Doctors warn that Pentagon's new testosterone screening could be costly and medically unwarranted

The Department of Defense announced that all active-duty personnel aged 30 and older will undergo annual blood tests for testosterone deficiency as part of routine health exams, with younger members offered optional testing. The policy, promoted by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as a way to ensure troops have "the right testosterone levels to operate at your absolute best," has drawn sharp criticism from physicians.

The Endocrine Society and the American College of Physicians advise against broad screening for testosterone because levels fluctuate with age, time of day, stress, sleep and other factors. > "Testosterone in the normal range is not a performance drug," said Dr. Céline Gounder, a medical correspondent for CBS News. > "For a man whose level is genuinely low, replacement can help libido and mood a little. It has not been shown to sharpen thinking, fix fatigue, or make a healthy 30-year-old a better soldier."

Endocrinology specialist Dr. Marcus Goncalves of NYU Langone Health noted that normal testosterone ranges are wide and not linked to perceived masculinity or physical capability. He added that low levels in men in their 30s usually signal other health issues such as excess weight, poor sleep, opioid use or chronic stress, which are common in military life. Treating the underlying cause, he said, is more effective than hormone replacement, which carries risks including blood clots, reduced fertility and hormonal imbalance.

Testing itself is complex and expensive. Accurate measurement requires fasting blood draws taken between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., often followed by repeat testing to confirm results. Gounder estimated that the blood draws alone could cost the military "tens of millions of dollars a year," with additional expenses for follow-up appointments, treatment and monitoring. She warned that there is no published cost-benefit analysis supporting the program.

Critics also highlighted the potential for false-positive results, which could lead to unnecessary medical interventions. While testosterone therapy may be justified for men with medically confirmed deficiencies, the evidence does not support its use for otherwise healthy individuals to enhance performance.

The initiative arrives amid a broader cultural push toward "optimizing" bodily functions, with rising prescriptions for testosterone therapy and growing interest in unregulated peptide products. Experts caution that increasing hormone levels beyond normal ranges does not automatically translate into better health or performance outcomes.