Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wants annual US military testosterone screening for troops, with mandatory tests for service members 30 and over and voluntary testing for volunteers under 30. Hegseth said the military is "we’re keeping you on the leading edge of lethality," and replacement therapy would be voluntary for those who do not meet the cut.
Pete Hegseth and testosterone
Lori Falce wrote the TribLIVE.com column that laid out the proposal and the medical tradeoffs around it. She said low testosterone can show up as muscle loss, fatigue, depression and low sex drive.
Falce also pointed to the other side of the ledger. She wrote that high testosterone can bring higher potential for prostate cancer, high blood pressure, mood swings, irritability and increased risk of heart attack. Harvard University says high testosterone in men is not common.
Harvard University and NIH data
The column places Hegseth’s idea against a documented rise in treatment. A National Institutes of Health study showed a 400% increase in testosterone replacement therapy in men between the ages of 18 and 45 between 2003 and 2013.
That detail gives the proposal a wider frame: annual screening would not be limited to men already seeking treatment, and the age cutoff would make the policy routine for troops 30 and over. Younger volunteers could still opt in, but the proposal as described makes the mandatory line clear at 30.
The practical question is how the military would define deficiency and decide who receives replacement therapy. Falce did not describe a cutoff standard or a testing method, and the column left the proposal as a policy push rather than a finished rule.
TribLIVE.com column details
Falce identified the topic as part of a broader debate over testosterone, masculinity and military readiness. She also wrote that the Trump administration has adamantly opposed gender-affirming care and said Hegseth has fired high-ranking women or passed them over for recommended promotions.
For troops who would fall under the 30-and-over rule, the immediate change would be a recurring screening requirement, not a one-time check. For younger service members, the proposal leaves the door open to voluntary testing, but not a mandate. The policy would turn testosterone levels into a recurring personnel issue inside the military if Hegseth’s idea is adopted.
