KSI and Logan Paul’s popular sports and hydration drink has caused quite the sensation among young people, selling out in stores quickly before being resold at exorbitant rates online. But is it safe?
Prime beverages contain ingredients such as B vitamins, electrolytes, and branched-chain amino acids that claim to improve performance; however, the evidence doesn’t support such claims.
It’s a sports drink.
PRIME Drink is a sports beverage that has taken the world by storm. Created by social media influencers Logan Paul and KSI, it quickly gained an enormous cult following among young people. Logan Paul and KSI turned rivalries into business partnerships when they released PRIME Drink, creating an immediate demand in supermarkets and online. Made with natural ingredients and endorsed by several athletes and celebrities. Available in five flavors with low sugar content, additionally containing branched-chain amino acids to ease muscle soreness and prevent muscle loss!
Prime’s success has resulted in shortages, third-party seller price markups, accusations of making false health claims and employing scarcity marketing techniques to drive demand. Although these may work short-term, their long-term effectiveness remains questionable. It remains uncertain how Prime can compete with established brands such as Gatorade or Pepsi which offer lower sugar alternatives.
PRIME sports drinks may appear appealing for children under 18, yet are unsuitable due to containing caffeine which can be hazardous for young people in large doses. As such, their label clearly warns them against their use by children without adult supervision; many schools have even banned this beverage though it remains available at stores.
PRIME drinks have proven immensely popular with young people outside supermarkets hoping to obtain one. But their popularity is sparking controversy from both parents and health experts; some fear their success may trigger a moral panic with politicians calling for the removal of all caffeinated beverages from the market – although that would likely prove difficult as regulation would probably only become difficult due to their vast supply chain. Prime Hydration offers surprisingly low sugar and calorie counts thanks to sucralose sweetness instead of artificial sweeteners, which may harm children or teens.
It’s a hydration drink.
YouTube stars KSI and Logan Paul have entered the energy drink industry with Prime, offering two varieties – hydration and energy – of energy drinks with electrolyte- and vitamin-packed benefits while offering something extra: caffeine. One 12oz energy can contain 200mg, while its hydration counterpart does not.
Brightly-colored packaging features drinks in summery flavors such as Ice Pop and Tropical Punch, making these drinks suitable as sports and recovery drinks; Arsenal FC even partnered with them in promoting them! However, consumers should exercise caution when purchasing such products; ingredients may differ between each batch purchased and could contain more than anticipated.
Prime Drink’s hydration drinks are advertised as naturally-flavored; however, this statement can be misleading since these beverages contain artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and acesulfame potassium, which originate in nature. Furthermore, the citric acid found in some versions may lead to gastric distress in some individuals.
Products like energy drinks are not the answer to meeting hydration needs and should be avoided by anyone seeking to lead a healthy life. Instead, water and 100% fruit juices/milk for kids should suffice – such beverages contain too much sugar and caffeine, leading to health complications in young ones.
Hydration drinks generally do not offer many nutrients vital to good health; these beverages provide essential electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals and are low in calories – ideal for people trying to lose weight or reduce consumption of sugary drinks. Unfortunately, however, they may not be appropriate as rehydrating beverages following physical activities like workouts.
Celebrities may tout these drinks as exercise aids, yet these beverages may not be appropriate for young athletes. Citric acid can cause stomach upset in specific individuals. At the same time, their ingredients may not provide as many health benefits to young athletes as they would to older adults. They could increase vitamin toxicity risks in those under 18.
It’s a recovery drink.
You may have seen YouTubers KSI and Logan Paul promote Prime as their new sports and hydration drink, which has recently seen increased demand and many stores limiting how many bottles each customer can purchase at one time. With no added sugar and boasting low calories and plenty of electrolytes, Prime has quickly become one of the go-to products in its category – even becoming an official sponsor of both Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Arsenal FC in England!
According to its company claims, Prime is an energy and fitness drink made up of coconut water, B vitamins, BCAAs, and antioxidants. At the same time, registered dietitians indicate its benefits as worth its price tag.
The drink includes filtered water, coconut water from concentrate, citric acid, dipotassium phosphate, try magnesium citrate, sucralose, natural flavorings, and beta-carotene for coloring. Furthermore, this beverage also provides potassium, calcium, magnesium, and essential branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), including leucine, isoleucine, and valine, which repair muscle and decrease soreness.
Although its label touts “high in protein,” nutritionists say it only contains small amounts. Although protein supplements are necessary for muscle development, food-based sources are preferred over these supplements for optimal muscle growth. A protein-rich diet should contain meats, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, beans, and dairy.
Prime Energy and Prime Hydration can be found on the company website, with Prime Energy boasting 200mg of caffeine while Prime Hydration does not. While specific amounts for each ingredient have not been listed on their respective pages, we can assume the caffeine content to be similar to an average cup of coffee. Furthermore, Hydration contains artificial vitamins, including retinyl palmitate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, and cyanocobalamin; too much consumption could be toxic and pose health risks.
It’s a caffeine drink.
PRIME was quickly embraced by teens and children upon its introduction by YouTube stars KSI and Logan Paul, making an instantaneous impactful impactful impactful hit with teens and children alike. However, it is marketed as a sports and hydration drink containing significant amounts of caffeine, which could be dangerous for children. Furthermore, its packaging does not differentiate between hydration and energy drinks, confusing parents and consumers. Finally, it’s sweetened with sucralose, which may cause health concerns for some parents.
Though it remains unclear as to the difference between Prime’s two beverages, both contain high levels of caffeine and are, therefore, unsuitable for children under 18. While one product has no artificial coloring (hydration drink) and the energy drink contains some (energy drink contains artificial colors as well), both products share identical packaging and summery flavors; their labels list caffeine content, but these warnings are minor on the back. Dr. Chatterjee suggested that Prime should make these warnings larger and more prominent.
Since their release, these drinks have proven immensely popular and frequently sell out and resell at higher prices. Their brand enjoys widespread social media awareness and can be found featured in TikTok videos. Unfortunately, some lawmakers are alarmed at the high caffeine content in this product, and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer is calling upon the FDA to investigate it, alleging it poses risks to young people.
Although PRIME has never been tested on children, some experts feel that its contents may be too much for children to consume and could cause heart palpitations, restlessness, insomnia in confident children, dehydration, and headaches. Although parents are concerned about possible health risks from PRIME products they consume, others believe it’s just another marketing ploy designed to boost sales.
PRIME contains other ingredients that make it less nutritious than its competitors, in addition to caffeine. Citric acid is present naturally in citrus fruit and offers health benefits. However, PRIME uses both Manufactured Citric Acid, produced synthetically from citric acid found in citrus fruit, and Manufactured Citric Acid that may cause gastric discomfort for some individuals, and sucralose sweetening agents, which should not be consumed by children under 18.
