US military to start testosterone testing, Hegseth says

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement on Wednesday that the mandatory screening for testosterone deficiency will be effective immediately for all active duty and reserve component personnel aged 30 and older."The protocol will enable the Department to establish a comprehensive baseline and offer targeted testosterone therapy, ensuring that it sustains a healthy, capable, and decisively dominant fighting force," he said.Dr Mohit Khera, who led a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expert panel last year on screening and testosterone utilisation in the military, told the BBC on Wednesday that all men over 30 should get screened because it is the top marker of a person's overall current and future health."The key here is that many young men have low testosterone levels, which puts them at a disadvantage in terms of muscle mass, energy, and that could be an issue if you are in combat," Khera, a professor of urology at Baylor College of Medicine, said.But, he said, "You have to be careful not to just give someone testosterone unless they do have some kind of symptoms."The benefits of the hormone replacement therapy, he explained, are increased muscle mass, decreased fat deposition, and decreased risk for depression. Over time, Khera added, it can also help with bone mineral density.He cautioned, though, that it is not meant for everyone."If young men do take testosterone, it can make them infertile," Khera said. "You got to be careful. ... If someone's in the reproductive years, you need to make sure they understand it's going to make you infertile."