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New “High-T” Screening
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that the Pentagon will require service members over the age of 30 to be screened for testosterone deficiency annually as part of their periodic health assessment.
“Hegseth directs troops over 30 to have testosterone checked Those diagnosed with a deficiency have an option to undergo replacement therapy”
Hegseth said in a video posted on X captioned “High-T Department of War” that he was authorizing “a new screening program for testosterone deficiency for our service members, ensuring you have the right testosterone levels to operate at your absolute best.”
The policy, as described by NBC News, would test war fighters age 30 and older and allow service members younger than 30 to voluntarily get their testosterone levels tested.
If medical professionals recommend treatment, Hegseth said receiving testosterone replacement therapy would be voluntary for the individual service member, and the Pentagon declined to provide additional details beyond his announcement.
Medical Debate and Warnings
The BBC reported that Dr Mohit Khera, who led a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expert panel last year on screening and testosterone utilisation in the military, told the BBC on Wednesday that all men over 30 should get screened because it is the top marker of a person's overall current and future health.
Khera cautioned that “You have to be careful not to just give someone testosterone unless they do have some kind of symptoms,” and he said testosterone replacement therapy benefits can include increased muscle mass, decreased fat deposition, and decreased risk for depression.
Khera also warned that “If young men do take testosterone, it can make them infertile,” and he noted it can result in a theoretical increased cardiovascular risk.
In parallel, the American Urological Association said in a statement cited by The Guardian that it “appreciates the Administration’s understanding of the importance of screening men for testosterone deficiency,” while adding that “the diagnosis of testosterone deficiency should not be based on a single blood test alone.”
Readiness, Access, and Fallout
Hegseth framed the screening as part of maintaining readiness and “the leading edge of lethality,” telling The Hill that the Pentagon chief authorized the new screening program to ensure troops “have the right testosterone levels to operate at [their] absolute best.”
“US military to start testosterone testing, Hegseth says Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced the US military will start testing the testosterone levels of service members in what he described as an initiative "about restoring and optimizing" their capabilities”
The Hill reported that should treatment be recommended following the test, service members have the choice to receive TRT, and it quoted Hegseth saying, “This initiative it’s not about artificial enhancement; it’s about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities.”
The BBC reported that the Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the mandatory screening for testosterone deficiency would be effective immediately for all active duty and reserve component personnel aged 30 and older, and he described the protocol as enabling the department to establish a comprehensive baseline and offer targeted testosterone therapy.
The policy also arrives as other Trump administration officials have pushed to expand access to testosterone replacement therapies, with the BBC noting that Hegseth’s announcement comes after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr and other administration officials sought to remove barriers for medical professionals to prescribe testosterone.
