Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a new screening program Wednesday that will test service members aged 30 and older for testosterone deficiency, framing the initiative as essential to military readiness and combat effectiveness.
In a video posted to social media, Hegseth said the Department of Defense will ensure troops have "the right testosterone levels to operate at your absolute best." Soldiers 30 and above will receive annual screening as part of routine health assessments. Younger service members can volunteer for testing.
Treatment, including testosterone replacement therapy, remains voluntary under the program. Hegseth positioned the effort as part of the military's broader commitment to maintaining "elite medical care" and preserving the physical and mental resilience soldiers need for modern combat.
"The modern battlefield is brutal and unrelenting," Hegseth said in the announcement. "It requires and demands maximum psychological and mental readiness, and by addressing these health markers early, we're keeping you on the leading edge of lethality, and giving you the same level of support that you give this nation."
The initiative joins a wider focus on testosterone within the Trump administration. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, has previously discussed using testosterone injections as part of his personal anti-aging regimen and warned last October that today's American teenagers have dramatically lower testosterone levels than older men, claims he made without supporting evidence.
Medical researchers have raised concerns about the trend. A study in Social Science and Medicine found that young men face aggressive online marketing from influencers and wellness companies promoting testosterone testing and treatment as markers of masculinity, even though screening is medically unnecessary for most people in younger age groups.
Author James Rodriguez: "The military has legitimate reasons to monitor soldier health, but framing testosterone as the key to combat readiness risks turning a complex hormonal question into another culture war talking point."
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