Prime Energy contains 140mg of caffeine (2 cups of coffee) (If sourced online, versions of the drink have been found to contain as much as 200mg of caffeine.)

While Prime Energy is sugar free, many of the other energy drinks on the market are not – containing anywhere from 1 teaspoon of sugar to a whopping 17 teaspoons in 1 can! (69 grams of sugar!)

Energy drinks – as noted on Prime’s own website – are not recommended for under 18 – despite the fact that the intensive online marketing has targeted children and teens.

How much caffeine can your child have? Expert recommendations are no caffeine under age 12. From age 12 – 17, if it can’t be avoided, limit to only 100 mg/day, and then only if there are no side effects.

What if your child/teen is consuming caffeine and experiencing side effects? They can stop drinking it but you wouldn’t be surprised to learn that, if they have been on it for weeks, like adults, they can get withdrawals! Weaning/reducing the amount of caffeine slowly over about 4 weeks might be needed just like adults do when giving up caffeine. (talk to your doc if you have concerns)

So, what’s the science? Caffeine is a “Psychostimulant” – it increases activity in the body’s nervous system. In teens, children who are developing, caffeine can interfere with sleep (so crucial for cognitive/learning, emotional, physical growth) and can make things like anxiety worse. It can cause side effects: nervousness, palpitations, restlessness, insomnia, high blood pressure.

By the way – plenty of adults are sensitive to caffeine, too! So while experts say up to 400mg a day for over age 17 – for those who are not pregnant or have underlying health conditions – it’s usually qualified by saying it should be limited in those who are sensitive to the side effects (anxiety, palpitations, high blood pressure, insomnia, etc.)

Note: while Prime Hydrate has no caffeine, it is ultra-processed with no real nutritional benefit