Chuck Schumer Asks FDA to Investigate Logan Paul and KSI's PRIME Energy Drinks
Published July 10 2023, 1:18 p.m. ET
PRIME energy drinks, a popular beverage owned by YouTube influencers Logan Paul and KSI, pose a “serious health concern” to children because they contain a “cauldron of caffeine,” says U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer.
In fact, the senator is asking the FDA to investigate this drink, leading many to wonder if there is a lawsuit against PRIME. Keep reading for the full story.
Is the FDA investigating Logan Paul's energy drink PRIME?
Schumer stated his concerns over the PRIME drink in a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2023, AP News reports. Although there is no lawsuit against PRIME, Schumer is asking the FDA to start an investigation into the drink and the company’s marketing tactics for it.
“A simple search on social media for PRIME will generate an eye-popping amount of sponsored content, which is advertising,” Schumer wrote in his letter to the FDA, as reported by AP News. “This content and the claims made should be investigated, along with the ingredients and the caffeine content in the PRIME Energy drink.”
PRIME has two products, one with caffeine and one without. The beverage Schumer wants the FDA to investigate is the PRIME Energy drink, which contains 200 milligrams of caffeine in a 12-ounce can. That’s equal to about two Red Bulls or six cans of Coke, AP News reports.
The company’s other product, PRIME Hydration, doesn’t contain any caffeine. It is sold in a plastic bottle.
The PRIME drinks have been wildly popular since they hit store shelves in 2022, especially among children. Some schools have even banned the drink because kids were selling them on school grounds.
Is there a lawsuit against PRIME drink?
Despite the concerns from lawmakers, dieticians, and parents over the PRIME drink, there don’t appear to be any lawsuits pending. Attorneys for ClassAction.org were investigating a possible lawsuit regarding possible PFAS contamination of the PRIME Hydration grape sports drinks, but that investigation was dropped as of May 2023, states the ClassAction.org website.
What are the PRIME drink ingredients?
According to the PRIME website, PRIME Energy is a vegan, gluten-free beverage that has 300 milligrams of electrolytes, 200 milligrams of caffeine, and zero sugar. The website states that the drink is for people aged 18 and above.
Energy drinks with large amounts of caffeine can cause anxiety, insomnia, dehydration, and heart complications in children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The PRIME Energy sold in the U.S. has more caffeine than its U.K. counterpart, which contains 140 milligrams of caffeine. PRIME Energy is reportedly banned from being sold in New Zealand and Denmark because it exceeds the maximum caffeine content allowed for energy drinks in those countries.
How much caffeine is too much?
Healthy adults should limit their caffeine intake to a maximum of 400 milligrams a day, as per the FDA.
The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) advises against giving caffeine to children under 12 and avoiding the use of energy drinks for children and teens. Teens aged 12 to 18 years old shouldn’t have more than 100 milligrams of caffeine a day, which is about two cans of cola, the AACAP states.
