US Troops Over 30 Must Undergo Yearly Testosterone Screening, Hegseth Says

By: Shawn
‎The Pentagon will begin requiring annual testosterone screenings for US military personnel aged 30 and older as part of a new health initiative announced Wednesday by Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
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‎Pentagon will require annual testosterone screening for troops over 30 and offer optional replacement therapy if needed.
‎Reuters

‎According to Hegseth, the policy is designed to strengthen military readiness by ensuring service members maintain healthy testosterone levels. The Pentagon will also make testosterone replacement therapy available to troops who are found to have low levels, though participation in treatment will remain voluntary.
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‎“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 to X with the caption, “The High-T Department of War.”
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‎Under the new policy, testosterone screening will be incorporated into the military's existing annual periodic health assessment. Testing will be mandatory for personnel aged 30 and above, while younger service members may choose to undergo the screening voluntarily.
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‎Hegseth said no other changes will be made to the annual health assessment beyond adding the testosterone test.
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‎If screening identifies low testosterone levels, replacement therapy will be offered, but Hegseth emphasized that receiving treatment is entirely optional.
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‎“It’s entirely your choice to receive” it, he said.
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‎The secretary stressed that the initiative is intended to restore natural health rather than artificially improve military performance.
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‎“This initiative, it’s not about artificial enhancement,” Hegseth said. “It’s about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity, ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight.”
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‎He added that modern military operations demand peak physical and mental preparedness.
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‎“The modern battlefield is brutal and unrelenting. It requires and demands maximum psychological and mental readiness, and by addressing these health markers early, we’re keeping you on the leading edge of lethality,” the secretary added.
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‎Testosterone plays an important role in sex drive, energy levels, bone density, muscle mass and red blood cell production. Levels naturally decline with age, although the rate of decline differs from person to person.
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‎New research cited in the report found that one in four men over the age of 30 have low testosterone levels, while only one in 20 experience noticeable symptoms.
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‎“By addressing these health markers early, we’re keeping you on the leading edge of lethality and giving you the same level of support that you give this nation the absolute best,” Hegseth said.
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‎The announcement comes as official statistics obtained by The Post through a Freedom of Information Act request showed that prescriptions for erectile dysfunction drugs among active military personnel reached a record 108,332 in 2025, narrowly surpassing the previous record of 108,323 set in 2024. In 2021, 92,966 prescriptions were recorded, representing a 16.5% increase from the previous year.
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‎The increase extended beyond active-duty personnel, with veterans and dependents claiming 639,355 bedroom-boosting prescriptions in 2025.
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‎According to the Endocrine Society, individuals with clinically diagnosed testosterone deficiency have experienced improvements in sexual function following treatment. However, the organization also states that therapy should only be provided after low testosterone has been confirmed through screening.
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‎“While we invest heavily in our weapon systems, platforms and gear, our most decisive tactical advantage will always be the individual warfighter,” Hegseth said. “We have a sacred duty to maintain that advantage, which is why we must constantly look for new ways to optimize your performance, your resilience and your long-term health.”
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‎The Pentagon has not announced when the new screening requirement will be implemented across the military branches or whether additional medical guidance will accompany its rollout.

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