{"id":5022,"date":"2026-07-15T20:05:30","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T20:05:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=5022"},"modified":"2026-07-15T20:05:30","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T20:05:30","slug":"hegseth-announces-new-policy-to-test-troops-for-low-testosterone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=5022","title":{"rendered":"Hegseth announces new policy to test troops for low testosterone"},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<div>\n<p><span>WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that he is rolling out a new screening program for \u201ctestosterone deficiency\u201d among troops, calling it necessary to allow them to operate at their \u201cabsolute best.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=5020\">Biden will publish \u2018Promise Me, America\u2019 memoir after the November midterm elections<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span>The screenings will be conducted annually as part of service members\u2019 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.<\/span><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><span>In the video, Hegseth simply refers to troops, though it appears he is talking about only testing men in uniform for hormone irregularities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>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.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>When asked about what conditions Hegseth was looking to address with the new policy, the Pentagon referred to Hegseth\u2019s remarks in the video that mentioned keeping troops \u201cstrong, resilient and capable\u201d and that the rigors of the modern battlefield demand \u201cmaximum psychological and mental readiness.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><span>Get Starting Point<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span>A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.<\/span><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><label>Enter Email<\/label><\/p>\n<div><button>Sign Up<\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span>Over the past several years, special operations troops \u2014 and specifically Navy SEALs \u2014 have come under scrutiny for their use of testosterone and similar substances to enhance performance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>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.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>A year after the recruit\u2019s death, the Navy said it would begin a drug-testing program to screen for \u201cany hormonal substance, chemically or pharmacologically related to testosterone, that promotes muscle growth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Hegseth said his new initiative is \u201cnot about artificial enhancement.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The Pentagon did not respond to questions about what research or academic studies underpinned the move. It also didn\u2019t say if female troops would be able to be evaluated for estrogen-based therapy as they entered perimenopause.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Testosterone levels in men decline naturally with age and have long been linked to issues like erectile dysfunction, low libido, mood changes and weight gain. But experts have debated for years how to diagnose those problems and whether they should be treated by replacing the hormone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Hegseth\u2019s announcement comes as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other Trump administration officials are moving to make it easier for doctors to prescribe testosterone. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration proposed easing prescribing limits on testosterone gels, pills, patches and injections.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The current FDA label specifies that the medications are only for men with hypogonadism, a medical condition that causes drastically low testosterone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=5018\">Biddeford, Maine mayor calls ICE agents\u2019 lack of body cameras \u2018unacceptable\u2019 after agent fatally shoots man there<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span>But many influencers and proponents of Kennedy\u2019s \u201cMake America Healthy Again\u201d movement tout testosterone as a way to look younger, build muscle and stay mentally sharp \u2014 although those uses aren\u2019t accepted by most medical experts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Still, recent studies have bolstered the case for testosterone\u2019s benefits, for certain conditions, while allaying worries about its safety \u2014 particularly concerns about heart safety.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Last year, the FDA removed a boxed warning about possible risks of heart attack and stroke from the drugs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Separately, a series of studies by the National Institutes of Health in older men found that taking testosterone improved erectile dysfunction, libido and other sexual measures and had a small effect on mood. But there was little or no improvement in other measures like fatigue, memory or overall well-being.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Other studies have shown potential improvements in muscle-building, strength and bone density.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>However, current medical guidelines generally recommend against blanket testing of testosterone levels. Typically, doctors are advised to discuss testosterone therapy with men who have troubling symptoms and documented low levels of the hormone on two separate blood tests.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Testing for testosterone is challenging because levels of the hormone fluctuate throughout the day. Accurate testosterone readings are typically measured in the morning after fasting.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Representative Chrissy Houlahan, a Pennsylvania Democrat and Air Force veteran, said the \u201cannouncement proves that Secretary Hegseth takes direction from the far corners of the manosphere.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The congresswoman on the House Armed Services Committee said she hoped testosterone testing \u201cwill be available for both men and women and that servicewomen will be afforded access to the same resources to enable them too to be the most elite warriors\u201d on Earth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Hegseth has previously said he does not believe women should hold combat roles and that those positions should be based on the \u201chighest male standard.\u201d He has blocked some military promotions for women or fired female leaders since becoming Pentagon leader.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>He has made other changes related to the medical treatment of troops.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>In April, he announced the repeal of the military\u2019s long-standing flu vaccine mandate, citing \u201cmedical autonomy\u201d and religious freedom. In June, a flu outbreak at the US Air Force\u2019s boot camp sickened at least nearly 300 people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=5016\">Bruins to open new season against the Rangers at TD Garden in matchup of Original Six franchises<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span>___<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><i>Associated Press writer Ben Finley contributed to this report.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Trump administration has advocated for easier access to testosterone replacement therapies \u2014 a form of gender-affirming care. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5021,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5022","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - 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