Patient Guide

Men's Health Blood Tests Guide

Name: Men's Health Blood Tests Guide: Testosterone & PSA
Creator: Suman Konda
Published: 2026-07-05

Men are less likely to attend health checks, but regular blood tests can detect silent killers, heart disease, diabetes, prostate cancer and low testosterone, years before symptoms appear.

Written by Suman Konda, PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist · Editorial policy · Not medical advice

Last updated: 01 August 2026 · How we check our content

Key blood tests for men's health

Test	Target/Normal Range	What it detects
Total Testosterone	300–1,000 ng/dL (morning sample)	Low T: fatigue, low libido, muscle loss
PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen)	<4.0 ng/mL (age-adjusted)	Prostate cancer risk; prostate enlargement
Fasting Lipid Profile (LDL)	LDL <100 mg/dL	Heart disease risk: leading cause of male death
Fasting Glucose / HbA1c	Glucose <100 mg/dL; HbA1c <5.7%	Diabetes; type 2 is 50% more common in men
CBC (Haemoglobin)	13.5–17.5 g/dL	Anaemia; polycythaemia
Creatinine / eGFR	eGFR >60	Kidney health
LFT (ALT, GGT)	ALT <56 U/L; GGT <48 U/L	Fatty liver; alcohol-related liver damage (GGT very sensitive)
Uric acid	Men: 3.5–7.2 mg/dL; Women: 2.6–6.0 mg/dL	Gout risk

PSA screening: what men need to know

PSA (prostate-specific antigen) is a protein produced by prostate cells. Elevated PSA can indicate: prostate cancer (the 2nd most common cancer in men), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, non-cancerous enlargement), prostatitis (infection or inflammation). PSA is not a perfect test. It can be elevated without cancer and normal with cancer. Current guidelines vary: the American Cancer Society recommends discussing PSA screening with men from age 50 (45 if high risk, Black men or family history; 40 if very high risk). A rising PSA over time (PSA velocity) is more informative than a single value.

PSA (ng/mL)	Interpretation
<4.0	Generally reassuring; age-adjusted thresholds vary
4.0–10.0	Borderline; 25% have prostate cancer on biopsy
>10.0	High; 50%+ have prostate cancer; biopsy recommended

Testosterone deficiency (Low T): recognition and testing

Low testosterone (hypogonadism) is significantly underdiagnosed. It affects approximately 2–6% of men aged 40–79. Symptoms, fatigue, reduced libido, erectile dysfunction, low mood, muscle loss, belly fat gain, are non-specific and often attributed to ageing or stress. Always test morning testosterone (7–10am) as levels are 30–40% higher in the morning. If low, confirm with a repeat test and add LH/FSH to determine whether the problem is the testes (primary) or pituitary (secondary).

Recommended blood test schedule for men

Age-based screening schedule for men

From age 20: Fasting lipid profile every 5 years; blood pressure check
From age 35: Fasting glucose; lipid profile every 5 years
From age 40: Testosterone (if symptoms); fasting insulin; LFT
From age 45: Discuss PSA screening with your doctor; annual HbA1c if overweight
From age 50: PSA; colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening; annual metabolic panel
All ages: CBC, creatinine, uric acid as indicated by symptoms

Lifestyle factors that most impact men's blood results

Visceral (belly) fat: raises triglycerides, lowers HDL, raises fasting glucose and insulin resistance, and suppresses testosterone
Alcohol: raises GGT, triglycerides and uric acid; damages liver
Smoking: accelerates atherosclerosis; doubles heart attack risk
Sleep apnoea (affects 40% of obese men): lowers testosterone, raises blood pressure and blood sugar
Physical inactivity: major driver of metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and low testosterone

Questions to ask your doctor

Is my testosterone level low?
Should I have a PSA test?
What is my cardiovascular risk score?
Is my GGT elevated due to alcohol or fatty liver?
Should I have a colonoscopy?