Prime hydration drinks are a craze. Fans of the youtubers KSI and Logan Paul especially the young teenagers have gone crazy for these bright colored drinks. Here are some nutritionists’ opinions on the drink. But they majorly warn that children should avoid this drink.
Prime hydration drinks
Prime hydration drinks are products of the youtubers KSI and Logan Paul. They come in brightly colored bottles and are ‘sold out’ at most shops. Such is the craze for these drinks that it led to stampede at Aldi. They come in different flavors.
Prime hydration drinks (Source: iNews)The price of each bottle of the drink is 1.99 pounds. It is a coconut based drink with filtered water and electrolytes and branched chain amino acids (BCAAs). Their website mentions that the drink was created to get taste to meet function. There is usually a gap between the two, but Prime does the function of filling that void. Further, their website adds:
“With bold, thirst-quenching flavors to help you refresh, replenish, and refuel, PRIME is the perfect boost for any endeavor,”
Gym goers and athletes lose water as well as electrolytes during the workout or game. Hence they need water and electrolytes to replenish the lost nutrients. That rehydrates and aids recovery. The drink has acesulfame potassium as the potassium source.
Nutritionists and their opinion
Duane Mellor is a dietitian who also teaches at the Aston Medical School in Birmingham. He is not for this drink and feels that it is better that people spend the money somewhere else. Further, he is not convinced about the composition of the drink. Duane states that it might not be really effective. Speaking on this aspect, he explained:
“It is potassium based, so would not aid hydration, so it’s not likely to improve performance,”
Prime hydration drinks not good for children (Source: The Telegraph)Moreover, Duane does not recommend the drinks for kids. They need electrolytes only when they lose them in loose motions. And at that time, they require sodium. Duane elaborated:
“In that case sodium is recommended along with glucose as that helps our bodies to absorb water, potassium in some cases can make this worse.”
“There is no obvious reason why this sports drink should be recommended to children,”
BCAAs
These are amino acids that are present in foods. They are muscle foods and include l-leucine, l-isoleucine and valine. But excessive amounts of these can cause fatigue, headaches, and nausea, studies have revealed. They are okay for adults but they are not a requirement in kids who do not train like adults. Nutritionist Georgina Robertson states:
“Children’s electrolyte balance is also more sensitive than adults so could easily have an adverse effect on hydration,”
Duane agrees and said:
“Supplementation without a clear health reason is not recommended in children.”
Prime hydration drinks (Source: Ubuy)These drinks have artificial sweetner, sucralose. It has no calories but can lead to dental issues. Moreover, the growing body of a child requires high quality ingredients. Signe Svanfeldt, dietitian adds:
“In general, giving children unsweetened drinks, including water or plain milk, are the best options for hydration,”
Read here: What is cold brew coffee? Does it have more caffeine?
Additionally, caffeine containing drinks can worsen and cause hyperactivity in kids. Though some drinks have vitamin B6 and B12, it is better for children to get them from natural food sources. At this time when food budget are declining, better to not spend the hard earned money on Prime drinks.