U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks at the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit at the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on July 15, 2026. —Saul Loeb/AFP—Getty ImagesU.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday, July 15, that it is now mandatory for all service members age 30 and older to test their testosterone levels every year. Younger service members have the option to get tested too. Hegseth said in a video titled "The High T Department of War” that service members found to have “testosterone deficiency” could choose to receive testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Hegseth said he had authorized the screenings to ensure that service members “have the right testosterone levels” to operate at their “absolute best.” “This initiative—it’s not about artificial enhancement, it’s about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity, and ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight,” Hegseth said in the video.He didn’t specify if female service members would also be screened and have access to TRT. The Pentagon told TIME that it had no additional information to provide beyond Hegseth’s video and a department statement containing similar information. Doctors specializing in men’s health are divided as to whether people who don’t have symptoms of low testosterone should be tested for the condition. Many doctors also urge men to be cautious about taking TRT, which can stall sperm production and cause infertility. “There’s no free lunch. There are side effects,” says Dr. Jeff Morrison, a urologist at the University of Colorado. “If you are interested in further fertility, then TRT is probably not a good option.”Morrison says he ensures that his patients—particularly younger men in their 30s and 40s—are counseled about TRT’s potential adverse effects, which also include an increased risk of blood clots, acne, breast tenderness, and irritability. TRT is also generally considered a long-term or lifelong treatment.Hegseth didn’t mention TRT’s side effects or the long-term nature of the treatment in the video, and he did not discuss alternative interventions, such as lifestyle changes, that can raise testosterone levels. Morrison says he always recommends lifestyle changes to his patients with low testosterone before turning to TRT. Improving sleep, losing weight, and reducing stress are among the interventions that can boost testosterone levels, Morrison says. But some symptomatic people do need TRT to raise their testosterone to normal levels, and for them, the treatment can “truly be life-changing," Morrison says. “Men don’t deserve to suffer from low testosterone. But they have to be properly counseled on the risks and benefits of therapy.”Testosterone is an essential hormone which, in men, is produced primarily in the testicles and helps regulate sex drive, sperm production, bone density, and muscle mass. Most men experience a gradual decline in testosterone starting in their late 30s or early 40s. But medical guidelines don’t recommend testing testosterone levels unless a man has signs or symptoms that suggest a deficiency, such as low libido, erectile dysfunction, and anemia, or has a high-risk medical condition that can cause low testosterone such as HIV.“It’s not recommended by the American Urological Association or the Endocrine Society to routinely screen people,” says Dr. Ajay Nangia, professor of urology at the University of Kansas Health System. Primary care doctors do not routinely test men's testosterone levels. “The recommendation by Mr. Hegseth goes against these guidelines.”But some doctors say that screening all men over age 30, including those without symptoms, could provide important health insights.“There is no better marker for overall health for men than testosterone,” says Dr. Mohit Khera, professor of urology at Baylor College of Medicine. “Men with low testosterone are more likely to have heart attacks and strokes, diabetes, obesity, and depression. It is not just about sex.”Low testosterone is often a signal that something is amiss in the body, says Khera. “Low T is like having the check engine light on. Maybe you’re stressed or having poor sleep or had a recent illness.” In some cases, the cause could be a disease such as cancer or a pituitary disorder.People in the military are at increased risk of low testosterone because of the stress and rigors of the job, says Khera. Low testosterone is a common feature of Operator Syndrome, a medical phenomenon characterizing the unique stresses of being in the military, which doctors are now seeking to understand. Testing testosterone levels at a younger age could provide someone with a baseline number to which they could compare as they grow older, Khera says. The bigger the drop in testosterone over time, the more pronounced the negative effects, he says.But while Khera supports screening, he said he worries about inappropriate use of TRT.“I wouldn’t treat someone with TRT if they weren’t symptomatic” or had normal testosterone levels, says Khera, who helped publish seminal research on TRT and in 2025 led a U.S. Food and Drug Administration expert panel on the treatment. “They would be stuck on it for life, so you want it to be done properly.” .“I’m not in the business of optimization,” he adds. “I don’t believe in taking someone who is normal to super-normal. I believe in helping someone who is truly low and has symptoms.” TRT was previously thought to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, but newer research, including a large 2023 study that Khera co-authored, has refuted that idea.The treatment has surged in popularity in recent years among men seeking to optimize their health, including influencers and celebrities such as Joe Rogan, Andrew Huberman, and Dax Shepard. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has said he takes TRT as part of his anti-aging routine.Citing new research, HHS said in June that it is seeking to remove limits on the use of TRT products in men with age-related low testosterone and revise product warning labels related to heart and prostate cancer risks. TRT products in the U.S. are currently only FDA-approved for men who lack or have low testosterone levels linked to an associated medical condition.