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Hegseth announces annual testosterone screenings for service members
The screening will be annual and voluntary for troops under 30, with testosterone replacement therapy offered only if service members choose it.
- On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the Pentagon will require annual testosterone deficiency screenings for active-duty service members age 30 and older, integrating the test into existing periodic health assessments troops already complete each year.
- Research showing declines in men's testosterone levels since the 1990s prompted Congress to include a measure in the fiscal year 2025 national defense bill requesting briefings on treatments and protocols, while special operations veterans identified low testosterone as a critical health issue.
- Hegseth characterized the initiative as voluntary medical care, stating 'If treatment is recommended, it's entirely your choice to receive testosterone replacement therapy,' and emphasized the program aims at 'restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities' rather than artificial enhancement.
- Implementation details remain pending as the Pentagon determines rollout timing across military branches, though service members under 30 will have the option to undergo voluntary screening despite facing no mandatory requirement.
- The testosterone initiative caps a series of body-focused reforms Hegseth has implemented since taking office, including mandatory daily physical training and his September ban on beard exemptions; during a June Navy visit, he pressed enforcement affecting sailors with razor bumps, a condition affecting an estimated 60 percent of Black men.
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243 Articles
243 Articles
USA forsvarsminister Pete Hegseth sier at det blin innført krav om årlig testosterontesting av alle amerikanske soldater over 30 år.
·Oslo, Norway
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Not just fitness, but hormones too: Pete Hegseth's new rule for troops over 30
The Secretary of War said the screening could result in troops being offered testosterone replacement therapy aimed at 'ensuring you have the right testosterone levels to operate at your absolute best.'
·Noida, India
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The Secretary of Defense imposes mandatory tests, but optional male hormone replacement treatments will be optional if low levels are detected.
·Madrid, Spain
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The U.S. government wants soldiers tested for testosterone deficiency in the future.
·Germany
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources243
Leaning Left59Leaning Right55Center86Last UpdatedBias Distribution43% Center
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources are Center
43% Center
L 29%
C 43%
R 28%
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