{"id":987,"date":"2026-07-15T20:09:48","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T20:09:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=987"},"modified":"2026-07-15T20:09:48","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T20:09:48","slug":"hegseth-announces-testosterone-testing-as-part-of-push-for-lethal-military","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=987","title":{"rendered":"Hegseth Announces Testosterone Testing as Part of Push for \u201cLethal\u201d Military"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n<\/p>\n
\n
\n

Truthout is a vital news source and a living history of political struggle. If you think our work is valuable, <\/span><\/i>support us with a donation<\/span><\/i> of any size.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Read more Omar Files Resolution Opposing Rubio\u2019s ICC Threat as He\u2019s Sued for ICC Sanctions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

On Wednesday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced a new policy aimed at increasing testosterone levels for servicemembers \u2014 a move that has been discouraged by health experts.<\/p>\n

In a social media post announcing the policy, Hegseth stated that the most \u201cdecisive tactical advantage\u201d the U.S. military has \u201cwill always be the individual warfighter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe 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,\u201d the Defense Secretary stated. \u201cTo meet that commitment today, I\u2019m 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new policy aims to provide, as part of yearly screening, mandatory testosterone level testing for servicemembers over the age of 30, with those under that age being allowed to request it. Hegseth emphasized that what happens next is up to the individual.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf treatment is recommended, it\u2019s entirely your choice to receive testosterone replacement therapy,\u201d or TRT, he said. <\/p>\n

But the overall message from Hegseth was clear: The military wants and is prioritizing higher testosterone levels in its soldiers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe modern battlefield is brutal and unrelenting. It requires and demands maximum psychological and mental readiness, and by addressing these health markers early, we\u2019re keeping you on the leading edge of lethality and giving you the same level of support that you give this nation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Hegseth noted that it is \u201cwell-established science that as we age, testosterone levels often naturally drop.\u201d While that is true, the \u201cdrop\u201d in levels isn\u2019t significant for most people, and certainly not for those of military age \u2014 levels drop by about 1 percent per year for people over the age of 30. <\/p>\n

While the program appears to be voluntary beyond testing, some servicemembers may feel pressured to take medical supplements after their test results come in (especially since Hegseth\u2019s video message was accompanied by the words, \u201cThe High-T Department of War\u201d). Hegseth\u2019s push could also prompt servicemembers to take testosterone supplements before their testing, without proper guidance. <\/p>\n

Indeed, Hegseth\u2019s message may feed into the current epidemic of online misinformation, tying masculinity to higher testosterone levels.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a huge problem,\u201d endocrinologist Channa Jayasena, of Imperial College London, told The Guardian<\/em> in November. \u201cHospital specialists are seeing patients coming in after having private blood tests, often arranged through influencers, perhaps, and then being told by inexperienced doctors or a wide range of healthcare professionals that they should start testosterone. The advice they are giving is wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Musk-Linked Lawyers Back Delaware Lawmakers Who Gutted Shareholder Protections<\/a><\/p>\n

Notably, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises against testosterone replacement therapy unless there is a specific medical reason for it.<\/p>\n

Health experts questioned Hegseth\u2019s new initiative.<\/p>\n

\u201cI used to do testosterone research \u2014 testing for T levels in troops doesn\u2019t make sense without a medical reason,\u201d public health scientist and epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding said in a post on X reacting to Hegseth\u2019s announcement. \u201cT level is not associated with higher cognitive function. T can drop because of stress or exhaustion \u2014 but TRT doesn\u2019t always improve physical performance.\u201d<\/p>\n

The result of TRT is \u201cmixed at best,\u201d Feigl-Ding added.<\/p>\n

Testosterone is a naturally occurring sex hormone, commonly associated with being the major hormone for men, though it is present in everyone at varying levels, including women. Benefits of the hormone include increasing muscle size and strength, as well as bone growth. <\/p>\n

But according to Harvard Medical School, artificially high levels of testosterone have also been associated with a number of health problems, such as:<\/p>\n