Thousands have been rushing to their local convenience stores to grab one trending item off its shelves: an energy drink. With its bold branding and colorful packaging, PRIME energy drinks have taken the social media world by storm– racking up over 250 million dollars in retail sales since its release. However, this trending drink may be doing more harm than good, according to recent calls for an investigation from the FDA.
PRIME, a sports drink brand, was founded in 2022 by internet personalities Logan Paul and KSI, who advertised this business on social media to their audiences. 70% of whom are young adolescents under the age of 24. The drink comes in two different forms: non-caffeinated, and energy drinks– which are all the rage. Sold with catchy names such as Ice Pop, Tropical Punch, and Strawberry Watermelon, these fun flavors combined with trendy advertising attract teenagers, urging them to buy these drinks.
Luke Van Dyke ’25, who discovered the drink on the social media platform TikTok, shared the root of his interest: “I love trying new drinks– and it’s appealing because it’s Logan Paul.”
However, as of July 11, the FDA has been alerted to the concerning amount of caffeine in these colorful cans. PRIME energy contains 200 milligrams of caffeine or the equivalent of two cans of Red Bull. According to a study by Columbia University Irving Medical Center, an increased caffeine intake in younger children can result in disruption of brain development, high blood pressure, and eventually caffeine addiction, which is the main cause of concern for parents and experts.
Even though the drink is labeled for those above 18 years of age, some claim it is irresponsible for PRIME to advertise the drink at all based on their demographic.
Bennett McKee ’25 stated, “If these drinks were being marketed to adults who should be aware of the effects it has, that would be fine, but they are marketing it to impressionable children who only want it because their favorite creators are advertising it.”
As of now, no action has been taken regarding the worrying amount of caffeine in PRIME energy drinks.