S Secretary of War Pete Hegseth Announces New Policy to Test Soldiers Over 30 for Low Testosterone | Details here | Today’s news

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that he is introducing a new screening program for “testosterone deficiency” among soldiers, saying it is necessary to allow them to operate at their “absolute best”.

In the video posted to X, Hegseth simply refers to soldiers, though he appears to be talking only about testing men in uniform for hormonal irregularities.

“I’m authorizing a new testosterone deficiency screening program for our service members to ensure you have the right testosterone levels to perform at your best,” Hegseth said in the video.

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The screenings will be conducted annually as part of required medical exams for service members age 30 and older, Hegseth said. Soldiers under the age of 30 can be tested voluntarily.

Hegseth said treatment, including testosterone replacement therapy, is voluntary and aimed at “restoring and optimizing” natural abilities.

The move came as other Trump administration officials began pushing for easier access to testosterone replacement therapies for men, but the report by Hegseth and others conflates the known science of the hormone with broader and less substantiated claims, the AP reported.

Testosterone use in the military has previously been the subject of scrutiny.

Asked what conditions Hegseth was trying to address with the new policy, the Pentagon referred to Hegseth’s remarks in the video, which mentioned keeping troops “strong, resilient and capable” and that the rigors of the modern battlefield require “maximum psychological and mental readiness.”

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Hegseth also said the program is part of the department’s commitment to providing “elite medical care” and maintaining the physical and mental readiness needed for modern warfare.

Hegseth said his new initiative is “not about artificial enhancement”.

Under the microscope

Over the past few years, special operations forces—and specifically the Navy SEALs—have come under scrutiny for their use of testosterone and similar performance-enhancing substances.

The death of a SEAL recruit during training in 2022 led to the discovery of substances in his possession, including testosterone, and revealed far more widespread drug use among the elite program than previously acknowledged.

A year after the recruit’s death, the Navy announced it would begin a drug-testing program to detect “any hormonal substance chemically or pharmacologically related to testosterone that promotes muscle growth,” the AP reported.

The Pentagon did not respond to questions about what research or academic studies supported the move. It also did not say whether female units would be able to be evaluated for estrogen-based therapy when they enter perimenopause.

What do the experts say?

RFK Jr. has promoted testosterone, but medical experts are wary

Testosterone levels in men naturally decline with age and have long been associated with problems such as erectile dysfunction, low libido, mood swings and weight gain.

However, experts have debated for years how to diagnose these problems and whether they should be treated with hormone replacement.

Hegseth’s announcement comes as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other Trump administration officials are trying to make it easier for doctors to prescribe testosterone.

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Last month, the Food and Drug Administration proposed easing prescription limits for testosterone gels, pills, patches and injections.

The current FDA labeling states that the drugs are only for men with hypogonadism, a medical condition that causes drastically low testosterone levels.

But many influencers and supporters of Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement promote testosterone as a way to look younger, build muscle and stay mentally sharp — even though these uses are not accepted by most medical professionals.

However, recent studies have bolstered the case for testosterone’s benefits for certain conditions while allaying concerns about its safety—particularly heart safety concerns.

Last year, the FDA removed warnings about possible heart attack and stroke risks from the drugs.

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Separately, a series of studies conducted by the National Institutes of Health in older men found that testosterone use improved erectile dysfunction, libido and other sexual measures and had little effect on mood. But there was little or no improvement in other indicators such as fatigue, memory or overall well-being.

Other studies have shown potential improvements in muscle building, strength and bone density.

However, current medical guidelines generally do not recommend widespread testing of testosterone levels. Typically, doctors are advised to discuss testosterone therapy with men who have worrisome symptoms and documented low levels of the hormone on two separate blood tests.

Testosterone testing is challenging because hormone levels fluctuate throughout the day. Accurate testosterone values ​​are usually measured in the morning after fasting.

Criticism

Some Democratic lawmakers with military experience are blasting the new policy.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat and Iraq war veteran, said the announcement sounded “like gender-affirming care to me,” referring to Hegseth’s stance on transgender troops.

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, a Pennsylvania Democrat and Air Force veteran, said it “demonstrates that Secretary Hegseth is taking direction from the far corners of the manosphere.”

Both lawmakers called on Hegseth to make hormone testing available to both men and women.

“Let’s expand hormone screenings for all of our brave soldiers to help us catch fertility problems early — because studies show that both women and men in our military face disproportionately higher rates of infertility than the general population,” Duckworth, who is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement.

Hegseth has previously said he does not believe women should hold combat roles and that those positions should be based on “the highest male standard”. Since becoming head of the Pentagon, he has blocked some military promotions for women or fired female leaders.

He made other changes related to the medical treatment of soldiers.

In April, he announced the repeal of the military’s longstanding flu vaccination mandate, citing “medical autonomy” and religious freedom. In June, a flu epidemic at a US Air Force training camp sickened nearly 300 people.