I drank up to two liters of Monster a day – I’ll never touch an energy drink again after a health scare

A dad who drank up to two liters of Monster energy drink every day has told how his 20-year addiction left him fearing for his life.

Andy Hammond, 36, from Hartlepool, suddenly collapsed at home and was rushed to hospital on Christmas Day.

Tests revealed he had a 4mm wide kidney stone, which doctors said was the cause of his health problems and causing him excruciating pain.

Although they have no proof, Mr Hammond, a former soldier, says his doctors believe his monstrous habit is the cause of the kidney stone.

Numerous studies have linked the excessive consumption of energy drinks to painful medical problems.

Discussing his ordeal, Mr Hammond said: ‘I’ve served in the army and been injured in Afghanistan and nothing compares to kidney stones.’

Mr Hammond started drinking energy drinks as a teenager because he thought they were ‘cool’.

At the height of his energy drink habit, he was drinking four 500ml cans of Monster Energy per day. Monster became his favorite brand.

Mr Hammond said: ‘I remember drinking energy drinks as a child because it was the cool thing to do.

“Since I started drinking them from the age of 15, I’ve just kept drinking them ever since.

“It wasn’t that I really liked them, it was more of a habit.”

In December 2023, the social work student noticed blood in his urine.

He was being treated for a serious urinary tract infection at the time, but collapsed at home two days later, on December 25.

Mr Hammond did not reveal what caused him to collapse. However, pain can rarely cause people to faint.

He was rushed to Hartlepool University Hospital where a CT scan showed he had a large kidney stone.

Mr Hammond, who is still awaiting surgery to have the kidney stone removed, underwent surgery to have a stent placed between his kidneys and bladder to make urination easier.

But he admits the incident “scared” him because of how bad he was.

Recalling his ordeal, he said: ‘I told them I don’t drink much water and quite a lot of energy drinks.

‘They told me… that there is medical research linking drinks to the formation of kidney stones.

“And kidney stones can become septic, causing death within hours.”

According to the NHS, kidney stones are a build-up of a substance such as calcium, ammonia or uric acid in the body.

While many kidney stones are only the size of a grain of sand, some kidney stones can grow to the size of a golf ball.

People who don’t drink enough water or other fluids are more likely to develop these, the NHS says. Drinking water can lower the concentration of minerals.

Kidney stones are also more common in people who have urinary tract infections and who eat a low-protein, high-fiber diet.

Despite a wealth of research, experts have yet to conclusively demonstrate how energy drinks can lead to kidney stones. Some have speculated that high levels of sugar or sodium may be the cause.

After admitting to doctors that he was drinking “quite a lot of energy drinks” and not much water, they revealed that they believed his addiction was the cause.

Energy drinks are high in caffeine, phosphorus and sugars, which have been linked to the formation of kidney stones.

Now Mr Hammond insists he will ‘never touch an energy drink again’.

‘I have two children and know that this kidney infection could have turned into sepsis, which can kill you. I’ve had it really bad and am grateful to be one of the lucky ones.

‘For me now it’s just drinking water, eating healthy and staying fit. Now I’m rid of them for life.’

Monster declined to comment.