US troops over 30 face annual testosterone screening under new Pentagon program, Hegseth announces

The announcement

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that all US service members aged 30 and older will undergo mandatory annual screening for testosterone deficiency as part of their regular health checks. Hegseth unveiled the program in a video posted on X, describing the individual warfighter as the country's 'most decisive tactical advantage' and calling it a 'sacred duty to maintain that advantage.' The accompanying social media message dubbed the initiative a step toward a 'High-T Department of War,' Hegseth's preferred term for the Defense Department.

We have a sacred duty to maintain that advantage.

The program arrives at a moment when US forces are ramping up attacks in Iran. Defense secretaries typically focus on larger strategic questions involving alliances, war and weapons production, making Hegseth's attention to hormonal biomarkers an unorthodox priority for the Pentagon chief.

Who is covered and how it works

Troops under 30 can volunteer for screening, but testing becomes mandatory at age 30 and above. All service members, including women, fall under the program. Hegseth used gender-neutral terms such as 'warfighters' and 'warriors' in his remarks, though he did not explicitly clarify whether the testing requirement and treatment option apply to women. When asked for clarification, the Pentagon said it had 'no further information to provide beyond the secretary's video.' Women's testosterone levels also decline with age, according to AFP.

If testing indicates a deficiency, treatment remains voluntary. Hegseth emphasized that the initiative is 'not about artificial enhancement' but about 'restoring and optimizing your natural capability' to ensure 'long-term health and vitality.' He stated that science has confirmed testosterone levels naturally decline with age.

It's about restoring and optimizing your natural capability.

Medical context and skepticism

A clinically low testosterone level in men can cause muscle loss, fatigue, obesity and sexual dysfunction, and is linked to diabetes, osteoporosis and depression. Stress, poor sleep and head injuries common in military life can also lower hormone levels. Recent studies have identified a condition called 'operator syndrome,' in which special operations veterans are more likely to report decreased testosterone.

However, medical experts question the scientific basis for army-wide screening. Research published in the journal Social Science and Medicine found such screening is medically unnecessary for healthy people in their thirties. Endocrinologists warn that administering testosterone carries risks: it can shut down the body's own hormone production, increase the risk of blood clots, and often leads to acne and hair loss. It also affects fertility by shutting down sperm production. Many service members avoid screening due to stigma or seek hormone therapy from direct-to-consumer or illicit sources.

Such screening for healthy thirty-somethings is simply not medically necessary.

Broader administration focus on testosterone

Hegseth is not the first Trump administration official to spotlight testosterone. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. previously stated he uses testosterone as part of an anti-aging regimen. Last year he claimed, without scientific evidence, that American teenagers today have only half the testosterone level of a 65-year-old man. Hegseth has also imposed new physical standards calibrated to male benchmarks for combat positions and tightened grooming rules, declaring 'no more beardos' for troops who previously had medical exemptions.

Since taking office, Hegseth has pushed changes at the Pentagon, invoking a warrior ethos and the ideal of a traditionally male fighter. Last year he announced new fitness standards, stating that anyone who does not meet 'physical standards on a male level for combat positions,' does not shave, or does not want to look professional should find a new position or a new career.