I could see my eight-year-old son’s heart beat through his chest when he drank Prime – he almost died
A HORRIFIED dad could see his eight-year-old son’s heart beat through his chest after drinking a bottle of Prime.
Little Fabian “nearly died” after consuming the popular high-caffeine energy drink.
The young lad’s traumatised dad, Luan, watched in shock as his son struggled to breathe while having a fit.
Dad-of-two Luan, of Edmonton, North London, said: “His heart rate got up to 145 bpm — you could see it thumping through his T-shirt.
“He couldn’t breathe. He started to pull his hair and his cheeks.
“My wife got a cool towel and put it on his forehead to try to calm him down.”
The fuming 40-year-old added: “It almost killed Fabian. We need to make sure that kids stop drinking this.”
Emergency services discovered the eight-year-old’s blood pressure was dangerously high.
His vitals took 90 minutes to stabilize, and paramedics were so concerned they stayed by Fabian’s side for the entirety.
Launched by YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI, the energy drink has sparked outrage over its high-caffeine levels.
A message on the back warns Prime Energy is not recommended for children, pregnant women or people sensitive to caffeine.
And the brand insists consumer safety is a “top priority”, noting that it sells a separate sports drink which contains no caffeine at all.
Most UK supermarkets have banned the sale of energy drinks such as Prime, Red Bull and Monster, to under-16s.
Fabian’s family had mistakenly bought the £2 bottle of Blue Raspberry Prime as it looked similar to the caffeine-free alternative.
They did not realise the product was for over-16s – because it contains 140mg of caffeine which is almost double the 80mg in a 250ml can of Red Bull.
One New York grocery store chain has pulled Prime Energy from shelves completely. And Luan wants the same done across the UK.
Meanwhile, Dr Duane Mellor, from Aston University, explained: “Children are at more risk due to lower body weight and different metabolisms.”
Dr Edith R Bracho-Sanchez, a paediatrician from Columbia University’s Irving Medical Center, added that high amounts of caffeine can cause children to have headaches, jitters, anxiety, nervousness, and sleep problems.
“What this drink is giving you is a caffeine rush. It is a high followed by a crash”, she said.
Prime declined to comment on the incident.
An Asda spokesperson said: “As with all energy drinks a 16+ age restriction applies to this product.
“Any customer purchasing this product who looks under 25 will be required to show proof of ID, and we ask customers to please be responsible when purchasing these products.”
This comes as Prime was recalled in Canada due to concerns over the caffeine levels.
WHY WORRY ABOUT PRIME?
CAFFEINE:There is around four times as much caffeine in PRIME as a can of Coke.
Too much of the stimulant can cause poor sleep, headaches and nausea.
TAURINE: Food chiefs say this amino acid is safe to drink in higher quantities than PRIME’s 37.5mg. But studies show ingesting huge amounts may hurt the heart or brain.
B VITAMINS: PRIME Energy boasts up to 2.8 times more than the daily recommended amount of B6 and B12, with the Department of Health warning too much B6 or B12 “could be harmful”.
FULL INGREDIENTS: Carbonated Water, Coconut Water Concentrate, Citric Acid, Flavouring, Calcium, Potassium, Sodium Citrate, Caffeine, Sweeteners (Sucralose, Acesulfame K), Theanine (Camellia Sinensis), Preservatives (Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate), Inositol, Taurine, Glucuronolactone, Stabilisers (Gum Arabic, Acacia Gum, Glycerol Esters Of Wood Rosins), Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12.