The new PRIME drink has taken the internet by storm and kids (and parents) are obsessed. The beverage, created by YouTube star Logan Paul and boxer KSI, is sold out everywhere and third-party sellers are selling it for a lot of money. As a registered dietitian and mom of three big PRIME drink fans, I want to help everyone understand how much is prime drink and what it means for our health and safety.
When the PRIME drink line first launched, it had such a cult following that people were literally grabbing bottles off shelves like rowdy teen boys at a prize beanie baby swap. One video posted to Instagram showed staff at a shop in the UK hauling up sold-out signs as hundreds of customers rushed in, fighting each other to clasp a bottle. It has since made $250 million in sales and become the official sports drink of the Los Angeles Dodgers, English professional football team Arsenal and mixed martial arts organization UFC.
Each 12-ounce can of Prime energy drink contains 200 milligrams of caffeine, which is more than twice as much as a can of Coke and nearly the same amount as a can of Red Bull. Although caffeine improves physical performance and endurance, it also increases the heart rate and blood pressure and can cause anxiety, nausea and jitters. Too much can even kill you.
While both Prime Hydration and Prime Energy contain zero grams of sugar, they are sweetened with artificial sweeteners, which can be hard on our gut microbiome. Plus, a diet high in artificial sweeteners may promote a preference for sweet foods, says Zenker. And while they both offer hydration and some B vitamins, you don’t lose B vitamins through sweat and the added nutrients aren’t needed when you have adequate food choices.