CONTROVERSIAL YOUTUBER AND boxer Logan Paul has teamed up with fellow social media star and former boxing rival, KSI, to jump into a new business: sport and energy drinks.
Their new brand, most recently seen in a series of Super Bowl commercials, is called PRIME Drinks. The company has two product categories, each of which come in a variety of flavors. The first category is Hydration, their take on a sports drink. The second is Energy, which is, as you probably guessed, an energy drink.
Like most things the YouTubers do, PRIME is controversial. PRIME Energy has been banned in a number of schools, partly due to because of its high caffeine content, and under the table sales of the drink in schools at higher prices. KSI has a plan to fight back, though.
The PRIME website, however, states that “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.”
Nevertheless, they’re seeing great success across all markets. Their online stock is fully sold out, and consumers are selling it on eBay at a 30 percent mark-up. So, naturally, we had to investigate to see if the hype is worth it.
What’s in PRIME Hydration?
There’s two kinds of drinks that PRIME produces: Hydration and Energy.
Hydration is sold as bePRIME’s sports drink. The company boasts the drink containing 10 percent coconut water, BCAAs, B-vitamins, electrolytes, and antioxidants.
However, there doesn’t seem to be enough of any of those things to reap their benefits, says Leslie Bonci, M.P.H., R.D.N., owner of Active Eating Advice and sports dietitian for the Kansas City Chiefs.
“A hydration beverage that is advertised as a sports drink should contain the trifecta of fluids, carbohydrates, and electrolytes,” says Bonci. The drink only has 4 grams of carbs, which Bonci says is not enough. “Although [PRIME is] high in potassium, it does not contain enough sodium, no calcium, no chloride, no phosphorus and no sugars.”
All of these nutrients are necessary for the body to recover and rehydrate. Bonci suggests any of PRIME’s elder competitors for your sports drink needs instead, including Gatorade, Powerade, GoodSport, or Body Armor.
What’s in PRIME Energy?
The energy drink contains 200 mg of caffeine, nearly double the amounts of high-tier energy drink brands RedBull and Monster–and the equivalent of roughly two cups of coffee.
Caffeine, as Bonci says, is a stimulant, not a source of energy. So while this drink will hype you up, it will also crash you down as soon as it metabolizes out of your system.”Energy is calories and this product only has 10,” says Bonci.
It’s lackluster attributes don’t stop there. The product also does not contain enough electrolytes, she says. Plus, the marketing surrounding the use positive addition of B vitamins may be a little obscure. “It contains B vitamins which help in converting nutrients to energy, but vitamins themselves are NOT sources of energy,” says Bonci.
Overall, all you may get out of this energy drink is a caffeine rush and crash.
How Much is PRIME?
PRIME drinks come with a hefty price tag. A pack of 12 of Hydration and Energy run for around $30. You can get a pack of 24 Gatorades for about $15.
If you’re looking for a new sports drink, it’s probably best to save your money and stick with the classics.
Cori Ritchey, NASM-CPT is an Associate Health & Fitness Editor at Men’s Health and a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor. You can find more of her work in HealthCentral, Livestrong, Self, and others.
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