r/politics • u/mom0nga • Jul 15 '26

No Paywall Hegseth announces annual testosterone screenings for service members

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5969935-hegseth-testosterone-testing-dod/
16.6k Upvotes

96% Upvoted

3.1k comments sorted by

View all comments

3.4k

u/Professional_Cry2415 Jul 15 '26

ah so gender-affirming care

857

u/TrumpDid2020 Jul 15 '26

Gender affirming care which, if I remember right, actually makes the body compensate for the excess testosterone by producing more estrogen...

287

u/Spoon06 Jul 15 '26

This is Bob…

177

u/Earthpig_Johnson Jul 15 '26

Bob has bitch tits.

9

u/Driftlack Jul 15 '26

They wanted to use the prosthetic at a Planet Hollywood, but they couldn't contain the smell.

116

u/Locke_Erasmus Oklahoma Jul 15 '26

His name is Robert Paulson

30

u/Figgabro Oklahoma Jul 15 '26

Oh I get it, when a member of Project Mayhem dies, he is given a name. His name is Robert Paulson.

26

u/[deleted] Jul 15 '26

His name was Robert Paulson

13

u/hexiron Jul 15 '26

His name was Robert Paulson

5

u/RojoTheMighty Jul 15 '26

His name was Robert Paulson.

5

u/TransCapybara Washington Jul 15 '26

His name was Robert Paulson.

5

u/LaneMcD Jul 15 '26

His name is Robert Paulson

1

u/Goregoat69 Jul 15 '26

Honestly my mind went more to the Blackadder character, lol.

4

u/FigmentRedditUser Jul 15 '26

Came for this comment and was happy to find it. Enjoy a well-deserved up vote my fellow Fight Club fan!

134

u/blakethairyascanbe Jul 15 '26

It actually turns the testosterone into estrogen. I know that's pedantic, your concept is correct, but the process is a bit different. Aromatase converts testosterone into estrogen. Unless I am wrong, it doesn't even have to be too much T for it to happen; it's just a risk with synthetic T. It's how you get gynecomastia. We're about to have a bunch of dude with leaky titties in the military.

16

u/SparksAndSpyro Jul 15 '26

It’s a risk with any T, natural or synthetic. That’s why somewhere between 40-50% of men naturally develop mild gynecomastia during puberty, because the increased T production causes excess estrogen conversion. Usually subsides, but not always.

32

u/BadahBingBadahBoom Jul 15 '26

We're about to have a bunch of dude with leaky titties in the military.

10y ago this would confuse and shock me. Now I read this and think 'yeah that figures'.

6

u/Peglegfish Jul 15 '26

10 years ago I wouldn’t have thought the republicans would advance my dreams of a literal army of femboys, but I won’t complain.

2

u/Xalara Jul 15 '26

Yep, and that aromatase conversion is why some transfems now apply testosterone to their chests under supervision of their doctors. IIRC SHBG is what gets produced when your sex hormones spike, it's basically the sex hormone version of insulin.

Quick note for any trans folk that see this: Don't do apply testosterone cream to your chests without doctor supervision. There are gotchas and it doesn't work for everyone.

2

u/knbang Jul 15 '26

America will have the tastiest army in the world.

1

u/time-lord America Jul 15 '26

No, you're not wrong. It's been many years since I last reviewed this sort of stuff, but the natural estrogen cycle uses testosterone. The Internet (which is never wrong, mind you) says you need prolactin and oxytocin to get milk production though.

0

u/TrumpDid2020 Jul 15 '26

Well I did say "if I remember right" lol, but appreciate the more in-depth clarification.

Hmm... almost like synthetic anything is worse for you than the natural version...

3

u/blakethairyascanbe Jul 15 '26

I mean, I certainly don't judge anyone wanting to use a substance that makes them feel more like themselves. Hell, I've heard of more and more women being on it to regulate hormones post menopause. But this is one of the stupider and, more importantly, hypocritical things Pete has said/done.

2

u/TrumpDid2020 Jul 15 '26

Generally I don't judge for that kind of thing. But if it's literally some guy's macho bs where it goes hand in hand with projecting their insecurities about their masculinity in a way that is hurting others and pushing toxic masculinity, then yes I judge them for doing that instead of getting therapy.

But if it's actually been recommended by a doctor for something like legitimate hormone regulation, then yeah obviously I don't judge lol.

0

u/blakethairyascanbe Jul 15 '26

I mean hell, even if it's cause you want to get swole, I don't care. I totally would have done PPEs if I had gotten into lifting when I was younger, as opposed to starting in my mid-thirties. But I agree, there are a whole lot of tiny-balled cans of ass out there pushing testosterone to young men, and they should be judged severely.

49

u/threehundredthousand California Jul 15 '26

Your body will also stop producing testosterone, so you'll be on TRT for life.

31

u/brummlin Jul 15 '26

I don't think that's the case at therapeutic levels.
From my experience and from what I've read, production comes back. Last time I moved I had a couple month's gap before I got a new provider. I was back in the same range as I was before ever starting TRT.

It probably is the case at meathead juicer levels of testosterone, but not from what you'd get from a normal ethical doctor.

33

u/mseg09 Jul 15 '26

"Normal ethical doctor" well there's your first mistake in analyzing this plan

3

u/brummlin Jul 15 '26

Those doctors still need a career after these assholes are done and/or they separate from the military. They're not going to go around risking readiness let alone their licenses just for this.

There's no monetary incentive for them, unlike TRT mills.

4

u/usernamedottxt Jul 15 '26

It takes months of having no energy to move to come back. If I forget to take mine my energy crashes and I very quickly end up depressed and struggling to do anything. 

5

u/brummlin Jul 15 '26

I hear you. It sucks ass, but it's not permanent was the only point I was trying to make.

2

u/kandoras Jul 15 '26

"Here's this 'medicine' that will make your troops into unstoppable supersoldiers ... right up until they crash and then they'll be useless for a few weeks."

Seems on-brand for a guy with Hegseth's tattoos.

3

u/brucee10 Jul 15 '26

I’m on TRT and have been since 2019. My doctor and I were talking the other day and he told me that I can taper off at any time.  My levels will just go back to what they were before treatment minus any age or lifestyle related losses in that time. 

2

u/SparksAndSpyro Jul 15 '26

Depends heavily on dosage and duration. There are also drugs that specifically protect natural T production from being down-regulated.

Steroids have come a long way in the past few decades.

1

u/outphase84 Jul 15 '26

It doesn’t shut down forever. Only while you’re on TRT.

11

u/hatmatter Jul 15 '26

Moobie time!

7

u/Hattrick42 Jul 15 '26

Now the military is going to have to buy manziers

2

u/duct_tape_jedi United Kingdom Jul 15 '26

I, for one, welcome our new bald-headed big tittied overlords.

3

u/Buckabuckaw Jul 15 '26

And shrinking your balls. I thought the bros were all about increasing the birthrate.

Hmm ... But I kinda like the idea of decreased fertility for those who call themselves WAR FIGHTERS instead of soldiers.

3

u/MyEmbarrisingAccount Jul 15 '26

And makes your balls shrink and can permantly lead to infertility.

2

u/bongmitzfah Jul 15 '26

Extra estrogen isn't bad for you it helps alot with recovery, joints, problem is too much. That's why when you do trt you do as much as you can without feeling any high estrogen side effects. 

2

u/theory_of_me Jul 15 '26

Yep, if you take too much, you grow boobs.

1

u/capt_pantsless Jul 15 '26

Dr. Mike Israetel has a good deep-dive on TRT:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwgJVimtq-g

0

u/swirlymaple Jul 15 '26

That guy is problematic

2

u/capt_pantsless Jul 15 '26

The information is still valid though.

1

u/KrunchrapSuprem Jul 15 '26

Negative feedback loops are woke apparently

1

u/Expontoridesagain Jul 15 '26

From what I remember no, not in men. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. When body detects that there is excess of T, it kinda tells your testicles not to overwork themselves so they shrink. High T can give prostate issues too. Lower sperms count. Heart trouble. Hormones are best when balanced.

1

u/Impressive-Gear-219 Jul 15 '26

I was about to get excited befoee i remembered, my T is naturally low, so me switching to E isnt gonna be the headstsrt i thought... TT.TT

1

u/ByTheHammerOfThor Jul 16 '26

My health class repeatedly drove home that if you take testosterone, your balls shrink (bc they don’t need to work anymore, you’re doing the job for them. Like coma patients losing muscle mass) and you grow boobs.

“Say less.”

1

u/Character-Fish-541 Jul 15 '26

And smaller balls

-1

u/kyxtant Kentucky Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26

Gotta take estrogen blockers or you nipples get sensitive and you get irrationally upset for no good reason at all...

5

u/yagirlsamess Jul 15 '26

Periodic reminder that the dominant hormone in a woman's body during menstruation is testosterone.

If you think we're acting irrationally, it's because we're acting like men 🙃

Edit words

3

u/bundaya Jul 15 '26

Testosterone is the rage hormone and literally has the term roid rage coined because of the effects of too much T in the body

46

u/vandalhearts123 Jul 15 '26

Initially but we all know this will be used as an excuse to remove women from the military.

2

u/FunnelCakeGoblin Jul 15 '26

Are they measuring women’s T too or only the men?

-14

u/SWShredder Jul 15 '26

People keep saying this because you know Reddit loves it, but you also know this is factually wrong. Most men on TRT are not trying to affirm their genders and benefits such as better mood or better libido has nothing to do with gender. Same thing for those who expect better body composition. This all has nothing to do with affirming a gender.

13

u/Extra_Glove_880 Jul 15 '26

So you're saying men on TRT, more generally called HRT, have a better mood. 

Okay, that's the main point of gender affirming care.

You're saying men on TRT(HRT) are doing it for better body composition, again, same purpose as gender affirming HRT.

Last, you're saying its for "better libido", this one is a little less straight forward, but especially for trans men, you guessed it, its the same effect.

You just described gender affirming HRT. Did you think that HRT is purely a psychological comfort thing and has nothing to do with the direct physiological effects? Or do you think that the psychological effects of HRT for men somehow doesn't count as gender related?

1

u/MisoPanko Jul 15 '26

Won't add up to the first perfect comment you've gotten, just that you're a damn hypocrite or ignorant loser. Don't know which is worse.