Influencer Logan Paul-Backed Energy Drink Under Probe for Dangerous Caffeine Levels, Twice as Much as Red Bull – News18

An influencer-backed energy drink advertised as zero sugar and vegan is facing scrutiny from American lawmakers and health experts over its potentially dangerous levels of caffeine. Backed by YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI, PRIME was an immediate sensation among children when it launched last year, prompting long lines in grocery stores and reports of schoolyard resale markets.

The neon-colored cans are among a growing number of energy drinks with elevated levels of caffeine; in PRIME’s case, 200 milligrams per 12 ounces, equivalent to about half a dozen Coke cans or nearly two Red Bulls. Logan Paul and KSI, former boxing rivals with a combined YouTube following of over 40 million, have joined forces in a business venture, marketing a sports drink known as Prime.

The duo promotes the beverage, which offers various flavors, as beneficial for hydration. KSI acknowledged the founders’ exceptional marketing skills, utilizing their massive online presence to effectively spread the word about the product.

The high caffeine content prompted bans from some schools in the United Kingdom and Australia where some pediatricians warned of possible health impacts on young children such as heart problems, anxiety, and digestive issues.

On Sunday, Senator Charles Schumer called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate PRIME, a beverage brand founded by the YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI that has become something of an obsession among the influencers’ legions of young followers.

“One of the summer’s hottest status symbols for kids is not an outfit, or a toy—it’s a beverage,” said Schumer, a Democrat from New York. “But buyer and parents beware because it’s a serious health concern for the kids it so feverishly targets.”

Company representatives, meanwhile, have defended the product as clearly labeled “not recommended for children under 18.” They sell a separate sports drink, known as PRIME Hydration, which contains no caffeine at all. Representatives for PRIME did not immediately return a request for comment.

But in his letter to the FDA, Schumer claimed there was little noticeable difference in the online marketing of the two drinks – leading many parents to believe they were purchasing a juice for their kids, only to wind up with a “cauldron of caffeine.”

“A simple search on social media for Prime will generate an eye-popping amount of sponsored content, which is advertising,” he wrote. “This content and the claims made should be investigated, along with the ingredients and the caffeine content in the Prime energy drink.”

(With AP inputs)