U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday, July 15, that it is now mandatory for all service members age 30 and older to test their testosterone levels every year. Younger service members have the option to get tested too.
Hegseth said in a video titled "The High T Department of War” that service members found to have “testosterone deficiency” could choose to receive testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Hegseth said he had authorized the screenings to ensure that service members “have the right testosterone levels” to operate at their “absolute best.”
“This initiative—it’s not about artificial enhancement, it’s about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity, and ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight,” Hegseth said in the video.
He didn’t specify if female service members would also be screened and have access to TRT. The Pentagon told TIME that it had no additional information to provide beyond Hegseth’s video and a department statement containing similar information.
Doctors specializing in men’s health are divided as to whether people who don’t have symptoms of low testosterone should be tested for the condition. Many doctors also urge men to be cautious about taking TRT, which can stall sperm production and cause infertility.
“There’s no free lunch. There are side effects,” says Dr. Jeff Morrison, a urologist at the University of Colorado. “If you are interested in further fertility, then TRT is probably not a good option.”
Morrison says he ensures that his patients—particularly younger men in their 30s and 40s—are counseled about TRT’s potential adverse effects, which also include an increased risk of blood clots, acne, breast tenderness, and irritability. TRT is also generally considered a long-term or lifelong treatment.
Hegseth didn’t mention TRT’s side effects or the long-term nature of the treatment in the video,
