Defense Secretary Adds Annual Testosterone Screenings to Health Assessments for Troops Age 30 and Older

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that service members age 30 and older will receive annual testosterone screenings. The tests will be added to periodic health assessments, with troops under 30 allowed to participate voluntarily. Service members whose results indicate a need may then choose testosterone replacement therapy.

Hegseth posted a video message on X to introduce the program. He stated the screenings aim to ensure troops have the right testosterone levels to operate at their absolute best. Hegseth noted that levels often drop naturally with age and described the effort as restoring natural capabilities rather than artificial enhancement.

“We owe our warriors the absolute best medical care in the world. And this program delivers on that obligation,” he said. He added the phrase “The High-T Department of War” to the post. Hegseth has separately imposed stricter fitness standards that require all service members to meet a male standard.

The announcement follows an April Food and Drug Administration decision to expand access to testosterone replacement therapy. Roughly 5.6 percent of men between 30 and 79 have testosterone deficiency.