'To keep troops at absolute best': US announces annual testosterone screening for service members

NEW DELHI: US defence secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday announced a new annual testosterone screening programme for military personnel aged 30 and above, saying the initiative is aimed at ensuring troops can perform at their "absolute best.

"The screening will become part of the military's mandatory annual medical examinations for service members aged 30 and older. Personnel below 30 will be allowed to volunteer for testing.In a video shared on social media, Hegseth said testosterone replacement therapy would be voluntary. "The screenings are about making sure our troops are operating at their 'absolute best'," he said.Although Hegseth referred broadly to "troops," the announcement appeared to focus on male service members.

The Pentagon chief said the programme is intended to keep troops "strong, resilient and capable," adding that modern battlefields demand "maximum psychological and mental readiness."

Hegseth stressed that the initiative is "not about artificial enhancement."The announcement comes as the Trump administration pushes to expand access to testosterone replacement therapies. US health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr and other officials have advocated making it easier for doctors to prescribe testosterone treatments.

Medical experts say testosterone levels naturally decline with age and are associated with conditions such as erectile dysfunction, reduced libido, mood changes and weight gain. However, they caution that testosterone therapy should only be prescribed after symptoms are confirmed alongside consistently low hormone levels through two separate blood tests.Testosterone levels also fluctuate during the day, making morning fasting blood tests the most reliable method of diagnosis.Recent studies have shown testosterone therapy can improve sexual health, muscle strength and bone density in some men. Last year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed a boxed warning linking testosterone therapy to heart attack and stroke risks.Still, current medical guidelines do not recommend routine testosterone screening for all men, the Associated Press reported.The announcement drew criticism from Democratic lawmakers with military backgrounds.

Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran, questioned the policy, saying it sounded "like gender-affirming care to me," referring to Hegseth's opposition to transgender troops serving in the military.Representative Chrissy Houlahan, an Air Force veteran, said the decision "proves that Secretary Hegseth takes direction from the far corners of the manosphere." Both lawmakers urged the Pentagon to make hormone screening available to both male and female service members.Hegseth has previously opposed women serving in combat roles, saying such positions should be based on the "highest male standard." Since taking charge of the Pentagon, he has also blocked some promotions involving women and made changes to military medical policies, including repealing the long-standing flu vaccine mandate in April, citing "medical autonomy" and religious freedom.