Prime Energy, the coveted drink created by YouTubers KSI and Logan Paul, has come under fire for containing the same amount of caffeine as six cans of Coke.
Senator Charles Schumer has now called on the US Drug Administration to investigate Prime for its high caffeine content.
A UK doctor also voiced her concerns to parents, after Prime Energy launched in the UK in April.
When Prime Hydration, the first version of the drink, was first launched in the UK in June 2022 by English internet star KSI and American YouTuber Logan Paul, it flew off the shelves, leading to chaotic scenes in supermarkets, and some shops selling them for as much as £100.
There was no age restriction on the bottles, as it didn't contain caffeine, so children were able to buy the sports drink, although a nutritionist warned against it. However, after the caffeinated beverage Prime Energy launched, parents at a school in Milton Primary School in Newport, Wales, were sent a message by the management after an unnamed child had to have their stomach pumped.
Dr Deborah Lee, Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, has said its "worryingly common" to see reports of teens who have suffered "harmful consequences after consuming energy drinks".
She told The Mirror: "Now here is yet another account of a primary school child with a serious cardiac event and needing to have their stomach pumped. This is hugely concerning."
Although on Prime's website it states that "Prime Energy is not recommended for children under the age of 16", parents need to be aware of which Prime drink they are buying, as they shouldn't be letting anyone under that age have the energy version.
Dr Lee said: "Energy drinks are not safe, and children, teenagers and their parents need to be made aware of this right away."
A 330ml can of Prime Energy contains a whopping 140mg of caffeine – compared to 80mg in a 250ml can of Red Bull.
Taking a closer look at this, Dr Lee explained: "The European Food Standards Agency (EFSA) states a safe limit of caffeine for children (aged three to 18 years) as 3 mg/kg body weight per day.
"For a 10-year-old weighing 30kg, this means an upper limit of 90 mg of caffeine. In this one Prime drink, there is 140 mg of caffeine – 36% more than the recommended levels."
Caffeine is a stimulant, which Dr Lee says causes "increasing alertness, but it also reduces coordination and can cause anxiety, dizziness, headaches and insomnia".
She added: "Children are more sensitive to caffeine than adults, meaning a lower dose can have a more pronounced effect."
Dr Lee also noted two other ingredients that aren't suitable for children – the artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame. Artificial sweeteners "can raise blood glucose and insulin levels, as well as make unfavourable changes in the gut microbiome," Dr Lee explained.
According to the doctor, children shouldn't need to drink energy drinks. She added: "Children should have bags of energy! If they don't – they need to be taken to see their GP. Energy drinks are not the answer."
"I actually find it amusing these are called energy drinks when there's no energy in them. They contain 10 kcal per can – about the same as a stick of celery! The should more correctly be called stimulant drinks – not energy drinks – to warn users of the stimulant effects of caffeine.
"Why are children and young people continuing to drink these drinks when the evidence shows they are so bad for their health? I can only conclude that it must be the result of clever marketing techniques and consumer hype which need to be stopped in their tracks."
The Mirror has reached out to Prime for comment.
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