Kids & teenagers are thirsty for Prime drinks, dietitian urges caution

WESTWOOD, Mass — A drink made popular on Youtube has local middle schoolers, and their parents on the hunt, to track down the pricey bottles.

“Little kids are obsessed with it. My brother’s in middle school, and he buys stuff like crazy, and he’s, like, reselling them to his friends,” one Westwood shopper told us.

Prime is the brainchild of social media superstar Logan Paul, who started it last year with former boxing rival KSI.

At first, Prime was available only on its own website, where the drink is now sold out. That sent their millions of followers on the hunt.

In fact, it’s hard to find at many typical supermarkets.

Online shopping shows how pricey Prime can be. Boston 25 found a variety pack on Amazon for $45 for 8 bottles. A single-flavor 12-pack was $30.

Local families we talked to said the craze sparked a second-hand market in some schools with students re-selling single bottles for a profit.

There are two kinds of Prime drinks: Hydration in a bottle and Energy in a can.

The hydration drink comes in bright bottles with names like “Meta Moon” and “Ice pop.” It’s similar to a sports drink and has 10% coconut water.

Dietitians say families should pay attention to which type they’re getting.

The energy drink contains 200 mg of caffeine, nearly double the amounts in Red Bull or Monster.

Kellie Westercamp is a registered licensed dietitian. She said the extreme caffeine can be addictive and cause insomnia, depression, irregular heart rates, and high blood pressure.

When asked if she would let her children drink Prime Energy, Westercamp said “No. Absolutely not.”

“Energy drink companies do not have to have FDA approval,” Westercamp said.

She explained that’s because energy drinks are considered “dietary supplements” which means drink manufacturers can sidestep regulations like caffeine limits, while sports drinks like Prime Hydration similar to Gatorade are categorized as “food” and have stricter regulation.

Prime did not respond to a request for a statement, but the company’s website does state, “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.”

For more information on the drinks and their ingredients visit the link here.

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