Health Tips for Men 50 and Older

Once you hit 50, taking care of your health becomes more important than ever. Your body’s needs change, and regular checkups and screenings can help catch problems early —when they’re easiest to treat. Here’s what to know about key health screenings, common concerns for men over 50, and how to stay strong and active for years to come.

Starting at age 50, most men should see their doctor each year for a checkup, particularly if they have any signs of cardiovascular disease, one of the two leading causes of death in men. (The other is cancer.)

Drew Factor, M.D., MPH, an internal medicine physician at Sutter, works closely with his male patients age 50 and older. He prioritizes managing any chronic conditions and preventive care to keep them healthy, active and mentally sharp for years to come.

“Becoming older doesn’t have to mean becoming unhealthy,” he says. “However, age does add complexity to staying healthy because there are more possible problems to look out for. In addition, your body is also much less resilient, so what might have been a small accident or minor illness when you were a young man can be a major problem for you now.”

Having a primary care doctor you trust and a “medical home” where all of your care can be coordinated also becomes more important. Depending on your health status, you may see more specialists and get more medical tests after age 50. Without coordinated care, it can be difficult to keep on top of all this information by yourself, Dr. Factor notes.

Recommended Tests

As you move into your 50s, preventive care becomes a key part of staying healthy and active. Regular screenings can catch potential issues early, when treatment works best. Here are some important health checks to keep on your radar:

Heart health: Cardiovascular disease is one of the top concerns for men over 50. With the right management, it doesn’t have to lead to a heart attack or stroke.

• Blood glucose: Measuring your blood sugar levels can help determine if you’re at risk for developing diabetes.

• Colon cancer: At age 50, it’s time for your first colonoscopy to screen for colon cancer. While it’s the most invasive test on the list, it’s typically only needed once every 10 years.

• Prostate health: This is the age when prostate changes can start, sometimes affecting urination patterns. Not all changes mean cancer, but regular checks are important.

• Prostate cancer screening: Talk with your doctor about prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening and digital rectal exams. PSA testing isn’t automatically recommended for everyone now, but it’s worth a conversation. As Dr. Factor explains, “Most men would want to know if cancer cells are present. Then they can engage in an informed discussion with their doctor about which treatment option might be best — including watchful waiting with regular testing.”

• Hepatitis C: Men born between 1945 and 1965 fall under CDC recommendations for a one-time hepatitis C screening. This infection can quietly damage the liver for years, but a simple blood test can detect it and open the door to treatment.

Some Tests You May Not Need

Dr. Factor notes that not every test you may have heard of is actually recommended for good health. With the very real fear of cancer, some patients request a "cancer test" like CA 125 or CEA.

"These tests are tumor markers, and are used to monitor the status of a patient already diagnosed with a particular cancer, and to evaluate their response to treatment," he says. "These tumor markers are not great screening tests and are not considered appropriate cancer tests for the general public."

He also explains that testing a man’s testosterone level is not necessarily required. "Testosterone will naturally decline some as a man ages," Dr. Factor says. "But a man with a truly abnormal testosterone level will usually have severe symptoms — and that situation is pretty uncommon."

If you are fatigued or having sexual problems, a visit to the doctor for a physical exam and careful history is the best place to start. Stress, poor diet, sleep apnea or other conditions are far more likely to be causing your symptoms than a dropping level of testosterone, Dr. Factor says.

“Men are socialized to not complain and have an amazing ability to power through difficulties,” Dr. Factor says. “But to power through symptoms, pain and physical warning signs is not a good idea. Talk to your doctor honestly about what issues you face so that you can work together to keep you healthy and active for a long time to come.”