If you’re an avid social media user, you may have come across Prime, a buzzy new sports drink in fact, “Drinkprime”or prime drinks, has racked up over 61 million views on TikTok. This influencer-backed beverage company is soaring in popularity, particularly with young people, and is even the official sports drink of the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship).
Prime drinks have also piqued the interest of Senator Charles Schumer, who called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2023 to investigate Prime for its marketing tactics and elevated caffeine content.
Here, we unpack the controversy surrounding the popular Prime drinks—and what’s really in those neon-colored cans.
What Are Prime Drinks?
Created in 2022 by YouTube sensations and amateur boxing rivals, Logan Paul and Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji (KSI), Prime drinks are described as “bold, thirst-quenching flavors to help you refresh, replenish and refuel,” according to the company website.
Prime Hydration is Prime’s caffeine-free beverage. It’s available in 16-fluid ounce bottles as well as hydration packets designed to be mixed with water. It comes in 10 flavors, ranging from Glowberry to Ice Pop.
Prime Energy is another offering from the Prime product lineup. It comes in 12-ounce servings, but is packaged in cans instead of bottles. The primary point of distinction, however, lies in Prime Energy’s caffeine content, as it contains 200 milligrams of caffeine per serving. There are seven flavors, including Tropical Punch and Blue Raspberry.
Prime Hydration vs. Prime Energy
- Prime Hydration is formulated more like a sports drink as it contains electrolytes and vitamins, says Avery Zenker, a Canadian-based registered dietitian at EverFlex Fitness, a personal training program. Prime Energy is more of an energy drink, primarily due to its substantial caffeine content, recognized as a stimulant, she adds.
- Prime Energy drinks include a label indicating that they’re not recommended for individuals under 18 years of age, those with caffeine sensitivity and women who are pregnant or nursing. This practice aligns with the American Beverage Association’s (ABA) labeling guidelines for caffeinated beverages.
Prime Hydration Ingredients
Below is a summary of the ingredients found in Prime Hydration drinks, as detailed by Zenker and Christina Lombardi, a New York City-based registered dietitian and the owner of Functional Nutrition Rx, a nutrition private practice.
- Water
- Coconut water
- Electrolytes (sodium, magnesium and potassium)
- Branched-chain amino acids
- Antioxidants vitamins A and E
- B vitamins
- Artificial sweeteners (sucralose and acesulfame potassium)
- Natural flavors
- Gum arabic and ester gum as stabilizers
- Sea salt (in the hydration sticks)
Electrolyte replenishment is important after strenuous exercise, emphasizes Lindsay Malone, a private practice registered dietitian and instructor at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. Interestingly, Prime Hydration provides less sodium (10 milligrams)—an electrolyte that maintains fluid balance—in comparison to other sports drinks, notes Zenker. While the coconut water base offers potassium, which can contribute to sweat replenishment, Prime is missing the mark on the electrolyte we lose the most through sweat—sodium, says Dana White, a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified athletic trainer in Connecticut.
For a sports drink, Prime Hydration is high in potassium and suboptimal in its carbohydrate content at 5 grams, adds Kansas City Chiefs’ sports dietitian Leslie Bonci. Optimal carbohydrate content is 4 to 8 grams per 100 milliliters, so Prime Hydration’s 500 milliliters (one serving) should contain 40 to 80 grams of carbohydrate, Bonci explain
Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)—L-isoleucine, L-leucine and L-valine—are essential amino acids, adds Zenker. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and the ones present in Prime are considered essential amino acids, meaning they cannot be made by the body and must be obtained through diet. BCAAs may be helpful for some during exercise to improve performance and muscle building, say Malone and Lombardi. However, it’s important to note that BCAAs can be obtained from protein-rich foods, too, and the labeling on Prime doesn’t provide the amount of BCAA content, making it difficult to gauge its impact, says Zenker.
Additionally, Prime Hydration contains B vitamins, and while those are important nutrients, they don’t add anything to the hydration potential of a beverage, says Bonci. White agrees, explaining “you don’t lose B vitamins in sweat.” These nutrients are very common in the food supply and carry low risk of deficiency for most people, adds White.
Artificial sweeteners are calorie-free— however, they aren’t well-studied in children and typically taste sweeter than sugar, promoting a sweet preference, according to Zenker. While artificial sweeteners are generally considered safe, there’s still much research needed, especially regarding their long-term effects, she adds
Prime Energy Ingredients
The following is a list of the ingredients in Prime Energy beverages, summarized by our experts:
- Carbonated filtered water
- Coconut water from concentrate
- Vitamins (vitamin B6, vitamin B12)
- Electrolytes (sodium, magnesium, potassium)
- Natural flavors
- Artificial sweeteners (sucralose
- Preservatives (potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate)
- Amino acids (L-theanine and taurine)
- Inositol (a sugar alcohol)
- Caffeine
- Glucuronolactone (a substance naturally-occurring in the body and a common ingredient in energy drinks)
How Much Caffeine Is in Prime Energy?
Prime Energy contains 200 milligrams of caffeine in its 12-ounce serving cans. The FDA specifies an intake of 400 milligrams of caffeine a day in healthy adults is generally considered safe and not linked to adverse effects such as insomnia, jitters and fast heart rate.
For reference, an 8-ounce cup of coffee contains about 95 milligrams of caffeine, says Lombardi. Prime Energy has a much higher concentration of caffeine compared to other popular energy drinks, adds Zenker, noting that Red Bull contains 80 milligrams of caffeine in its 8.4-ounce can, while Rockstar has 160 milligrams of caffeine in its 16-ounce can.
It’s also important to distinguish the difference between caffeine, a stimulant, and energy, which comes from calories. As a stimulant, caffeine can improve focus and reaction time while also increasing heart
rate and respiration rate—however, it’s not a source of energy, emphasizes Bonci. Calories provide energy, yet Prime Energy has a low calorie content (a serving contains 10 calories), explain White and Bonci. For a product to be called an energy drink when it’s essentially a low-calorie stimulant drink, is “very misleading,” says Bonci.
Is Prime Energy Safe?
Despite Prime Energy’s label warning against consumption by individuals under 18 years of age, in July 2023, Sen. Schumer asserted a minimal discernible distinction in the online marketing between the two Prime beverage products. As such, he called on the FDA to investigate Prime.
“The brand, which comes in ‘hydration’ and ‘energy’ forms is ubiquitously available and was launched as a social media, influencer-type product that has the undivided attention of children under the age of eighteen,” writes Sen. Schumer in his letter. “These same children are also the target market for Prime. Many physicians have serious concern for Prime, and I write to specifically urge your agency to investigate Prime for its claims, marketing and caffeine content.”
A primary concern with Prime Energy is its caffeine content, which is especially significant for parents to consider, says Malone. Although Prime Energy labeling indicates the beverage is for those 18 and older, she observes that Prime “heavily markets toward young people who may not realize there’s a difference between Prime Energy and Prime Hydration.”
Indeed, the marketing of energy drinks in general typically employs strategies aimed at adolescents, notes Harvard Health. Energy drinks are the second most widely consumed dietary supplement among American teenagers and young adults, following multivitamins, according to the National Institutes of Health
As for caffeine and children, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children under the age of 12 years not consume any caffeine and recommend that children ages 12 to 18 years not exceed 100 milligrams of caffeine per day.
While the FDA doesn’t regulate energy drinks, it does note a caffeine limit of 71 milligrams per 12-ounce serving for sodas, according to Harvard Health, which notes many energy drink manufacturers can get around this threshold by classifying their product as a supplement.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights potential negative effects of energy drinks, such as impacts on the heart, dehydration, anxiety and sleep disturbances such as insomnia. Heart complications can include irregular heartbeat and heart failure, while anxiety can include feeling nervous and jittery. Dehydration—inadequate water in the body—is a condition that can lead to unclear thinking, mood changes, overheating, constipation and kidney stones.
While Prime Energy may be safe for some adults, consuming two servings may take you over the FDA’s recommended daily safe limit of 400 milligrams for caffeine, cautions Zenker.
How to Determine If Prime Drinks Are Right for You
To determine whether Prime drinks are right for you, it’s important to factor in your health conditions, including whether you’re pregnant or nursing, your diet, any supplements you might be using, physical activity and sleep quality, advises Zenker.
Some people turn to these drinks as substitutes for regular meals, adequate sleep or proper hydration, adds Lombardi. It’s best to address these reasons by exploring alternative solutions, such as consuming more nutrient-rich foods and prioritizing sleep.
If you determine that you need a sports or energy drink, Lombardi recommends checking out the ingredients list. Pay attention to the electrolyte content when comparing various brands, says Malone, pointing out that some brands offer drinks without artificial sweeteners and a more robust electrolyte profile than Prime. Prime drinks indeed contain fewer electrolytes and calories, and neither White nor Bonci recommend them for optimizing hydration and electrolytes, especially during activity, or for energy.
Additionally, college athletes should exercise caution when selecting energy drinks, as substances like taurine and caffeine may be prohibited, warns Lombardi. She recommends choosing NSF-certified products and seeking guidance from professionals regarding banned substances.
