+

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.

Close
HomeQuizzoneWhatsappShare Flash Reads
 

A child had a 'cardiac episode' and had to have their stomach pumped after drinking a can of influencer-backed Prime Energy, parents says

May 12, 2023, 18:34 IST
Insider
Prime Energy on the shelves of a store.Mike Kemp/Getty Images
  • A school has issued warnings after a child was hospitalized after drinking a bottle of Prime Energy.
  • The child had a "cardiac episode" and had to have their stomach pumped, the parents said.
Advertisement

A British school has issued a warning after a child was hospitalized after drinking a bottle of Prime Energy, which officially launched in the UK last week.

Prime is fronted by YouTube superstars Logan Paul and KSI, and its two versions — Prime Energy and Prime Hydration — have proved highly popular among children and teenagers.

But Milton Primary School in Newport, Wales, issued a caution to parents via text message this week, according to Birmingham Live.

The text explained that one student had experienced a "cardiac episode" and had to have their stomach pumped after drinking a bottle of Prime Energy, which contains 140mg of caffeine (significantly less than the version sold in the US, which contains 200mg).

"This morning a parent has reported that their child has had a cardiac episode over the weekend after drinking a Prime energy drink," the text read, per Birmingham Live. "The child had to have their stomach pumped and although better now the parent wanted us to share this as a reminder of the potential harmful effects."

Advertisement

Insider has reached out to the school for further comment.

Representatives of Paul and KSI did not respond to requests for comment, but a spokesperson for Prime pointed Insider to warnings on Prime Energy's label, which states that the product is not recommended for under 18s, and also stressed the difference between Prime Energy and Prime Hydration.

Prime Hydration, which is the drink that has sparked a cutthroat black market in schools as a status symbol for teens, does not contain any caffeine.

The British Heart Foundation states that a standard cup of coffee contains 100mg of caffeine. The health impacts of too much caffeine on children are still not fully understood, with the CDC reporting potential dangers and hospital visits from dehydration, anxiety, insomnia, and arrhythmia.

After Prime Hydration's launch last year, videos on social media showed huge lines forming outside stores, followed by frantic "Prime run" dashes through the aisles, some of which ended in fights.

Advertisement

Stores have responded by rationing Prime to three or four bottles per customer, and in some cases by moving it behind the counter, alongside cigarettes and liquor.

The drink brought in $250 million in terms of sales in 2022, Bloomberg reported.

You are subscribed to notifications!
Looks like you've blocked notifications!
Next Article