For my story in the magazine on testosterone, published today, I found that millions of men — from politicians to influencers and beyond — are taking the hormone in pursuit of a new masculine ideal. Testosterone prescriptions grew to nearly 12 million in 2025, from under 1 million in 2000. Since the pandemic, prescriptions have been rising most among younger men, fueled by online telehealth clinics promoting testosterone as a lifestyle product rather than a treatment for disease. Now, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has extolled the testosterone levels of the president and spoken about his own use of testosterone, is working with other health officials to expand access for a much broader group of men. Meanwhile, the hormone has taken on a political edge, as influential figures including Vice President JD Vance and Elon Musk have amplified the message that being “low T” is synonymous with low status, weakness, sexual inadequacy and even liberal politics. Some men I interviewed who had gone down a rabbit hole online emerged persuaded that their testosterone levels were the key to all that ailed them — and that society had lost touch with the importance of masculinity. Stay in touch: Like this email? Forward it to a friend and help us grow. Loved a story? Hated it? Write us a letter at magazine@nytimes.com. Did a friend forward this to you? Sign up here to get the magazine newsletter.
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