WASHINGTON — The Pentagon will force service members age 30 and older to get their testosterone levels checked every year.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the mandatory screenings on Wednesday. The military will add the hormone checks to its standard periodic health assessments. Troops under the age of 30 can choose to take the blood test voluntarily.
The defense department plans to offer testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) to any service members who show low levels of the hormone.
The Pentagon chief framed the health policy change as a direct way to improve the combat readiness of American troops.
“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 a video message posted to X.
The initiative aims to fix natural hormone drops that come with aging. Hegseth stated that the policy relies on established science to keep troops operating at their best. Service members can refuse the TRT treatment if a military doctor recommends it.
“This initiative it’s not about artificial enhancement; it’s about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity, ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain and fight,” Hegseth added.
The new screening rule follows several sweeping changes to military fitness and federal health rules under the Trump administration.
The Food and Drug Administration expanded public access to TRT earlier this year. Before that decision, federal guidelines only recommended the therapy for men with specific medical conditions that blocked testosterone production.
Hegseth has consistently pushed for stricter physical rules since taking over the Pentagon. He previously established new fitness standards that require all service members to meet a single “male standard.” He has also publicly warned leadership against falling out of shape, stating last year that he did not want to see “fat generals and admirals.”
Medical data shows that roughly 5.6% of men between the ages of 30 and 79 suffer from a testosterone deficiency. Low levels can cause fatigue, muscle loss, weight gain, and depression.
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