Men’s Health Screenings by Age: Which Checkups Do You Need?

For general educational purposes only, not a substitute for specific medical advice. Consult with a licensed provider before implementing any adjustments to your treatment regimen.

The checkups men need change with age. Blood pressure, cholesterol and a few infection tests start early. Diabetes screening begins at 35 for men with overweight or obesity. Colorectal cancer screening starts at 45, and the PSA test becomes a personal decision from 55 to 69. Men who smoke or used to smoke may also need lung and aortic aneurysm screening later on.

Each November, Movember puts a spotlight on men’s health. It’s a good time to find out what you’re due for. This guide follows U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and MedlinePlus guidance for men at average risk. Your own schedule may differ based on family history and health conditions.

Your 20s and 30s: Build a Baseline

• Blood pressure: at least every 3 to 5 years if it has been normal. Check more often if you have diabetes or kidney problems, carry extra weight or have a parent or sibling with high blood pressure. Readings that creep up are another reason to check more often.
• Cholesterol: the American Heart Association recommends starting at 20 and repeating every 4 to 6 years if you have no known heart disease risk factors.
• HIV and hepatitis C: a one-time HIV test for everyone 15 to 65 and a one-time hepatitis C test for adults 18 to 79. Testing for syphilis, chlamydia and other infections depends on your risk.
• Diabetes: screening starts at 35 if you have overweight or obesity and repeats every 3 years. It may start earlier if diabetes runs in your family or you have high blood pressure.
• Vaccines: a flu shot every year and a tetanus booster (Td or Tdap) every 10 years. Ask about the HPV vaccine if you never finished the series.

Your clinician may also ask about mood, alcohol, tobacco, drug use, diet and exercise. Those questions are part of screening, too.

Your 40s: Yearly Blood Pressure and Colorectal Screening at 45

From 40 on, have your blood pressure checked at least once a year. Cholesterol and diabetes checks continue and may be needed more often if you have diabetes, heart disease, kidney problems or other risk factors.

Colorectal cancer screening starts at 45 for men at average risk and continues through 75. You have choices, including:

• A colonoscopy every 10 years
• A stool test (FIT) every year
• A stool DNA test every 1 to 3 years
• CT colonography every 5 years

An abnormal stool test needs a follow-up colonoscopy. You may need to start earlier if colon cancer or polyps run in your family or if you have had inflammatory bowel disease. Read more about why colorectal cancer screening matters for men.

Your 50s: The PSA Talk and Lung Screening

PSA test. For men 55 to 69, the USPSTF says the decision to have a PSA blood test should be an individual one, made after talking through benefits and harms with a clinician. Screening may lower the chance of dying from prostate cancer for some men. Possible harms include false-positive results that lead to more testing or a biopsy. Some men are treated for cancers that would never have caused problems, and treatment can cause side effects such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Screening is not generally recommended before 55 unless you are at higher risk, such as having a father or brother diagnosed before 65 or being Black. The USPSTF is currently updating this recommendation.

Lung cancer screening. If you are 50 to 80, have a 20 pack-year smoking history and still smoke or quit within the past 15 years, a yearly low-dose CT scan is recommended. One pack-year equals smoking about one pack a day for a year.

Shingles vaccine. Two doses are recommended at or after age 50.

Your 60s and Beyond: Aneurysm Screening and New Decisions

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA): men 65 to 75 who have ever smoked should have a one-time ultrasound of the belly. Most aneurysms cause no symptoms until they burst, which is why screening matters. For men who never smoked, a clinician may offer it based on your history.
• PSA after 70: the USPSTF recommends against routine PSA screening at 70 and older.
• Ongoing checks: yearly blood pressure, colorectal screening through 75 and lung screening through 80 if you qualify.
• Vaccines: ask which vaccines are recommended for your age and health, including protection against pneumonia.

Mood, Sexual Health and Skin at Every Age

Checkups often include questions about depression and anxiety. Low mood, irritability or losing interest in things you enjoy are worth bringing up. If you are thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 911.

Erectile dysfunction or low energy are good reasons to check in, not just to wait it out. ED can sometimes be linked to blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, medications or stress. Fatigue can come from sleep problems, thyroid issues, anemia, mood or medication effects, not only testosterone. See our guide to low testosterone symptoms and when to get tested. Any treatment, including testosterone, depends on the clinical evaluation and on state and federal rules, and a visit does not guarantee a specific medication.

For skin, a clinician may check for signs of skin cancer, especially if you have had skin cancer before, have close relatives who did or have a weakened immune system. Point out any new or changing spots.

What Happens by Video and What Needs a Local Visit

A video visit is a good place to plan your screenings. A clinician can review your age, family history and risk factors, sort out what you are due for, talk through the PSA decision, discuss mood and sexual health, review home blood pressure readings and order tests.

Some parts need a local visit:

• Blood work for cholesterol, blood sugar, PSA, HIV, hepatitis C and other infections at a nearby lab
• Stool test processing and colonoscopy at local facilities
• Low-dose CT and aortic ultrasound at an imaging center
• Vaccines at a pharmacy or clinic
• A hands-on skin or prostate exam when a clinician thinks one is needed

Results come back to your clinician to review with you. Check with your insurer about coverage for specific screening tests.

When to Get Care Right Away

Call 911 for chest pain or pressure, trouble breathing, fainting or signs of a stroke (such as face drooping, arm weakness or trouble speaking). Sudden pain in a testicle needs emergency care right away because some causes are time-sensitive. Being unable to urinate, severe pain or a fever with a serious illness also needs prompt in-person care. Don’t wait for a routine video visit or your next screening for any of these.

The Short Answer

Most men need regular blood pressure and cholesterol checks from early adulthood, diabetes screening from 35 if they are overweight, colorectal screening from 45 and a PSA conversation from 55 to 69. Men who smoke or used to smoke may need lung screening and a one-time aneurysm check. A video visit can map out your plan, with labs and imaging done close to home.

Learn more on our men’s health page.

Get Support

Wade’s Care First provides telehealth care in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada and New York, with same-day appointments when available. Visits are with Charles Wade, FNP-BC, a board-certified family nurse practitioner.

We accept many major insurance plans, including Original Medicare (Indiana only), Medicaid (Indiana, Illinois and Nevada only), UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Humana and Cigna. Plan participation varies by state, and self-pay visits are available.

A short video visit can help you find out which screenings you’re due for and set up the rest close to home.

Book at wadescarefirst.com.