The Top 5 Tests Every Man Over 40 Should Get

Taking Control of Your Healthspan, Not Just Your Lifespan

Turning 40 is a milestone. For many men, it’s a wake-up call: the years of feeling bulletproof start to give way to subtle shifts in energy, recovery, sleep, and even body composition. But here’s the truth—most of the chronic diseases that shorten men’s lives don’t strike suddenly. They build up silently over years.

The good news? With the right testing and preventative strategies, you can catch issues early and add decades of vitality to your life. Here are the five essential tests every man over 40 should consider if you’re serious about longevity and peak performance:

1.

Cardiovascular Risk Screen

• Why it matters: Heart disease remains the #1 killer of men. Traditional cholesterol panels don’t tell the full story.

• What to consider:

  
  

  • Lipid profile (cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides)

  • Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) – a more accurate measure of atherogenic particles

  • Lipoprotein A (Lp(a))- a genetically determined cholesterol particle that increases cardiovascular risk by promoting artery plaque and blood clottings.

  • High-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) – marker of inflammation

  • Consider Calcium Score CT to detect early plaque in the arteries.

  
  

• Longevity angle: Early detection lets you make precision changes in diet, training, and medical therapy long before symptoms appear.

2.

Metabolic & Diabetes Screen

• Why it matters: Insulin resistance is a silent driver of weight gain, fatigue, and eventually diabetes and heart disease.

• What to consider:

  
  

  • Fasting glucose

  • HbA1c (3-month average sugar control)

  • Fasting insulin (to detect early insulin resistance)

  • HOMA-IR calculation (glucose × insulin → gives a picture of metabolic health)

  
  

• Longevity angle: Keeping blood sugar stable is key to energy, brain health, and preventing accelerated ageing.

3.

Hormonal Health (Testosterone & More)

• Why it matters: Testosterone starts declining after 30, often leading to fatigue, lower muscle mass, mood changes, and reduced drive. But hormones are about more than just testosterone.

• What to consider:

  
  

  • Total and free testosterone

  • SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin)

  • Estradiol (balance matters)

  • DHEA-S (longevity marker)

  • Thyroid function (TSH, free T4, free T3)

  
  

• Longevity angle: Optimising hormones helps preserve muscle, protect bone density, and keep your brain sharp.

4.

Cancer & Prostate Health Check

• Why it matters: Early detection saves lives. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, and bowel cancer risk climbs after 40.

• What to consider:

  
  

  • Prostate exam + PSA blood test (personalised approach based on family history and risk factors)

  • Bowel cancer screening (faecal occult blood test or colonoscopy if higher risk)

  • Skin checks (especially in Australia with high UV exposure)

  
  

• Longevity angle: Preventative screening removes problems before they spread.

5.

Baseline Fitness & Body Composition Testing

• Why it matters: Muscle mass, strength, and cardiorespiratory fitness are among the strongest predictors of longevity.

• What to consider

  / measure:

  
  

  • Body composition (InBody or DEXA scan for fat %, lean mass, visceral fat)

  • VO₂ max or fitness testing

  • Grip strength and functional movement screen

  
  

• Longevity angle: These are direct measures of your “physiological age.” Improving them can literally add years of healthy life.

Final Thoughts

Most men wait until something goes wrong before getting checked. But the truth is, after 40, proactivity beats reactivity every time. These five test categories give you a powerful snapshot of your health trajectory—and more importantly, they give you the chance to change it.

Your 40s can be the start of your strongest decade yet. But only if you put in the work now.