Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday a new military policy requiring annual testosterone screening for active-duty service members age 30 and older. The initiative represents one of the Pentagon’s latest health directives aimed at optimizing troop performance and will be incorporated into existing periodic health assessments that military personnel already undergo.
Under the new program, service members older than 30 will receive mandatory testosterone deficiency screenings each year. Those under 30 will have the option to voluntarily participate. If a screening identifies low testosterone levels, any recommended treatment, including testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), will remain entirely optional, Hegseth said in a video announcement posted to social media.
“While we invest heavily in our weapon systems, platforms and gear, our most decisive tactical advantage will always be the individual warfighter,” Hegseth said in the announcement. “It’s about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity and ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight.”
Hegseth characterized the policy as part of the Pentagon’s duty to maintain military readiness. He emphasized the initiative is “not about artificial enhancement” but rather ensuring troops can operate at their “absolute best” by maintaining proper hormone levels, particularly as testosterone naturally declines with age.
The announcement comes amid a broader Trump administration effort to expand access to testosterone replacement therapy. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has advocated for making testosterone treatment more widely available, and the Food and Drug Administration has taken recent steps to ease restrictions on the medications. In April, the FDA proposed relaxing prescribing limits on testosterone gels, pills, patches and injections, signaling a shift toward broader accessibility. The agency is also considering expanding approved uses of testosterone therapy to include treatment of low libido in men without identifiable causes of hormone deficiency.
The prevalence of low testosterone is relatively limited among middle-aged men. Roughly 5.6 percent of men between 30 and 79 have testosterone deficiency, which can cause muscle loss, fatigue, weight gain and sexual dysfunction. The condition has also been linked to serious health issues including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and depression.
However, the policy has drawn scrutiny from medical experts. According to leading testosterone research specialists, routine screening is not recommended by major medical organizations. One prominent NIH-funded researcher told news outlets that true testosterone deficiency is actually very rare even at advanced ages, with only about a 2 percent incidence rate among men up to age 79. Medical guidelines typically recommend screening only for individuals who show symptoms suggestive of deficiency, not for entire populations. Proper diagnosis, according to professional standards, requires multiple testosterone measurements taken on separate mornings after fasting and documented symptoms.
Testing for testosterone presents practical challenges in military settings. Accurate readings require early morning measurements after fasting, typically taken on three separate mornings for proper diagnosis. Medical experts have raised concerns about whether such rigorous protocols can be consistently implemented in the military environment, and whether routine screening might lead to overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment.
The issue of testosterone use in the military gained prominence following the death of a Navy SEAL recruit during training in 2022. An investigation revealed the recruit had possessed testosterone and other performance-enhancing substances, and uncovered far more widespread drug use within the elite special operations program than previously acknowledged. The Navy subsequently established a drug-testing program to screen for “any hormonal substance, chemically or pharmacologically related to testosterone, that promotes muscle growth.”
The Pentagon did not provide detailed information about what research or academic studies informed the new screening policy. When questioned about the program’s scientific basis, the Defense Department referred journalists to Hegseth’s video remarks. The Pentagon also declined to clarify whether female service members would receive comparable screenings or have access to hormone therapies as they age.
The announcement generated some political criticism. Representative Chrissy Houlahan, a Pennsylvania Democrat and Air Force veteran serving on the House Armed Services Committee, said the policy “proves that Secretary Hegseth takes direction from the far corners of the manosphere.” She expressed hope that testosterone testing would be available equally to both men and women and that servicewomen would receive “the same resources to enable them too to be the most elite warriors.”
Hegseth has pursued several initiatives emphasizing physical standards since taking the Pentagon position. The Defense Secretary previously announced stricter fitness requirements for all military personnel and has set physical fitness standards specifically for combat roles. Last year, he reiterated policies banning beards for military personnel and declared that the era of “fat troops” in the military should end.
The testosterone screening program represents the latest in a series of controversial Hegseth-led personnel and policy decisions at the Pentagon. He has previously blocked the advancement of several military officers, including women, through interventions in promotion lists. Hegseth has also stated publicly that he does not believe women should serve in combat roles and has banned transgender service members from military service.
Recent research has offered some support for testosterone therapy under appropriate medical conditions. Studies have shown that testosterone treatment can improve sexual function and libido in some men, and some evidence suggests potential benefits for muscle strength and bone density. However, significant questions remain about optimal screening practices, who should be treated and at what doses. Medical organizations continue to recommend comprehensive evaluations and regular monitoring for any service member receiving testosterone replacement therapy, given the therapy’s potential side effects.