Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that active-duty service members age 30 and older will undergo annual screening for testosterone deficiency as part of their required military health assessments.
Troops under 30 will be able to request the screening voluntarily. Treatment, including testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), will remain optional even if testing shows low hormone levels.
“I’m authorizing a new screening program for testosterone deficiency for our service members, ensuring you have the right testosterone levels to operate at your absolute best,” Hegseth said in a video posted on social media.
The program, which Hegseth called “High-T,” will be added to the periodic health assessment that troops already complete each year. The assessment reviews medical and behavioral health and determines whether a service member is ready to deploy.
Hegseth said the initiative is intended to support military readiness rather than artificially improve performance.
“This initiative, it’s not about artificial enhancement,” he said. “It’s about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity, ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight.”
He added that the modern battlefield requires maximum physical and mental readiness.
The Pentagon has not said when the program will begin. It also has not explained how the testing will be introduced across the military branches, how results will be recorded or whether a deficiency could affect assignments or career decisions.
The department also did not identify the research used to support the mandatory annual screening.
Testosterone levels in men generally decline with age. Low levels may be linked to fatigue, reduced muscle strength, mood changes, weight gain, lower libido and erectile dysfunction.
Medical guidelines typically do not recommend routine testosterone testing for men without symptoms. Doctors generally recommend confirming low testosterone with two separate blood tests because hormone levels fluctuate throughout the day. Testing is usually conducted in the morning after fasting.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration currently approves testosterone treatments for men with hypogonadism, a medical condition that causes abnormally low testosterone levels. Last month, the FDA proposed easing prescribing restrictions on testosterone gels, injections, pills and patches.
Recent studies have found that testosterone treatment may improve libido, erectile function, muscle strength and bone density in some patients. However, research has shown little or no improvement in fatigue, memory and overall well-being.
The military has previously examined testosterone use among special operations forces.
After a Navy SEAL recruit died during training in 2022, investigators found testosterone and other substances among his belongings. The discovery raised concerns about performance-enhancing drug use within the elite training program.
A year later, the Navy announced a drug-testing program to screen for hormonal substances related to testosterone that promote muscle growth.
Hegseth said the new program is focused on treating deficiencies rather than encouraging performance-enhancing drug use.
The policy drew criticism from Democratic lawmakers with military experience.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), an Iraq War veteran, called for hormone screenings to be available to both male and female service members. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), an Air Force veteran, also questioned why the policy did not address hormone-related health concerns affecting women.
The Pentagon did not say whether female troops would be eligible for hormone evaluations related to estrogen or menopause.
The initiative is the latest step in Hegseth’s effort to reshape military health, fitness and appearance standards. He has also backed tougher physical requirements, two annual fitness tests, daily exercise and stricter grooming rules for active-duty troops.