‘To keep troops in their absolute best shape’: US to start annual testosterone screening for military members, says Pete Hegseth
New Delhi: U.S. Secretary of Defense Peter Heggs A new annual testosterone screening program for service members aged 30 and older was announced on Wednesday, saying it was designed to ensure troops can perform at their “absolute best”.“The screening will be part of the Army’s mandatory annual physical exam for service members age 30 and older. People under the age of 30 can voluntarily participate in testing.In a video shared on social media, Hegseth said testosterone replacement therapy is voluntary. “These inspections are to ensure our forces are operating at their ‘absolute best’,” he said.Although Hegseth refers to “the military” broadly, the announcement appears to be primarily aimed at male service members. The Pentagon chief said the plan is designed to keep the force “strong, resilient and capable,” adding that the modern battlefield requires “the utmost psychological and spiritual readiness.”Heges stressed that the initiative was “not artificially enhanced.”The news comes as the Trump administration is pushing to expand access to testosterone replacement therapy. U.S. Surgeon General Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other officials advocated making it easier for doctors to prescribe testosterone treatments.Medical experts say testosterone levels naturally decline with age and have been linked to conditions such as erectile dysfunction, decreased libido, mood changes and weight gain. However, they warn that testosterone treatment should only be given if symptoms are confirmed by two separate blood tests and if hormone levels are persistently low.Testosterone levels also fluctuate during the day, making a morning fasting blood test the most reliable method of diagnosis.Recent research shows that testosterone therapy can improve sexual health, muscle strength and bone density in some men. Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed a boxed warning linking testosterone treatment to the risk of heart disease and stroke.According to the Associated Press, current medical guidelines do not recommend routine testosterone screening for all men.The statement drew criticism from Democratic lawmakers with military backgrounds. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran, questioned the policy, saying it “sounds like gender-affirming care to me,” referring to Hegseth’s opposition to transgender people serving in the military.Rep. Chrissy Houulahan, an Air Force veteran, said the decision “proves that Secretary Hegseth is taking instructions from the far corners of Manor Circle.” Both lawmakers urged the Pentagon to provide hormone screening for both male and female service members.Hegseth has previously opposed women in combat roles, saying such positions should be based on the “highest male standards”. Since taking the helm at the Pentagon, he has also blocked some promotions involving women and made changes to military health policy, including rescinding a long-standing flu vaccine mandate in April, citing “medical autonomy” and religious freedom.
