Men Also Need to Take Care of Themselves: A Guide for Every Age

While women are often the ones spearheading these efforts at home, men should also take an active role in their own health by understanding their healthcare needs, including the checkups and essential care required at every stage of life. This can help you live a longer, healthier life and continue caring for yourself and your family for years to come. Basically, these preventive measures include:

Physical exam and vital signs. These basic primary care measures are important not only for assessing overall health but also for identifying any readings outside of the normal range. It's important to measure your weight, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure every year (every three to five years if your blood pressure is normal, or annually if it's high). This is also commonly known as the annual checkup.

Cholesterol. Ideally, you should get your first baseline cholesterol test at age 20 and repeat it every four to six years.

Vaccines. Get an annual flu vaccine, a COVID‑19 vaccine, and a Td/Tdap booster every 10 years, along with any catch‑up vaccinations you may need (MMR, chickenpox, and hepatitis B).

Mental health and lifestyle. Schedule mental health assessments and sexually transmitted infection (STI) screenings. Seek psychological and nutritional counseling when needed.

Infectious diseases. Make sure you're tested for HIV (ages 15–65) and hepatitis C (ages 18–79) at least once.

Blood pressure and heart disease risk. Keep track of your blood pressure every year and regularly check your blood lipid levels.

Diabetes screening. Begin screening for type 2 diabetes at age 35, or earlier if you are overweight or obese, and continue testing every three years. Keeping track of your blood sugar levels is particularly important during this stage of life.

Colorectal cancer. Begin regular screening at age 45 with a colonoscopy every 10 years. The results of your first screening will likely determine whether you need more frequent testing.

Prostate health. Have an initial discussion with your doctor about risk factors and prostate cancer screening (PSA) tests.

Eye exams. It's important to have your eye pressure and vision checked every two to four years to establish baseline measurements.

Colon and prostate cancer screening. It's essential to stay on top of these preventive screenings. Discuss annual or regular prostate cancer screening (PSA testing) with your doctor. Family history and other risk factors will help determine whether earlier screening is necessary.

Lung cancer. If you're between 50 and 80 years old and have a history of heavy smoking, schedule a low‑dose CT scan every year, whether you still smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.

Vaccines. Starting at age 50, you should receive the two‑dose shingles vaccine, along with your annual flu shot and any recommended COVID‑19 booster doses.

Bone and heart health. Keep track of your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels, whether during your annual checkup or through more frequent monitoring, and begin assessing your risk factors for osteoporosis.

Annual physical exams and vital signs. Visit your doctor every year for a comprehensive physical exam, mental health assessments, and vision and hearing evaluations.

Vascular disease screening. If you're between ages 65 and 75 and have a history of smoking, schedule a one‑time ultrasound to check for abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Cancer and chronic disease monitoring Make sure to consistently follow your recommended schedule of diabetes, cholesterol, and colon cancer screenings (generally until age 75).

Vaccines. Stay up to date on vaccines against pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), COVID‑19, and seasonal flu. For RSV, a single dose is recommended between ages 60 and 75 or later, as advised by your doctor.

Functional health. Monitor your risk of falling, cognitive or memory alterations, and bone density.