An energy drink marketed by two massive YouTube stars has been banned in New Zealand due to its high caffeine content.
Prime was created by influencers Logan Paul and KSI, both of whom have garnered millions of subscribers on YouTube.
It's attracted a cult following with reports of school children pooling money to buy the drink. However, it will now be removed from the shelves as it exceeds the maximum legal caffeine limit per litre.
At 200mg of caffeine per can, its caffeine content is nearly double the legal limit – the equivalent of six cans of Coke.
Kiwis took to Trade Me to sell the now-illegal product. However, the website has removed listings for the popular energy drink following warnings that companies selling it risk prosecution and hefty fines.
University of Auckland's head of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics Dr Clare Wall told Seven Sharp the effects that much caffeine might have on some people.
"Ingesting high amounts of caffeine could cause an increase in anxiousness and affect one's sleep quality," she said.
"Some people are also caffeine-sensitive, so too much caffeine could cause their hearts to race and make people feel unwell."
Due to the energy drink's ties with the influencers, there is still a popular demand for Prime and other energy drinks the youth consume frequently.
Wall suggested that concerned parents "lead by example" to prevent their children from relying on routine energy drinks.
"Help the children make informed choices and talk to them about why you would like them to cut down or stop drinking them all together."
Wall also recommended sharing concerns about the health risks of drinking energy drinks and finding alternative beverages to consume if they can't be avoided entirely.
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