Parents warned over ‘very dangerous’ Prime drink after child has stomach pumped
Louisa Sherlock
Associate EditorA primary school child had a ‘cardiac episode’ after drinking the popular energy drink
Fresh warnings have been issued over the Prime Energy drink after a child suffered a cardiac episode which led to them having their stomach pumped.
A primary school in Wales has urged parents NOT to let their children drink Prime Energy, after a pupil – who is said to have drunk a Prime energy drink can containing 140mg of caffeine – was rushed to hospital over the weekend.
The headteacher at Newport's Milton Primary School text parents to say: ‘This morning a parent has reported that their child has had a cardiac episode over the weekend after drinking a Prime energy drink.
‘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.’
- Everything parents need to know about Prime
- Can Kids drink Prime?
- How to find out where Prime is in stock – from the comfort of your own house
- Sainsbury's becomes latest Prime stockist
- Warning as sex offenders use viral Prime drink to lure kids online
- Supermarket rations Prime drinks as teens strip shelves bare
Is Prime safe for kids to drink?
The news will come as a shock to parents – Prime is the must-have drink for tweens and teens.
However, the child in this case had drunk Prime Energy, an energy drink which comes in a can, and is very different to the Prime Hydration drink which comes in bottles, which is hugely popular which children across the country and sells out immediately whenever it is stocked.
There are 2 very different versions of the viral Prime drink – and parents are urged to understand the difference between the 2.
What is Prime Energy?
Prime Hydration
This drink is sold in a plastic bottle and has zero caffeine.
Prime Energy
This drink, which is sold in a can contains an enormous 140mg of caffeine. (This compares to a can of Monster Energy which has 86.4mg of caffeine and Red Bull which has 30mg).
While Prime Hydration is sometimes on sale in supermarkets, Prime Energy cans are only available to buy on Amazon in the UK or from the Prime website direct.
'Energy drinks are as dangerous as your child smoking'
Earlier today Dr Manpinder Sahota, a GP from Gravesend, spoke to BBC 5 Live about the physical and mental effects of energy drinks on children.
He called for them to be BANNED for under 16s.
He added: 'The advice I'd say to parents is: these are just as dangerous as your child smoking a cigarette or drinking alcohol. They (energy drinks) are really dangerous things.
'The effects not just diabetes – there's lots of Type 2 diabetes in teenagers now – but it's the mental effects. We still reeling from the effects of Covid on the mental health of children and really need to take care of our kids mental and metabolic health.
'These energy drinks are playing havoc with people's nervous systems – insomnia, palpitations. They are very, very dangerous. I can't stress how dangerous these drinks actually are.'
What do Prime say?
Prime say their energy cans aren't recommended for children under 16.
However the law isn't clear on children actually buying them, meaning shops can sell them to children. And this can contribute to huge health problems warns Dr Sahota.
‘I frequently see children walking to school with these energy drinks. Some of these drinks have between 6-17 spoons of sugar. They are not drinking these and then going for a 10 mile run. Sometimes they're sitting at home studying and drinking these drinks.
‘Children are no way as active as we used to be. Combine that with the extra energy they are getting from the sugar plus the caffeine stimulation and the effects it has on the heart and it's a double whammy.’
'A large proportion of kids with ADHD drink energy drinks'
Dr Sahota warned there are lots of physical and mental effects of drinking energy drinks like Prime. He said: 'We're getting children with Type 2 diabetes and anxiety and mental health problems directly related to drinking these energy drinks.
'I see children who are maybe diagnosed with ADHD or have anxiety problems and when you examine their diet there is a large proportion who drink these energy drinks.
'I'm getting adults with anxiety and they have no idea why. I ask them what they eat and drink and frequently they have energy drinks. As soon as I point that out and we stop them the anxiety and palpatations go away.'
Talking about what the caffeine does to your body, he adds: 'High doses of caffeine increase your heart rate and your blood pressure. It's like sitting in a Ferrari and you're not driving anywhere but you're putting your foot on the pedal.
'You're flooding the engine with tons and tons of fuel but the car isn't being driven. That's exactly what these energy drinks do to you.
'They should be banned completely but 100% under the age of 16 they should have a health warning and be banned.'
Related Content
Related articles
