body’, with 200 milligrams per 12 ounces – six times the caffeine of a can of Coca-Cola and double that of a regular Red Bull.
However, health experts have stressed that it’s not the only caffeinated drink packed with caffeine, leading to claims that Mr Schumer is cherry picking.
For example, cans from competitors Celsius and Rockstar have the same amount. In some cases, they also contain more calories and added sugars.
While PRIME tops the list of most caffeinated drinks, it’s not the only energy drink out there. Celsius and Rockstar have the same amount of caffeine. And while sodas like Coca-Cola rank lower, they’re packed with added sugars and high fructose corn syrup
PRIME Energy was launched last year by YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI. It is available in a variety of flavors and contains 0 calories or added sugars
Mr Schumer seemed to disagree with PRIME’s brightly colored labels, which are popular with children and have seen them flying off the shelves since its launch last year.
PRIME Energy has pulled in more than $42.5 million in sales this year alone, according to Circana data provided to BevNet. PRIME Hydration, a caffeine-free version of the drink from the same company, sold $250 million in its first year.
“One of summer’s most popular status symbols for kids isn’t an outfit or a toy — it’s a drink,” Mr Schumer said. “But buyer and parents beware, because it is a serious health problem for the children it is so feverishly targeting.”
However, competitors like Celsius and Rockstar have just as much caffeine as PRIME. And soft drinks like Coca-Cola are loaded with added sugars and artificial sweeteners like aspartame, which has been labeled a possible carcinogen.
Caffeine is an addictive stimulant that keeps a person awake throughout the day by binding to receptors in the brain and blocking the production of adenosine – a chemical produced after a person expends energy.
Adenosine is crucial for sleep. The compound helps signal the brain that it’s time to rest because energy is running low.
Kids who don’t get enough sleep every night often have worse memories and emotional regulation than their peers.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that two-thirds of children and teens under 18 don’t get enough sleep each night.
Studies have seen a sharp decline in sleep time among teens and adolescents in recent years – many declared the situation a public health crisis.
a judgement published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2020 found that the stimulant “impedes the growth and development of children.”
It is also known to cause hyperactivity and ‘jumpiness’ in young children who consume too much.
Caffeine consumption can also be fatal for children suffering from chronic heart conditions such as arrhythmias and heart defects.
This is because the stimulant causes a person’s heart rate to increase rapidly when used in high doses.
Children under the age of 12 are not recommended by the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) to consume caffeine for any reason. A teenager should not be given more than 100 mg per day.
Mr Schumer’s call to action comes two months after a child in Wales suffered a ‘heart attack’ and had to have their stomach pumped after drinking a can of PRIME Energy.
Within 24 hours of Mr. Schumer’s announcement, searches for “prime drink caffeine” and “prime drink caffeine content” exploded by 2,400 percent and 3,233 percent, according to data from Zevo Health.
According to a warning on the PRIME website, the drink is not recommended for children under the age of 18, pregnant or nursing women, or individuals sensitive to caffeine.
The FDA has said that up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day is safe to consume.
Despite the high caffeine content, the brand touts that its drinks are vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free.
And it’s not the only one packed with caffeine.
For example, a 16-ounce can of Rockstar has the same amount of caffeine as PRIME Energy at 200 milligrams. In addition, the same serving of Monster has 160 milligrams.
Red Bull has 111 milligrams of caffeine per 12 ounces. However, the eight-ounce can contains even less caffeine than a cup of coffee, at about 80 milligrams.
It also contains taurine, an amino acid that occurs naturally in the body and in various foods. It is responsible for several vital processes, including muscle function, vision and metabolism.
Even a large Starbucks Americano has 150 milligrams of caffeine, 50 percent more than the average cup of coffee. Cups of black tea and coffee contain about 47 and 95 milligrams, respectively.
Like PRIME, the Celsius energy drink contains 200 milligrams of caffeine per 12-ounce can. It also claims to be made from “healthier” ingredients.
According to the brand’s website, the drinks contain no sugar, aspartame, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial preservatives.
However, a recent lawsuit alleged that the “no preservatives” claim was bogus, as the drink contains citric acid. People who purchased Celsius products between January 1, 2015 and November 23, 2022 were eligible for a $250 payout.
Some varieties of the brand contain varying levels of caffeine, including Celsius BCAA, which contains 100 milligrams, and Celsius Heat, which contains 300 milligrams.
“We recommend no more than (2) 12 oz cans / (2) servings per day, and that you follow the daily serving recommendations for all other Celsius products,” the brand states on its website.
While popular soft drinks such as Coca-Cola and Diet Coke contain much less caffeine, they are loaded with harmful ingredients such as sugar and artificial sweeteners.
For example, a 12-ounce can of regular Coke contains 34 milligrams of caffeine. It has 39 grams of added sugar, more than the American Heart Association’s daily recommended limit for both men and women.
It also contains high fructose corn syrup, which has been linked to several conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, fatty liver and high cholesterol.
Each can contains 140 calories, while PRIME and Celsius both contain 10 calories each.
In contrast, while a can of Diet Coke has 0 calories and no added sugar, it contains slightly more caffeine at 46 milligrams.
It’s also sweetened with aspartame, an artificial sweetener that made headlines last month after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” meaning it has an increased risk of causing cancer.