Elon Musk Reportedly Says He's Been Doing So Much Ketamine That It's Causing Bladder Issues

Elon Musk's urinary prowess was once the stuff of legend.

"Everything he does is fast," former SpaceX engineer Brogan BamBrogan told Musk biographer Ashlee Vance for his 2015 biography of the entrepreneur. "He pees fast. It’s like a fire hose — three seconds and out. He’s authentically in a hurry."

But according to the New York Times, his indulgences in the powerful tranquilizer ketamine reached such new heights during his chaotic tenure as the de facto head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency that it's started affecting his bladder, a known side effect of heavy use of the anaesthetic.

Musk's ketamine habit was reportedly causing already bladder issues around the time he publicly endorsed Trump in July, though he'd been dabbling for some time, previously saying that he uses the drug to treat depression.

"If you’ve used too much ketamine, you can’t really get work done, and I have a lot of work," he told journalist Don Lemon last year.

But what the billionaire deems as "too much" appears to be murky at best. According to the NYT, he has taken a lot of ketamine as of late, sometimes daily, and even mixing it with other substances (ecstasy, Adderall, and hallucinogenic mushrooms were name-checked in the NYT's most recent reporting, though Musk has also been linked to other substances including cocaine.)

In other words, the line between medical and recreational use of ketamine and other drugs has become extremely blurry, especially with a haze of dubious science surrounding therapeutic use of the horse tranquilizer.

The known side effects of chronic ketamine use certainly line up with Musk's bizarre behavior, from short- and long-term memory issues to becoming "distinctly dissociated in their day-to-day existence," as psychopharmacology researcher Celia Morgan told The Atlantic earlier this year.

The drug can also lead to delusional thinking and becoming convinced that users are receiving secret messages.

On a physical level, long-term use can lead to some degree of tolerance, physical dependence, and withdrawal when use suddenly stops, according to the American Addiction Centers.

While studies have yet to establish any definitive causal links, scientists have previously linked prolonged use to declines in executive functioning and emotional swings, as well as changes in the structure and function of the brain.

And then there are the plumbing issues. A 2012 study found that recreational use of ketamine can lead to "ketamine bladder syndrome," which "includes a small, very painful bladder, frequency, incontinence, [blood in urine], upper tract obstruction," and papillary necrosis, a kidney disorder.

As the BBC reported last year, health practitioners observed an alarming increase in bladder issues among young people in the UK due to the chronic use of the drug, with people in their 20s unable to walk prolonged distances without having to go to the toilet.

"Do you feel like you ever abuse it?" Lemon asked Musk last year.

"I don’t think so," Musk replied.

"How often do you take it?" Lemon probed.

"It’d be like a small amount once every other week or something like that," Musk said.

More on Musk and ketamine: Ex-FBI Agent: Elon Musk's Drug Habit Made Him an Easy Target for Russian Spies

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