Researchers Examine Low Testosterone Screening Rates Among U.S. Army Personnel

October 15, 2026 · Baton Rouge, LA

---

Study published in JAMA estimates that about 1 in 4 active-duty male soldiers has a single morning testosterone measurement below a commonly used clinical threshold

Approximately 1 in 4 active-duty male U.S. Army personnel may have a morning testosterone measurement below a commonly used clinical threshold, according to new research from Pennington Biomedical Research Center published this week in JAMA. The findings provide estimates of low testosterone screening results across the active-duty Army population and offer insight into the potential implications of routine testosterone screening for military personnel.

The study, “Testosterone Screening Thresholds and Low Testosterone in Active-Duty US Service Members,” analyzed data from 479 male participants in the Military Health and Nutrition Examination Study, a multisite assessment conducted at five U.S. Army installations between August 2024 and January 2026. Researchers estimated the prevalence of testosterone concentrations below two commonly used thresholds for identifying low testosterone: less than 300 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL) and less than 264 ng/dL.

Using the 300 ng/dL threshold, researchers estimated that 25.7% of active-duty male Army personnel – approximately 100,691 individuals – would have a morning testosterone measurement below that level. Using the lower threshold of 264 ng/dL, the estimated prevalence was 14.7%, representing approximately 57,788 men.

“Pennington Biomedical has proudly collaborated with the U.S. military for more than 30 years to advance research that supports the health, performance and readiness of service members,” said Dr. Jennifer Rood, Senior Vice Chancellor and Executive Director of Pennington Biomedical. “Our participation in the Military Health and Nutrition Examination Study reflects this longstanding partnership and our shared commitment to understanding the factors that influence health across the military population. This research provides valuable evidence to help inform health monitoring and support the well-being of those who serve our country.”

The findings come as a Department of War memorandum calls for annual testosterone screening for active-duty and reserve military personnel ages 30 and older, underscoring the importance of understanding how frequent screening may identify low testosterone measurements.

“Understanding the prevalence of low testosterone measurements in military personnel is important as screening practices evolve,” said Dr. Claire E. Berryman, former Pennington Biomedical researcher now at Purdue University and corresponding author of the study. “These findings help quantify how many service members may require follow-up testing and clinical evaluation after an initial screening.”

Researchers also found that low testosterone measurements were more common among older men and men with higher body mass index (BMI). Among men younger than 30, an estimated 19.5% had testosterone concentrations below 300 ng/dL, compared with 32.8% of men ages 30 and older. Using the 264 ng/dL threshold, the corresponding estimates were 11.4% and 18.6%, respectively.

For the study, Dr. Stephen R. Hennigar, LSU Boyd Professor Dr. Steven Heymsfield, Dr. Asma S. Bukhari and Berryman collaborated with Dr. Harris R. Lieberman of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine.

The researchers emphasized that a low screening measurement is not the same as a diagnosis of hypogonadism, a clinical condition involving testosterone deficiency. Testosterone concentrations can vary with age, time of day, obesity, illness and physical stress. Clinical guidelines recommend testing men who have signs or symptoms consistent with testosterone deficiency, and a low morning testosterone result generally requires confirmation through repeat testing and further clinical evaluation.

“This distinction is particularly important when interpreting population-level screening estimates,” the researchers noted in the paper. A single low measurement may prompt additional evaluation, but it does not establish that an individual has a clinical condition requiring treatment.

The study’s findings also highlight the importance of careful interpretation of screening results as military health systems evaluate approaches to monitoring the health and readiness of service members. The researchers noted that the study relied on a single testosterone measurement for each participant, and that differences in laboratory assays may affect classification near clinical thresholds.

The research was funded by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command through its Broad Agency Announcement for the Extramural Medical Research Program.