Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that the Department of Defense will offer testosterone deficiency screening for soldiers 30 and older. In a video posted to X, Hegseth unveiled plans for a new screening program that will work to ensure service members have the 'right testosterone levels' to perform at their optimal condition.
Program Details
Hegseth stated, 'I’m 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.' He emphasized that the modern battlefield is 'brutal and unrelenting' and requires 'maximum psychological and mental readiness.'
Warfighters aged 30 and above will undergo annual tests as part of their health assessments, while those under 30 can opt in voluntarily. Treatment, including testosterone replacement therapy, is voluntary and aimed at 'restoring and optimizing' natural capabilities.
Political Context
Hegseth is not the first Trump administration official to address low testosterone. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 72, has spoken about injecting testosterone as part of his personal anti-aging regimen. In October, he warned without evidence that American teenagers have '50% of the testosterone of a 65-year-old man.' Testosterone concerns have become a political fixation on the right, with commentators like Tucker Carlson decrying a crisis of masculinity.
Medical Community Response
The American Urological Association stated it 'appreciates the Administration’s understanding of the importance of screening men for testosterone deficiency,' but cautioned that diagnosis should not be based on a single blood test alone. The association said such a test could serve as a 'baseline value' for individuals who warrant further evaluation, and diagnosis should be based on symptoms and two separate tests.
According to research published in the journal Social Science & Medicine, young men are being aggressively targeted online by influencers and wellness companies promoting hormone tests and treatments as essential to being a 'real man,' despite screening for low testosterone being medically unwarranted in most people in this age group.
Exclusions and Concerns
The Trump administration has decried hormone use in gender-affirming care as 'chemical and surgical mutilation.' Hegseth’s announcement did not address the more than 231,000 women who serve as active duty service members in the US military.
