U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called on Sunday for the popular energy drink Prime to be investigated by the FDA over concerns about its high caffeine content and marketing.
Schumer (D-NY) described the energy drink as a “cauldron of caffeine,” according to a press release.
“A simple search on social media for Prime will generate an eye-popping amount of sponsored content, which is advertising. This content and the claims made should be investigated, along with the ingredients and the caffeine content in the Prime energy drink,” wrote Schumer in a letter to the FDA.
“At just 12 ounces Prime has an eye-popping level of caffeine and that’s giving parents and doctors the jitters for the kids that are targets. Here’s the other problem, most parents haven’t even heard of this stuff that their kids are begging for,” Schumer said at the press conference, per CNN.
Prime has become incredibly popular with teenagers, largely due to the impact of influencers. Demand for the drink reportedly causes it to sell out frequently.
Shivani Khosla is a content creator based in London and has documented her experience trying to buy the drink.
“The stores will stock up 6 a.m., and kids will come before school,” said Khosla, per The Washington Post. “And it’s really hard to find.”
@khoslaa Watch till the end cause I found CRATES OF PRIME. I need a Prime fridge in my room, has anyone found one? #prime #primehydration #primeenergy #primeksi #primedrink
Schumer claims the company is targeting children with its advertisements.
“Buyer and parents beware because it’s a serious health concern for the kids it so feverishly targets,” he said in the press release.
Backed by popular YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI, the drink was released last year. It is billed as vegan, with products advertised as boosting either hydration or energy. The hydration version of the drink is caffeine-free, while the energy drink contains 200 mg of caffeine in a single 12-ounce bottle.
The Frequently Asked Questions portion of the company’s website says the energy drink “is not recommended for children under the age of 18, women who are pregnant or nursing, or individuals who are sensitive to caffeine.”
Prime responded to Schumer’s criticism and released a statement addressing the caffeine content and FDA regulations.
“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,” stated Prime, per CBS News.
For healthy adults, the FDA claims that 400 mg of caffeine a day is “not generally associated with dangerous, negative effects.”
While the FDA has not set guidelines for children, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children between the ages of 12 and 18 consume no more than 100 mg each day, while children under 12 should not consume any.