Men's Preventive Health: The Essential Checkup Every Man Should Do
Men see clinicians less than women, die younger, and are diagnosed later. A structured annual checkup is one of the few effective ways to close that gap.
The male preventive health gap
Canadian men consult primary care roughly 30% less often than women, and men are consistently diagnosed at more advanced stages for the same conditions — hypertension, diabetes, depression, and multiple cancers. A structured annual visit is one of the most effective ways to close that gap without adding daily effort.
The annual male checklist
Blood pressure and resting heart rate.
Weight, height, BMI, waist circumference.
Fasting lipid panel (LDL, HDL, triglycerides), plus ApoB and Lp(a) at least once.
HbA1c and fasting glucose every 3 years starting at 40, annually with risk factors.
Complete blood count, ferritin, creatinine, liver panel, TSH.
Testosterone (total + free) if fatigue, low libido, mood or performance changes, or after 40 as a baseline.
PSA discussion from age 50 (or 45 with risk factors).
Colorectal cancer screening (FIT or colonoscopy) from 50.
Mental health, sleep, and alcohol screening.
Skin exam and mole review.
Testosterone: worth measuring, not worth panicking about
Testosterone naturally declines about 1% per year after age 30, but symptomatic low testosterone (fatigue, low libido, poor sleep, mood, reduced muscle mass) is more common than most men realize — and often treatable. A single morning total testosterone is the starting point; if low or borderline, a repeat with free testosterone, LH, and SHBG confirms the picture.
For a deeper dive, see our low testosterone symptoms article and our Andropause & men's health consultation.
Prostate: informed decisions
PSA screening is a shared decision, not a reflex. Discussed properly it means understanding the modest survival benefit, the real risk of overdiagnosis and unnecessary biopsy, and the value of tracking your own baseline over time. See our cancer screening overview for the full context.
The screening most men skip: mental health
Depression in men is under-diagnosed because it often presents as irritability, sleep disruption, alcohol use, or physical complaints rather than sadness. Suicide rates among Canadian men are roughly three times higher than among women. A brief validated screen (PHQ-9, GAD-7, AUDIT) takes two minutes and is part of every annual assessment at CurAge Santé.
Book your annual men's health checkup
Book an Essential Checkup or a Complete Assessment through the contact form. For hormone-focused visits, see our men's health consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need testosterone testing if I feel fine?+
Not routinely, but a single baseline in your 40s is useful for future comparison.
How often should men get a full checkup?+
Annually from age 40, every 2 years before that if there are no risk factors.