US military to test testosterone levels in troops over 30 annually

The US Defense Department will introduce a program requiring annual testosterone testing for service members aged 30 and older.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday on social media that troops subject to the policy "will receive testosterone testing as part of their annual physical," according to the Wall Street Journal and other outlets.

Hegseth said the measure is intended "to ensure troops maintain optimal testosterone levels so they can perform their missions at peak combat readiness," adding that it is "well-established science that testosterone levels naturally decline with age."

Service members whose results show low testosterone will decide, in consultation with medical personnel, whether to undergo testosterone replacement therapy, or TRT.

TRT restores hormone levels to a normal range — typically through injections — for individuals with a testosterone deficiency.

"By addressing these health issues early, we will keep our warriors on the front lines and in the fight," Hegseth said.

He did not specify the testosterone threshold that would trigger a treatment recommendation, nor did he clarify whether separate standards would apply to female service members.

The Pentagon declined to comment.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, a nonprofit academic medical center, both men and women produce testosterone. The hormone supports hair growth, height and muscle development in men, and helps maintain energy levels and bone strength in women. In men, declining testosterone with age can lead to reduced muscle mass and diminished sexual function.

Hegseth, 46, said service members under 30 may also volunteer for testosterone testing. Medical personnel will collect blood samples from troops to conduct the screenings.

The announcement drew swift pushback from Democratic lawmakers.

Rep. Summer Lee mocked the policy, asking whether the Defense Department was now endorsing "sex-determination treatment."

The remark was widely interpreted as a jab at the Trump administration's push to ban transgender individuals from serving in the military.