Senator Asks FDA to Investigate Logan Paul's PRIME Energy Drink

In a world where celebrities making a move into the beverage industry is a regular occurrence, it’s not shocking that some might opt for energy drinks as opposed to beer, wine or spirits. That’s what online personalities Logan Paul and KSI did with their PRIME line of drinks, which have found a substantial commercial audience and made some high-profile industry connections — including signing a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier this year.

This meteoric rise hasn’t gone unnoticed by the government, however — and now one prominent U.S. Senator has called for the Food and Drug Administration to look into the beverage in question. Gothamist reports that New York’s Chuck Schumer recently raised an alarm over the amount of caffeine found in PRIME Energy — the company’s Hydration drinks are caffeine-free — and is calling for an investigation of the beverage.

Schumer’s letter raised concerns over the amount of caffeine found in PRIME Energy, which is “[B]uyers and parents beware because it’s a serious health concern for the kids it so feverishly targets.” Harvard University’s School of Public Health recommends that adolescents consume 100 mg or less of caffeine daily; PRIME’s website notes that a single can of PRIME Energy contains 200 mg. It also contains the disclaimer that “PRIME Energy is not recommended for children under the age of 18, women who are pregnant or nursing or individuals who are sensitive to caffeine.”

What’s the Healthiest Sports Drink? We Asked a Nutritionist.

How do Gatorade, BODYARMOR, Vitamin Water and more stack up?

“I urge your agency to investigate PRIME for its overall claims, its marketing and the caffeine content, and to seriously consider PRIME’s target market of children as part of any investigation,” Schumer wrote in his letter to the FDA.

Readers of a certain age may recall Jolt Cola, which had its heyday in the 1990s — though it’s safe to say that its profile was never quite as high as PRIME Energy’s.

UPDATE: a representative for PRIME has provided the following statement responding to Senator Schumer’s letter to the FDA: “PRIME has two drinks on the market, PRIME Hydration and PRIME Energy. It is very important to make the distinction between the two products because they are vastly different. We started PRIME last year with the launch of Hydration, a healthier sports drink alternative that comes in a bottle. 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.

“As a brand, our top priority is consumer safety, so we welcome discussions with the FDA or any other organization regarding suggested industry changes they feel are necessary in order to protect consumers.”