Hegseth announces new policy to test troops for low testosterone and offer them hormone replacement therapy

By — Konstantin Toropin, Associated Press Konstantin Toropin, Associated Press By — Matthew Perrone, Associated Press Matthew Perrone, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/hegseth-announces-new-policy-to-test-troops-for-low-testosterone-and-offer-them-hormone-replacement-therapy Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Hegseth announces new policy to test troops for low testosterone and offer them hormone replacement therapy World Jul 15, 2026 5:03 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that he is rolling out a new screening program for "testosterone deficiency" among troops, calling it necessary to allow them to operate at their "absolute best." The screenings will be conducted annually as part of service members' required medical screenings for those 30 and older, he said. Troops under 30 can volunteer to be tested. In a video on social media, Hegseth said receiving testosterone replacement therapy would be voluntary. READ MORE: Hormone replacement safe and effective menopause treatment, study finds In the video, Hegseth simply refers to troops, though it appears he is talking about only testing men in uniform for hormone irregularities. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. The move comes as other Trump administration officials have begun to advocate for men to have easier access to testosterone replacement therapies, but the messaging from Hegseth and others blends known science on the hormone with broader, and less substantiated, claims. When asked about what conditions Hegseth was looking to address with the new policy, the Pentagon referred to Hegseth's remarks in the video that mentioned keeping troops "strong, resilient and capable" and that the rigors of the modern battlefield demand "maximum psychological and mental readiness." READ MORE: Georgia can resume enforcing ban on hormone replacement therapy for transgender youth, judge says Over the past several years, special operations troops — and specifically Navy SEALs — have come under scrutiny for their use of testosterone and similar substances to enhance performance. The death of a SEAL recruit during training in 2022 led to a discovery of substances in his possession, including testosterone, and revealed far more rampant drug use among the elite program than was previously acknowledged. A year after the recruit's death, the Navy said it would begin a drug-testing program to screen for "any hormonal substance, chemically or pharmacologically related to testosterone, that promotes muscle growth." READ MORE: Federal employees file complaint against Trump administration's ban on gender-affirming care Hegseth said his new initiative is "not about artificial enhancement." The Pentagon did not respond to questions about what research or academic studies underpinned the move. It also d