A highly caffeinated energy drink that was promoted by American influencers on social media is being recalled in Canada.

According to Health Canada, the Prime Energy Drink, which contains 200 mg of caffeine per can, exceeds the permissible limit of 180 mg and therefore should not be sold in Canada.

The federal agency learned that the “Prime Energy” drink – which is different from the widely available “Prime Hydration” drink – could be sold in some stores in Canada without government approval.

According to Health Canada, all caffeinated energy drinks are considered “supplemented foods” and are therefore regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), which issued a recall notice Wednesday evening for several brands, including Prime Energy.

Both agencies are working to resolve the issue, Health Canada said in an email.

The drink “Prime Hydration” is the caffeine-free version of “Prime Energy” and is one of the various energy drinks that are popular among young people.

Popular influencers Logan Paul and KSI co-founded Prime and have been widely criticized for promoting these products online to the millions of young people who follow them on social media.

Health Canada recommends a maximum of 2.5 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight for young people up to 18 years of age.

For comparison: a can of Coca-Cola contains 34 mg of caffeine, six times less than the amount contained in a serving of “Prime Energy”.

The Dangers of Caffeine

Jennifer House, a nutritionist in Calgary, says parents often worry that their children are consuming too much sugar.

However, she believes caffeinated drinks could be a bigger problem because very young children, like her nine-year-old son, are bombarded with advertisements for “Prime Energy” when watching videos online.

House said parents should talk to their children about the negative effects of caffeine, including disrupted sleep, but with teenagers like her 16-year-old son it's even more difficult because they tend to fend for themselves and follow what's needed their friends do.

“They make their own decisions and it’s not really something you can control. So we have to let Health Canada control this a little bit,” she says, adding that the choice of energy drinks in general seems endless.

“When my son was in tenth grade, he told me that the school vending machines were filled with energy drinks. »

Health Canada notes on its website that any person who has experienced health problems after consuming a caffeinated energy drink must report it to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, as is the case with other foods.

The other caffeinated beverages recalled by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are 3D Alphaland, 5 Hour, Celsius, GFuel and Sting brands.

The Canadian Press health content is funded through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for editorial selection.

To watch in the video