The checklist by age
This table summarizes what national preventive guidance recommends for men at average risk with no symptoms. Family history, smoking, weight and other factors can move any of it earlier, which is why the first step is always a checkup with a primary care clinician.
| Age | What to ask about |
|---|---|
| 18 to 39 | Blood pressure at least every three to five years (yearly if it runs high); one-time hepatitis C and HIV tests; infection testing with new partners; flu shot yearly; tetanus booster every ten years; dental and eye checks. |
| 35 to 39 | Ask about cholesterol and blood sugar tests, sooner if you carry extra weight or they run in your family. |
| 40 to 44 | Blood pressure every year; cholesterol and heart risk check; blood sugar test if overweight. |
| 45 to 49 | Start colorectal cancer screening and ask which test suits you. |
| 50 to 54 | Keep colorectal screening going; ask about lung cancer screening if you smoked heavily. |
| 55 to 69 | Talk through the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening with your clinician; keep up the checks above. |
| 65 and over | One-time ultrasound for an abdominal aortic aneurysm if you ever smoked (65 to 75); ask about bone health, falls, hearing and vaccines for older adults. |
The details and the reasoning are on the checkups by age page, which also lists the symptoms that should never wait for a scheduled screening.
Self-checks you can do at home
Three checks take a few minutes and catch changes early. A monthly testicular self-check after a warm shower, since testicular cancer is most common in young men. A monthly skin check for moles that are uneven, ragged, multicolored, larger than a pencil eraser or changing. And home blood pressure readings, taken properly, which show your real numbers better than one reading in a clinic.
A worked example: a 42-year-old who feels fine
Take a 42-year-old man who has not seen a doctor in five years, does not smoke, and whose father had a heart attack at 58. By the table, he is due a blood pressure check this year and every year from now, a cholesterol and heart risk check, and a blood sugar test if he carries extra weight. His father's heart attack is exactly the kind of family history that makes the heart checks more important. Colorectal screening starts in three years, at 45. He books a checkup, writes down his family history and the few symptoms he has been ignoring, and uses the doctor visit guide so the real worry gets said first.
Getting the most from the appointment
Men tend to play symptoms down. Before you go, write each symptom with when it started and how often it happens, list every medicine and supplement, and pick your top three questions. Say the most worrying thing first, be honest about alcohol, sleep and mood, and repeat back the plan before you leave.
Strength, sleep, drinking and mood
Upkeep is more than tests. Starting strength training safely keeps muscle and bone strong as you age. Seven to nine hours of sleep does more for energy than any supplement. Drinking sensibly means knowing what a standard drink is and drinking less, since current national guidance says less is better. And the signs of depression in men often look like anger, withdrawal or drinking more rather than sadness; if you or someone else is thinking about suicide, call or text 988.
What this page will not do
It will not tell you what a symptom means, recommend supplements or medicines, or give doses. Only a clinician who examines you can do those. If a symptom is getting worse quickly, or you have chest pain, trouble breathing or signs of stroke, call 911 instead of waiting for an appointment.
Common mistakes
- Waiting for symptoms before booking a checkup.
- Assuming a normal result from years ago still stands.
- Leaving out family history, which changes when screening should start.
- Taking one high blood pressure reading after a coffee as the whole story.
- Mentioning the real worry at the door on the way out.
The whole Health and Body Upkeep category is free to read, like every health and safety page on this site.
Sources
Last checked September 28, 2026. Everything here is in our own words. Where a professional who can see your situation, or current official guidance, says something different, follow them.
- National preventive services task force recommendations. the screening ages and intervals summarized here; last checked September 2026. Recommendations change, so ask your clinician at every visit.
- National adult immunization schedule. flu and tetanus timing; last checked September 2026.