US Military to Test Troops' Testosterone — What Beginners Should Know

The US military just put testosterone in the headlines. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that service members will have their testosterone levels tested, and those who qualify can receive testosterone replacement therapy (a medical treatment that adds the male hormone testosterone back into the body when levels are too low). The goal, he said, is to help troops perform at their "absolute best."

This move is part of a bigger trend. Testosterone therapy has exploded in popularity, promoted by online influencers, men's health clinics, and even Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as an anti-aging tool.

The numbers show how fast this is growing:

• Prescriptions rose from 7.3 million in 2019 to more than 11 million in 2024
• Up to one-third of men taking testosterone were never formally diagnosed with a deficiency

The treatment is made by major pharmaceutical companies (drug makers) like AbbVie, Pfizer, and Marius Pharmaceuticals — so expanded access could boost demand for their products.

But doctors urge caution. Testosterone therapy is meant for men with a real medical condition called hypogonadism (when the body doesn't produce enough testosterone), not just anyone feeling tired or aging normally. Diagnosing it properly usually needs two separate morning blood tests, plus a check for underlying causes like obesity, poor sleep, or stress.

For the right patients, benefits can be real:

• Improved sex drive and energy
• Better muscle mass and bone density
• Reduced risk of fractures

The risks, however, aren't fully understood. Too much testosterone can reduce sperm production, and long-term safety in healthy men remains unclear.

"It is good for people that need it," said Johns Hopkins endocrinologist Dr. Adrian Sandra Dobs. "But to over-replace it — we have to be very careful about that."

Bottom line: The military's plan reflects a booming cultural and financial trend around testosterone. While it may help those with genuine deficiencies, experts warn it's not a magic fix for normal aging — and the rush toward it deserves careful medical scrutiny.

This is an AI-generated summary. Read the original article at: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/20/what-to-know-about-testosterone-replacement-therapy.html