Hegseth wants a "High-T" military; doctors call it a clinical minefield
Summary
The U.S. military will require all active and reserve members aged 30 and older to be tested yearly for low testosterone, with younger members able to request testing. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said this is to improve soldiers' health and performance, but medical experts warn there is not enough evidence to support mass screening and treatment, and they worry about health risks and wrong diagnoses.Key Facts
- All active duty and reserve military personnel aged 30 and older must have annual testosterone level screenings.
- Service members under 30 can choose to be tested if they want.
- The goal is to improve performance, resilience, and long-term health, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
- The Endocrine Society, experts in hormones, say there is not enough proof to support general testosterone screening for men without symptoms.
- Low testosterone (hypogonadism) can be caused by rare genetic issues or pituitary gland problems, but these affect only about 1% of men.
- Many factors like aging, stress, medications, or illness can lower testosterone but don’t always require hormone treatment.
- Experts warn that screening everyone may lead to wrong diagnoses and unnecessary or harmful testosterone treatments.
- Proper medical evaluation is important because symptoms of low testosterone overlap with many other health issues.
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