Love him or hate him, Elon Musk is constantly in the news.
However, the billionaire’s figure recently became the subject of internet discussion after a picture of him with an expanded chest and stomach went viral.
Many people were asking whether Musk had barrel chest, a disease where the chest appears abnormally puffed out, after seeing the image that went viral.
Many people were speculating about if Musk has a medical condition. Was this an indication of anything more significant?
The real story behind the widely shared picture
A lot of people have strong opinions about Elon Musk, and lately, the conversation has expanded beyond his wealth and political beliefs. No, his body—something far more intimate—has become the next hot subject.
When a picture of Musk with an abnormally huge chest and stomach became viral on X (previously Twitter) on November 10, the rumors went haywire.
One issue with the photograph was that it wasn’t real, despite the fact that it traveled swiftly and generated powerful reactions.
Even though fact-checkers and numerous media sites confirmed that the image was modified, many people didn’t appear to care. Millions of people viewed and liked the tweet, which was made by the now-defunct account “evan loves morf,” on the platform.
The tweet said, “He actually looks like this, so he always posts AI pictures of himself.” The post included an artificial intelligence-generated portrait of Musk in addition to the disputed photograph. The tweet went viral very fast, receiving over 17.4 million views and 423,000 likes.
Elon Musk’s chest?
After a few hours, other X accounts shared the picture, which sparked conversations regarding Elon Musk’s body’s condition and the reason behind his protruding chest.
Musk may have “barrel chest,” a condition in which the chest seems rounded or blown up, resembling a barrel, according to many conjectures.
Although it isn’t a sickness in and of itself, barrel chest may indicate a more serious health problem, frequently related to lung disorders.
The lungs push out the upper back, chest, and ribs as they overfill with air, making the chest appear rounder and larger. Additionally, it may result in a raised collarbone, a shorter neck look, and a more noticeable sternum.
The source of the Elon Musk phony photo
Since the aforementioned photograph was obviously modified, I believe that none of these conjectures were necessary. The truth is that the picture was manipulated, despite the fact that some people made snap judgments regarding Elon Musk’s physical condition.
The manipulated image, as Snopes verified, produced a false impression of Musk’s health and sparked a flurry of unfounded rumors.
First Look Inside SpaceX’s Starfactory with Elon Musk, a June 22, 2024, YouTube video, is where the altered image first appeared. There is a picture of Musk near the two-minute mark in the film, which has been altered to enlarge his stomach and chest.
Musk’s chest and stomach were artificially extended by an unidentified user to produce the deceptive photograph that went viral. Musk has largely said nothing about the viral rumors, despite the fact that they may have created a stir online.
However, the software tycoon’s physique and way of life have already drawn attention.
Photos of Elon Musk’s yacht that went viral: The Good, the Bad, and the Body Shaming
Musk made news a few years back when he was pictured on vacation in the Aegean Sea on a yacht that cost $20,000 per week, in addition to the phony 2024 photo.
Musk was shown in the photos without a shirt, which went viral and led to a surge in body-shaming and mocking. However, Musk remained unfazed.
He even responded to it with a hilarious tweet, saying, “Hey, damn, maybe I should take off my shirt more often.” Release the nip! (by the way, back in the factory already).
Dietary practices and weight reduction
Elon Musk, 53, has been candid about his weight reduction and diet journey, acknowledging that he had lost more than 20 pounds from what he deemed to be a “unhealthy peak weight.”
He also acknowledged using the FDA-approved medication Wegovy, which is intended to help people regulate their weight over time.
Musk, who is well-known for his sporadic eating and fasting schedule, claims that this has assisted him in controlling his weight. Additionally, he has admitted to not eating in the healthiest ways.
Musk famously tweeted, “I eat a donut every morning,” for example. When a doctor asserted that sugar was “poison,” the patient replied, “Still alive.” He eats mostly steak, sushi, chocolate, coffee, and caffeine-free Diet Coke, and he has a strong dislike for veggies.
Musk’s body is a subject that is frequently discussed in public.
From widely shared images to discussions over his diet and overall health, Elon Musk’s physique has frequently been the subject of discussion, frequently overshadowing his enormous achievements.
Musk seems to be able to keep a sense of humor in the face of the occasionally severe criticism, reminding the public that he is just enjoying his life, donuts and body rumors and all.
Online rumors regarding his health may have been stoked by a phony photo, but one thing is for sure: Elon Musk never fails to enthrall people with his actions, regardless of what he is eating (or not!).
And his body? Regardless of the reality, that appears to be an issue that will continue to be discussed.