Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is rolling out a new yearly testosterone screening for service members 30 and older.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you’re unaware, testosterone levels in men decline naturally with age, dropping roughly 1% a year after 30 or 40, and low testosterone can be associated with fatigue, reduced muscle mass, and low sex drive. People can get a blood test to check their levels and, if needed, be offered treatment like testosterone replacement therapy, though doctors warn it isn’t for everyone since it can cause infertility in men of reproductive age and carries a theoretical increase in cardiovascular risk. Despite this, supporters say the therapy can increase muscle mass, decrease fat, lower the risk of depression, and over time improve bone density.

What’s going on now: In a video posted on X captioned “The High-T Department of War,” Hegseth said every active-duty and reserve member who’s 30 or up will get checked for low testosterone during the yearly Periodic Health Assessment they already sit through. Whatever the results show, deciding to actually go on testosterone replacement therapy is left to the individual. Hegseth framed the program as an investment in “the individual warfighter,” which he called the military’s “most decisive tactical advantage.”

“This initiative, it’s not about artificial enhancement,” 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.”

Some physicians and researchers questioned the science behind it, noting that testosterone levels vary hour by hour and that it’s unusual to screen patients without symptoms.

Democratic lawmakers piled on with the criticism, with Sen. Tammy Duckworth saying it sounded “like gender-affirming care to me” and calling for hormone testing to be extended to women.

As of now, the Pentagon has declined to say whether female troops would get estrogen screening or whether anyone who refused treatment would face repercussions.