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Military to begin testosterone screening for troops 30 and older

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The U.S. military will begin mandatory testosterone deficiency screenings for active-duty service members and reservists age 30 and older as part of their annual health assessments under a new program announced Wednesday by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Hegseth said the initiative is intended to ensure troops maintain the hormone levels needed to perform at their highest level and to support their long-term health during and after military service. Service members found to have low testosterone levels will be offered voluntary hormone replacement therapy.

According to the Pentagon, personnel younger than 30 will also be able to request the screening on a voluntary basis.

Pentagon officials said the program is designed to establish baseline hormone levels and provide targeted treatment when medically appropriate. They emphasized that the initiative is not intended to promote artificial performance enhancement. The military continues to prohibit the use of testosterone for non-medical reasons, such as muscle enhancement without a physician’s prescription.

The announcement prompted questions about whether female service members will receive similar hormone screening or treatment options related to estrogen as they approach perimenopause. The Pentagon declined to provide additional details beyond its initial announcement.

Reaction from lawmakers was divided. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, an Iraq War veteran and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called for hormone testing to be available to both men and women. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pennsylvania, an Air Force veteran, criticized the initiative on social media as another example of what she described as culture-war politics.

Medical experts say testosterone levels naturally begin to decline between ages 30 and 40, with an estimated 10% to 40% of older men experiencing low testosterone. Symptoms can include reduced muscle mass, fatigue, low mood and decreased sex drive.

Dr. Mohit Khera, a Baylor College of Medicine urologist who previously led a U.S. Food and Drug Administration expert panel on testosterone use in the military, said screening can help identify service members who may benefit from treatment. However, he cautioned that hormone therapy should be limited to patients with symptoms and warned that testosterone treatment can reduce fertility and may carry cardiovascular risks for some individuals.

Source: BBC

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