Sen. Chunk Schumer has asked the U.S. Food and Drunk Administration (FDA) to investigate the high amount of caffeine found in energy drinks sold by Prime, a beverage brand founded by YouTube personalities Logan Paul and KSI.
According to Schumer, the “eye-popping 200 mg of caffeine” found in a single Prime energy drink is troubling, especially for a product marketed primarily to children.
“One of the summer’s hottest status symbols for kids is not an outfit, or a toy—it’s a beverage—but buyer and parents beware because it’s a serious health concern for the kids it so feverishly targets,” Schumer said in a prepared statement. “Prime is so new that most parents haven’t a clue about it, but it is born from the reels of social media and the enigmatic world of influencers. Kids see it on their phones or as they scroll, and they actually need it and the problem here is that this product has so much caffeine in it that it puts Red Bull to shame, but unlike Red Bull, this product has one true target market: children under the age of 18, and that is why I am sounding the alarm and asking the FDA to investigate Prime.”
Schumer also compared the amount of caffeine in a Prime energy drink to other options, noting that a can of Coca-Cola includes 34 mg of caffeine. This means one Prime energy drink includes more caffeine than five cans of Coca-Cola.
Schumer warned that high amounts of caffeine can do significant damage to the health of children, raising their blood pressure and interfering with their sleep schedules. This is similar to the research cardiologists and other physicians have shared about potential negative side effects of caffeine. In 2022, for instance, the European Society of Cardiology shared a position statement in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology that said consuming too much caffeine “may lead to a fast heart rate (tachycardia), heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias), high blood pressure, and in some cases, sudden cardiac death.” Read about additional research into the potential side effects of caffeine here and here.
Schumer’s addressed his message to FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, MD, a veteran cardiologist. The entire letter can be read on the Senate Democrats website.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.