Tech tycoon and former First Buddy Elon Musk is speaking out about the media’s attention on his alleged drug use in a way some say will do nothing to refute the rumors.
Rumors of Musk’s supposed drug use have been circulating in the pubic eye for months, with major publications publishing that the former head of DOGE reportedly used substances like ketamine and ecstasy while on the campaign trail with President Donald Trump.
Musk refuted these claims during a Q&A in the Oval Office last month and in his latest effort posted results from a urine drug test on X earlier this week.
In a photo of the urinalysis, the results showed he tested negative for illegal drugs like cocaine, fentanyl and marijuana, as well as prescription drugs that are sometimes abused like opiates, benzodiazepines and barbiturates.
Levels of waste products in his urine were also measured and showed normal results.
But Dr Holly Schiff, a licensed clinical psychologist familiar with urinalysis as a diagnostic tool for substance use disorders, told DailyMail.com that his latest post is not as convincing as he may think it is.
While she has not treated Musk and does not know the specifics of his testing, Dr Schiff told this website: ‘Many recreational drugs clear from urine in one to three days.
‘The test being done when it was and shared publicly makes me think it was more a PR rebuttal to prove his critics wrong, and posting it on social media with the “lol” adds a performative layer that can invite skepticism.’
And one detail in particular stood out to her.
On his urinalysis, Musk’s creatinine level is 47.16 milligrams per deciliter of urine (mg/dL) – nothing immediately alarming given the normal range is 20 to 300 mg/dL.
A creatinine test is a measure of how well the kidneys are doing their job of filtering waste from the blood
But creatinine is typically above 50 among adult men, who tend to have higher muscle mass than women, and creatinine is a byproduct of muscle metabolism.
Dr Schiff said: ‘The low creatinine level suggests urine dilution, whether that is intentional to flush substances or unintentional, due to high fluid intake. So this is a less concentrated sample.’
At the same time, she pointed out that certain drugs are cleared from the body relatively quickly.
Ketamine passes from the body in around 12 hours.
And, Dr Schiff added: ‘This was also a one-time scheduled test that can easily be prepared for; therefore, not equivalent to randomized testing over time.’
A scheduled test is one a person can prepare for by abstaining from drugs for the time necessary to fall below detectable thresholds.
Another way to fall below the threshold is by diluting drug concentrations in urine by over-hydrating, a method that will also drive down urine creatinine levels.
Dr Johnny Parvani, an emergency medicine physician who founded an IV therapy company – who also had not treated Musk and does not know the specifics of the testing – told DailyMail.com: ‘Since every test has its detection limits, the more diluted the urine, the more likely it will fall below detectable thresholds.
‘This is actually the reason for the World Anti-Doping Agency limitation on the use of IV fluids, because it can help dilute and flush out performance-enhancing drugs below detection limits.’
Drug tests are typically administered at random to spot any substance use issues or to check in on someone who is meant to be cutting back or abstaining altogether.
‘It doesn’t rule out past drug use, prescription drug use or long-term use patterns,’ Dr Schiff added. ‘For meaningful clinical insight, we would need randomized, observed testing over time, ideally with behavioral and medical evaluations corroborating the results.’
The person who collected Musk’s sample is listed as Jennifer Taylor on the results. Her LinkedIn says she is the owner of Fastest Labs in Austin – where the results indicate the urine test was done.
Collectors are typically the same sex as the person giving the urine sample as, in some cases, they will accompany the patient to ensure the sample is actually theirs and has not been tampered with.
That a woman is listed as the sample collector suggested to Dr Schiff that the test itself could have been what experts call unobserved, meaning the sample was provided in private without direct visual supervision.
‘So, of course, there is always the possibility of substituting or manipulating a sample,’ she said. ‘Lack of observation undermines the test’s evidentiary strength.’
Musk has been open in the past about using ketamine prescribed by a doctor to treat depression. But the recent investigation by The New York Times cited unnamed people familiar with Musk’s daily habits who said his chronic use of the powerful anesthetic had begun to affect his bladder.
The same report alleged that Musk traveled with a daily case of about 20 different pills, including ones marked Adderall.
‘A clean test does not rule out use of substances not covered, nor non-substance causes of behavioral change,’ Dr Schiff said. ‘This test also does not give us any information about use weeks or months ago or current medication status, like sleep aids or prescription stimulants.
‘So while the test is technically clean, a single, not random, [potentially] unobserved collection with potential sample dilution cannot definitively rule out recent or intermittent drug use. This appears more strategic than clinically necessary.’
Elon Musk has not returned DailyMail.com’s request for comment.
