US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Announces Annual Testosterone Screening Programme For US Military Personnel | VIDEO

Washington, July 16: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday announced a new screening programme for “testosterone deficiency” among military personnel, saying it was aimed at ensuring troops operate at their “absolute best”.

The screenings will be conducted annually as part of mandatory medical examinations for service members aged 30 and above, while those under 30 can volunteer for testing. In a video posted on social media, Hegseth said testosterone replacement therapy would be voluntary.

Although Hegseth referred broadly to troops in the video, the announcement appeared to focus only on testing male service members for hormone irregularities, the Associated Press reported.

Military Screening Programme

The initiative comes as officials in President Donald Trump's administration advocate easier access to testosterone replacement therapy, although Hegseth's remarks and those of other officials combine established scientific findings with broader claims that remain less substantiated.

Military Scrutiny Continues

Asked what conditions the policy was intended to address, the Pentagon referred to Hegseth's remarks that the programme would help keep troops “strong, resilient and capable” and that modern warfare demands “maximum psychological and mental readiness.”

Testosterone use has previously drawn scrutiny within the US military, particularly among special operations forces and Navy SEALs. The death of a SEAL recruit during training in 2022 led investigators to discover testosterone and other substances in his possession, revealing more widespread drug use within the elite programme than previously acknowledged.

The following year, the Navy introduced drug testing to detect “any hormonal substance, chemically or pharmacologically related to testosterone, that promotes muscle growth.”

Hegseth maintained that the initiative is “not about artificial enhancement.”

The Pentagon did not explain what research or academic evidence supported the programme. It also did not respond to questions about whether female troops would be evaluated for estrogen-based therapy during perimenopause.

Medical Debate Continues

Testosterone levels naturally decline with age and have long been associated with erectile dysfunction, low libido, mood changes and weight gain. However, experts continue to debate how testosterone deficiency should be diagnosed and when hormone replacement therapy is appropriate.

Hegseth's announcement comes as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other administration officials push to make testosterone therapy more accessible. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration proposed easing prescribing restrictions on testosterone gels, pills, patches and injections.

Current FDA labelling limits the drugs to men with hypogonadism, a condition that causes significantly low testosterone levels.

Supporters of Kennedy's “Make America Healthy Again” movement promote testosterone as a way to appear younger, build muscle and maintain mental sharpness, although these claims are not widely accepted by medical experts.

Recent studies have shown benefits of testosterone therapy for certain conditions while easing concerns over its safety, particularly regarding heart health. Last year, the FDA removed its boxed warning about possible risks of heart attack and stroke associated with the drugs.

National Institutes of Health studies involving older men found testosterone improved erectile dysfunction, libido and some aspects of mood, but produced little or no improvement in fatigue, memory or overall well-being. Other studies have suggested gains in muscle strength and bone density.

Current medical guidelines generally advise against routine testosterone screening. Doctors are instead encouraged to consider therapy only for men with persistent symptoms and consistently low testosterone levels confirmed through two separate blood tests. Because hormone levels fluctuate during the day, accurate testing is typically conducted in the morning after fasting.

Democrats Criticise Policy

Some Democratic lawmakers with military backgrounds criticised the announcement.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat and Iraq War veteran, said the policy sounded “like gender-affirming care to me,” referring to Hegseth's opposition to transgender troops.

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

Both lawmakers urged Hegseth to extend hormone screening to both male and female troops.

“Let’s extend hormone screenings for all of our brave servicemembers to help us identify fertility issues early — since studies show that both women and men in our military disproportionately face higher rates of infertility than the general population,” Duckworth, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement.

Hegseth has previously argued that women should not serve in combat roles and that such positions should meet the “highest male standard.” Since taking charge of the Pentagon, he has blocked some military promotions for women and dismissed female leaders.

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He has also introduced other changes to military healthcare. In April, Hegseth ended the military's long-standing flu vaccine mandate, citing “medical autonomy” and religious freedom. In June, a flu outbreak at the US Air Force's boot camp sickened nearly 300 people.

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