Hegseth announces testosterone screening plan for troops over 30
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the annual program would test older service members for testosterone deficiency, with treatment offered but not required.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
2 min read
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced a mandatory annual testosterone screening program for U.S. service members older than 30. The policy matters because it would make hormone testing a routine part of military health checks for a large group of troops.
Hegseth announced the program in a post on X that included a two-minute, 30-second video, according to The Verge. The post described the effort as coming from “The High-T Department of War.”
In the video, Hegseth addressed U.S. “war fighters” and framed the program as part of maintaining military readiness. He said the Defense Department has “a sacred duty to maintain that advantage” and must look for ways to improve “performance,” “resilience” and “long-term health.”
What the program covers
Under the program described by Hegseth, service members over 30 would be screened each year for testosterone deficiency. Troops younger than 30 would be able to receive the test voluntarily, according to The Verge’s account of the announcement.
If a deficiency is found, service members could choose testosterone replacement therapy, known as TRT. Hegseth said treatment would be optional, not mandatory.
The New York Times reported that the screenings would include women. The Verge cited that report in its coverage of the announcement.
Hegseth’s stated rationale
Hegseth said in the video that the initiative is not intended as an artificial performance boost. He described it as a way to restore service members’ natural capabilities and support their longevity.
“This initiative, it’s not about artificial enhancement,” Hegseth said, according to The Verge. He added that the goal was “restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity, and ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight.”
The announcement places testosterone screening inside a broader readiness argument from Hegseth, who linked hormone levels to performance and health. The available details do not say when the annual screenings would begin or how the Defense Department would carry them out.
The Verge reported the announcement in a column by senior reporter Victoria Song, who covers wearables, health technology and related consumer health trends. Song noted that the program would require annual testing for those over 30 while leaving therapy as a choice for those found to have a deficiency.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.