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Sen. Schumer calls on FDA to investigate PRIME energy drinks for caffeine content
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Jul 9, 2023
Modified Jul 10, 2023
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Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Jul 9, 2023
Modified Jul 10, 2023
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A newly-popular sports energy drink is all the rage with kids and teens. But PRIME’s caffeine content is making it an enemy with parents, schools and medical professionals.
On Sunday, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer called for an investigation from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.
“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,” Schumer said.
YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI launched the energy drink – which boasts 200 mg of caffeine per can – last year. The drink is regularly seen on social media sites, like TikTok, and is already “surpassing some of the biggest beverage companies in the world,” according to its website. And the beverage company is expected to sign a contract with FC Barcelona, after its contract with Gatorade ended last month, and is now the official sports drink for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
But the drink’s popularity among minors is troubling considering that it contains twice the daily recommended amount of caffeine for those ages 12 to 18, according to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Medical professionals in the U.S., U.K. and Australia are warning parents about the energy drink while some schools are banning it from campuses altogether. One child in Wales reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest shortly after drinking it.
In a letter to the FDA’s commissioner, Schumer asked the department to investigate the energy drink “for its claims, marketing and caffeine content.”
“The website features insufficient warnings about caffeine content, despite the eye-popping amount,” Schumer wrote in the letter. “Again, I urge your agency to investigate PRIME for its overall claims, its marketing and the caffeine content, and to seriously consider PRIME’s target market of children as part of any investigation.”
In a statement to Gothamist, PRIME spokesperson Alyx Sealy said the brand has two drinks on the market: PRIME Hydration and PRIME Energy, which are "vastly different."
“We started PRIME last year with the launch of Hydration, a healthier sports drink alternative that comes in a bottle," Sealy said. "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."
Sealy said PRIME welcomed further discussions with the FDA, "or any other organization regarding suggested industry changes they feel are necessary in order to protect consumers."
The FDA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The energy drink comes in six flavors: Ice Pop, Lemon Lime, Tropical Punch, Blue Rasberry, Strawberry Watermelon and Orange Mango, according to its website. It is vegan, contains no sugar or gluten and contains 300 mg of electrolytes, and it is advertised for those over 18.
The brand also sells other products: PRIME Hydration, another drink, and PRIME Hydration + Sticks, which can be added to beverages. Both are caffeine-free.
This story has been updated with comment from PRIME.
Tagged
new york state
Politics
Health and Science
Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
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