Pentagon temporarily rescinds guidelines for annual testosterone screening

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has temporarily rescinded new guidance on annual testosterone screening for service members 30 and older less than 24 hours after its publication.

“The ‘Interim Guidance on Testosterone Deficiency Screenings for Active Duty and Reserve Component Personnel’ remains in effect. The final clinical guidance will be issued shortly,” the Pentagon said in a statement Thursday.

On Wednesday, the Defense Department posted the “Clinical Guidance for Health and Human Performance Optimization” on its website. By Thursday, the memo and an accompanying statement from chief spokesman Sean Parnell had been removed.

The initially published guidance came after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in July announced a screening for service members, “ensuring you have the right testosterone levels to operate at your absolute best.”

Screenings for all active-duty and reserve personnel are effective immediately, according to a memorandum signed by Hegseth at the time. The screening will be added to the periodic health assessment for troops over 30. Those under 30 can voluntarily choose to be screened.

Testosterone deficiency, or hypogonadism, commonly known as “low T,” is a condition in which the body does not produce enough of the hormone that is key to the development and maintenance of typical male physical characteristics such as muscle mass and growth of facial hair. Testosterone levels in men naturally decline by about 1% to 2% a year after age 30, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Low T can cause physical, mental and sexual changes such as fatigue, decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, muscle loss, mood fluctuations and weight gain.

The condition affects about two in 100 men overall, according to the American Urological Association, but the rate increases with age.

The guidance published Wednesday said men age 30 and older will receive ​mandatory testosterone blood tests, while younger men will be tested only on ‌request ⁠or if clinicians identify warning signs.

The guidance for women, who produce the hormone at significantly lower levels than men, does not mandate routine testosterone blood tests.

However, it called for screening for fatigue and disrupted menstrual cycles that can be associated ​with hormonal dysregulation ​and conditions called ⁠low-energy availability and relative energy deficiency in sport.

After Hegseth’s announcement in July, the medical community was quick to express skepticism in the Pentagon’s plan to annually screen service members.

Medical professionals said there are a number of variables that make it hard to determine if a man has low testosterone levels.

“There is insufficient evidence to support a general recommendation to perform population-level screening,” the Endocrine Society said in a statement at the time.

A 2020 study on more than 50 special operation forces operators conducted by the Defense Department and other institutions linked low testosterone levels to deployments during which poor sleep, high-stress environments and poor nutrition can take a toll.

The condition is referred to as “Operator Syndrome.”

“Operator Syndrome represents a unique convergence of health challenges that require proactive clinical intervention,” Hegseth wrote in his memo. “Additionally, applying lessons learned from treating Operator Syndrome across the total force including targeted testosterone therapy directly optimizes warfighter readiness.”

The Pentagon policy comes amid a wider push within President Donald Trump’s administration to make testosterone replacement therapy for men more widely available. Proponents tout the hormone as a way to boost muscle, energy and sex drive.

Testosterone replacement therapy has long been associated with health risks. Recent studies have addressed some concerns, but the Endocrine Society said more research is needed to fully understand TRT risks.