Caffeine-laden viral drink raises concern for the health of minors in the US

With Extremely High Caffeine Levels, A New Soda Sparks Fears In USA about the dangers it could imply for minors, who have been consuming it since it was launched by two famous “influencers”.

The drink was created in 2022 by the American Logan Paul and the British KSI, two “influencers” whose extravagant -and sometimes controversial- YouTube video channel is devoured by a child audience.

An early soft drink, Prime Hydration, did not contain caffeine. But this year a new one was released: Prime Energy.

A single can contains 200 milligrams of caffeine, much more than the 30 milligrams in a can of Coca-Cola, or the 80 in a Red Bull drink.

A launch video shows the two internet stars playing table tennis and video games, slowly and half-heartedly at first, then frantically after downing the drink.

Since then, numerous videos on TikTok have seen children proudly displaying the famous cans with a background music that reads “Guys, we got Prime!”

However, medical experts warn about the risks of caffeine consumption in younger children.

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), children under 12 years of age should not consume this chemical at all.

And between the ages of 12 and 18, the limit should be a maximum of 100 milligrams per day, or half the content in a Prime Energy can.

In addition to restlessness, anxiety and headaches, too much caffeine can cause vomiting, high blood pressure and heart rhythm problems in children, notes the AACAP. And some minors may be more sensitive to the effects than others.

“Amazing levels of caffeine”

“This product has a real target market: those under 18 years of age, and that is the reason why I sound the alarms”, Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer said last week.

Prime Energy comes in flavors that may appeal to younger children, such as orange-mango or raspberry-lemon. But the drink contains “amazing levels of caffeine for a child’s body”observed the majority leader in the Senate.

The soft drink became fashionable because “was born in the reels of social networks and the enigmatic world of ‘influencers’”Schumer added in a statement.

The parliamentarian announced that he wrote a letter to the headquarters of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), demanding an investigation into the caffeine levels in said drink and the marketing strategy it uses.

The FDA responded this week that it is “examining concerns” exposed by the senator and that he would respond directly.

“We urge managers and families to read product labels before giving them to their children”an FDA spokesperson said in a statement.

The soft drink can has a discreet legend indicating that the drink is not recommended for persons under 18 years of age. However, the warning may not be obvious to everyone thinking of opening one.

The FDA – which has already issued warnings against several companies that market caffeinated and alcoholic beverages – noted that an adult can generally consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine daily without dangerous effects, equivalent to four or five cups of coffee.

expanding market

Logan Paul, one of his promoters, partially responded to the controversy by posting a video on social media on Thursday.

The “influencer” was offended by the articles in some media that reported that the Prime Energy drink was withdrawn from the market in Canada. However, the measure was only an action against illegal imports, since the soft drink is not officially distributed in that country.

“Prime formulas are adjusted to the regulatory bodies of each country”he explained.

“I am not surprised that we are targeted by large business conglomerates and the United States government”Paul said. “Indeed, we created such a disruptive drink that it is eating up the market shares of large companies on the planet!” He argued.

The energy drink market is thriving and expanding, with American supermarket shelves stocked with multiple brands.

In its first year of operations, Prime sold $250 million worth of products, the businessman had said in a previous interview.

Source: AFP