The release of Prime, a beverage brand founded by YouTube personality and boxer Logan Paul, had British teenagers lining up for hours outside grocery stores on its December release date. Some supermarkets have even been forced to limit purchases one bottle per customer.
Now, Prime is facing a backlash from physicians and lawmakers who say high levels of caffeine in one of its drinks could harm children. At a news conference in New York on Sunday, Senator Chuck Schumer, the majority leader, called for the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the ultra-caffeinated variety of Prime, which he pointed out has caffeine levels equivalent to more -about six 12-ounce cans. of Coca-Cola.
Prime offers two types of drinks: Prime Hydration, a caffeine-free sports drink, and Prime Energy, a high-caffeinated drink. A 12-ounce Prime Energy contains 200 milligrams of caffeine, compared to the 114 milligrams of caffeine in a 12-ounce can of Red Bull or the 100 milligrams found in a cup of coffee. Pediatricians recommend that children under 12 avoid caffeine completely, and those from 12 to 18 should consume no more than 100 milligrams per day.
Senator Schumer said Prime Energy has “so much caffeine in it, it puts Red Bull to shame.” He added that Prime differs from other high-caffeinated energy drinks because its advertising campaign appears to target under-18s.
Mr. Paul, a high-profile provocateur known for his controversial videos, has long faced questions about the example he sets for young people. She won two Teen Choice awards, decided primarily by voters aged 13 to 19, and when her loyal fans, known as Logans, chase her down, they often get it wrong. He launched Prime in 2022 with Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji, a 30-year-old rapper and another prominent YouTube personality known by his online alias, KSI.
In a letter to Dr. Robert Califf, head of the FDA, on Monday, Senator Schumer urged the agency to investigate the beverage company.
“Many physicians have serious concerns for Prime, and I am writing to specifically urge your agency to investigate Prime for its claims, marketing and caffeine content,” Senator Schumer wrote.
Prime said in a statement to The New York Times that every can of its energy drink “clearly states” that it is not made for anyone under 18. The company added that the drink has caffeine levels comparable to other top-selling energy drinks and that Prime complies with FDA guidelines.
The official backlash comes as America’s major beverage companies vie for a piece of the fast-growing market for energy drinks. Over the past five years, sales in the energy drink industry have increased from $12 billion to $19 billion, according to Circana, a market research firm. Recently, companies like Pepsi and Gatorade have both invested in new lines of caffeinated drinks, and shares of Monster Energy, another caffeinated drink, have risen 30 percent in the past year. Experts say the uproar has been fueled in part by a decades-long pivot away from sugary soda.
Senator Schumer said at Sunday’s news conference that parents brought Prime to her attention. But the energy drink is part of a growing field of high-caffeine drinks popular among young people on TikTok. These drinks include the Alani Nu brand, which is backed by social media influencer Addison Rae, and Celsius, which is backed by Pepsi.
Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez, a pediatrician at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital who joined Senator Schumer at Sunday’s news conference, wrote in an email to The Times that regularly drinking more of the caffeine found in Prime Energy can interfere in the sleep cycle, which is important to a child’s brain development.
High caffeine consumption can also give consumers anxiety and cause digestive issues, headaches, heart palpitations and even abnormal heart rhythms, he added.
Mr. became famous. Paul as a popular YouTube personality and has since ventured into other avenues like acting and boxing.
Representatives for Mr. Paul did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A Prime representative said in a statement that it was “very important” to distinguish between two drinks on the market, one of which – Prime Hydration – is also very popular among young consumers and does not contain any caffeine.
“We welcome discussions with the FDA” on industry changes needed to protect consumers, a Prime representative added.
But said Dr. Bracho-Sanchez said the way the companies marketed the two drinks — with flashy packaging and a social media blitz aimed at younger consumers — made it difficult to tell them apart. The “energy” branding is also misleading, he added.
“This is not real energy. It’s not a good night’s sleep followed by a healthy meal, it’s a caffeine rush followed by a crash.”