According to the American 'New York Times', on July 15th local time, Herges announced a new mandatory screening program. It will involve testing all active military personnel who are 30 years old or above for testosterone deficiency every year.
According to regulations, soldiers with low testosterone levels can voluntarily undergo hormone treatment.
Hagesser also posted a video on social media titled “The High-T Department of War”.
This is not for human augmentation of physical abilities, but for restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, to ensure long-term health and vitality," Hegeges said in the video. He explained that this initiative was aimed at preparing military personnel for "ruthless" modern battlefields as he described them.
Social media screenshots
However, professionals have poured cold water on him. According to Reuters report on July 18th, many medical professionals warn that this approach may not be effective at all, and if testosterone prescriptions are prescribed incorrectly, it could increase the risk of infertility among soldiers or lead to other adverse consequences.
Reuters contacted six male health experts, and five of them expressed “confusion” and were concerned about potentially harmful treatments.
Remote Medicine Platform Rugiet's medical advisory committee member and urologist Kevin McWhori said, "We have learned from patients that there is an improvement in cognitive sharpness and endurance after treating low levels of testosterone. However, this evidence is not conclusive, and it comes from patients who were treated due to symptoms."
Hawaii University's Christopher Fruh says: “Many young soldiers can adjust their hormones through sleep, rest, and diet, thereby restoring testosterone levels, rather than seeking alternative therapies.”
All experts also mentioned the serious impact of testosterone therapy on male fertility. Kevin McWhori said, “Many young men in the military who are not yet married will experience testicular atrophy if they continue to receive testosterone injections. And you can’t expect them to return to their normal state.”
Other risks include increased blood viscosity, prostate problems, acne, hair loss, breast tissue hyperplasia, and mood swings.
According to the introduction, testosterone is the most important male hormone in the human body. It is mainly secreted by interstitial cells of the testes, accounting for about 95% of male hormones, while the remaining 5% is secreted by the adrenal glands. For men, low levels of testosterone in clinical settings can lead to muscle loss, fatigue, obesity, and sexual dysfunction. It is also associated with other serious health problems such as diabetes, osteoporosis, and depression.
Women also produce testosterone, but men's testosterone levels are 10 to 20 times higher than those of women.
Although testosterone replacement therapy has legal medical uses, its popularity as a drug to enhance muscle mass has also increased rapidly in the United States. The number of prescriptions has grown from less than 1 million in 2000 to nearly 12 million in 2025.
According to the Associated Press, in the past few years, U.S. special operations forces have been scrutinized for using testosterone and similar substances to enhance their combat capabilities. In 2022, a Navy SEAL recruit died during training, and substances including testosterone were found on him.
