WASHINGTON, D.C. — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth plans to require annual testosterone-deficiency screening for active-duty and reserve service members aged 30 and older, but medical experts say treatment decisions require more than a single blood test.
Troops under 30 may voluntarily request screening. Those diagnosed with a deficiency can choose testosterone replacement therapy, which Hegseth said would restore natural capabilities rather than provide artificial performance enhancement.
Testosterone levels vary by age, sex, symptoms and time of day. For adult men, normal levels commonly range from roughly 300 to 1,000 nanograms per deciliter. Doctors typically diagnose low testosterone only when a patient has symptoms and at least two morning tests confirm abnormally low levels.
Replacement therapy is available through injections, patches, pills, pellets or topical gels. It can improve energy, bone density, muscle mass and sexual health in people with a confirmed deficiency.
However, unnecessary treatment can reduce the body’s natural testosterone production and may cause infertility, testicular shrinkage, acne, sleep apnea complications, prostate growth or elevated red blood cell levels that increase clotting risks.
Experts said the Pentagon has provided limited information about testing standards, treatment eligibility or how the policy will address naturally lower testosterone levels among female service members.
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