Pete Hegseth · Pentagon · Ars Technica
Hegseth wants a "High-T" military; doctors call it a clinical minefield
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On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made the startling announcement that the US military would begin requiring all active duty and reserve personnel aged 30 and older to undergo mandatory screening for testosterone deficiency.
Key facts
- On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made the startling announcement that the US military would begin requiring all active duty and reserve personnel aged 30 and older to undergo mandatory
- To find out why, Ars Technica spoke with Professor Bradley Anawalt, chief of medicine at the University of Washington Medical Center
- Those under age 30 can also get screened on request
- But these conditions are uncommon, affecting maybe 1 percent of men at most, Anawalt said
Summary
In a short video posted on social media, Hegseth explained to the military community that the screenings and possible subsequent treatments are intended to “optimize your performance, your resilience, and your long-term health.” While saying that the initiative wasn’t about “artificial enhancement” and that members could decline treatment, Hegseth claimed that the testing and potential treatment was for “restoring and optimizing” capabilities, protecting “longevity,” and “ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight.” Screening people widely for medical conditions and then treating those who need it may sound like a huge social positive. That’s why the Endocrine Society—made up of experts in the complex systems that release hormones in the body— posted a statement on the topic in the wake of Hegseth’s announcement.
To find out why, Ars Technica spoke with Professor Bradley Anawalt, chief of medicine at the University of Washington Medical Center.