Pentagon to offer troops testosterone therapy

WASHINGTON —

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a new initiative to screen U.S. troops for testosterone deficiency as part of what he calls the “High-T Department of War.”

In a video statement addressed to service members, Hegseth said, “It’s about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity, and ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight.”

The program will require annual testosterone level screenings for troops aged 30 and older, while younger members will have the option to volunteer for the test.

If recommended by doctors, service members could choose to undergo testosterone replacement therapy.

“We owe our warriors the absolute best medical care in the world, and this program delivers on that obligation,” the secretary said.

Hegseth emphasized that the program is not about artificially enhancing troops but about improving their health, strength and readiness.

He said the initiative aims to keep troops on “the leading edge of lethality.”