Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the U.S. military will begin testing service members ages 30 and older for testosterone deficiency every year. The screening will be added to an existing annual health visit called a periodic health assessment. Service members under 30 can request testing on a voluntary basis.
In a video posted on X, Hegseth framed the initiative as a way to keep troops on the "leading edge of lethality" by supporting their physical and psychological readiness. "Under the supervision of our world-class medical professionals, war fighters age 30 and older are going to be tested annually as part of their periodic health assessment," he said.
Those who are found to have low testosterone may be offered testosterone replacement therapy, though treatment remains voluntary. Hegseth said the goal is not to push testosterone above its natural range or use the hormone as a performance-enhancing drug. He described the program as protecting longevity and the biological foundation of readiness.
Medical experts interviewed by Healthline raised concerns about the approach. Philip Werthman, a board-certified urologist and director of the Center for Male Reproductive Medicine and Vasectomy Reversal in Los Angeles, said the program goes beyond what the evidence supports. "I do not believe routine testosterone screening of every service member beginning at age 30 is medically justified based on the evidence currently available," Werthman said.
S. Adam Ramin, a board-certified urologist and medical director of Urology Cancer Specialists in Los Angeles, said blood tests in younger men without symptoms offer limited clinical value. "In men who are not exhibiting clinical signs and symptoms of low testosterone, and are under the age of 40, checking a blood test testosterone level may not be informative or required from a medical standpoint," he said.
Testosterone is a sex hormone that helps regulate muscle mass, libido, mood, and energy. Levels tend to decline gradually with age, but low testosterone, clinically known as hypogonadism, can also result from injury, lifestyle, and disease. Experts noted that a single blood test cannot diagnose low testosterone on its own. Other symptoms must also be present for a diagnosis to be valid.
Testosterone replacement therapy can benefit people with a confirmed deficiency, but it carries risks. One of those risks is impaired fertility, a factor that may be significant for younger service members. The military has not announced a timeline for when the screening program will begin across all branches.