They’re gonna be put to the test(es).
US troops 30 or older must check their testosterone levels annually to ensure military readiness and keep them on “the leading edge of lethality,” Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday.
The Pentagon will also offer testosterone replacement therapy, Hegseth said.
“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.”
The new policy will make testosterone tests a standard part of the military’s existing annual periodic health assessment. While it’s required for troops over 30, younger service members have the option to receive the screening voluntarily.
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There will be no other changes to the health assessment, according to Hegseth, who said the Pentagon will just add the testosterone screening to the annual evaluation.
If a troop is found to have low testosterone, Hegseth says there will be a replacement therapy available, but if it’s recommended, “it’s entirely your choice to receive” it.
Hegseth said the goal is not an effort to artificially boost military performance.
“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.”
“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.
Testosterone is a hormone that plays a key role in sex drive, energy levels, bone density, muscle mass, and red blood cell production. Testosterone in men naturally declines as they age, though the rate and speed it decreases varies.
New research finds that one out of four men over age 30 have low testosterone levels, but only one in 20 men show noticeable symptoms.
“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.
Coincidentally, bedroom-booster drugs rose to an all-time high for military personnel, with a record-breaking 108,332 drugs prescribed in 2025 for active troops for erectile dysfunction, according to official statistics first obtained by The Post through a Freedom of Information Act request.
The previous record, set in 2024, comes close with 108,323 prescriptions set. In 2021, a 16.5% jump in prescriptions was recorded with only 92,966 drugs prescribed.
The surge doesn’t end with active military personnel. Veterans and dependents claimed 639,355 bedroom-boosting prescriptions in 2025.
Individuals with clinically diagnosed testosterone deficiency have seen improvement in their sexual function after treatment, according to the Endocrine Society. The organization, however, notes that treatment should only be conducted when low testosterone is confirmed through screening.
“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.”
The Pentagon has not yet released when the new screening requirement will take effect across the military branches, or if additional medical guidance will accompany the rollout.
