In celebration of Men’s Health Week, there’s no better time to take a closer look at your health.
We’re in an exciting era of healthcare, with rapid advancements in longevity research and human performance. For men serious about staying well, there’s now more access than ever to powerful tools that can help you elevate your health and extend your healthspan – the number of years lived in good health.
Healthcare is evolving. It’s no longer just about reacting to illness. With personalised, preventative options and advanced testing now available, it’s possible to detect imbalances early, tailor your approach, and stay one step ahead of disease.
For Australian men, this means taking the advice for doing standard check-ups and going further with additional tests to gain a deeper understanding of your health markers, from hormone and metabolic function to cardiovascular risk and daily habits.
Whether you’re in your 30s or your 90s, we’ve rounded up the most valuable tests to help you take charge of your health and optimise your longevity. Here’s your decade-by-decade guide.
In your 30s: Build your baseline
Your 30s are the ideal time to invest in prevention and long-term performance. It’s the decade to establish a solid foundation and begin tracking key health metrics over time.
Start with a comprehensive functional blood and urine test, which establishes a broad biomarker baseline of nutritional and mineral deficiencies, as well as a snapshot of hormonal health, thyroid health, a comprehensive cardiovascular panel including lipid subfractions, Lp(a) and ApoB plus your essential fatty acid and amino acid profiles.
Add in a nutrigenomic DNA test, which provides a powerful way to take control of long-term health. By understanding your unique genetic blueprint, including your methylation machinery, you can begin to tailor your diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices to better support your health, reduce disease risk early, and optimise performance. A myDNA Comprehensive is a one-time test that delivers lifelong guidance, making it a smart investment in preventative health.
Your gut is another cornerstone of health. A stool metagenomic mapping test can identify microbiome imbalances, infections, and inflammation that may be impacting digestion, immunity, or mental health.
For those wanting to uncover hidden food-related issues before mid-adulthood, a food sensitivity panel like the Precision 88 or KBMO FIT offer a way to detect food-related inflammatory triggers that may otherwise go unnoticed.
And, if by the time you’re 30 you haven’t considered routine health screenings like skin cancer checks, learning testicular self-examination, checking your blood pressure and eye health, now is the time to start.
We also strongly advocate for prioritising dental health, given its well-established impact on the entire body. An integrative dental assessment can uncover hidden infections, gum disease or bite imbalances that may affect overall health. Look for an integrative, holistic or biological dentist who understands the mouth-body connection and takes a personalised, preventative approach. In addition to routine care, consider doing a full assessment at least once every 10 years to stay ahead of potential issues.
In your 40s: Prioritise metabolic and cognitive health
At this stage of life, your career is often in full swing and your brain is working hard. That makes cognitive, hormonal, and metabolic support even more essential.
Start tracking cognitive performance with an annual CNS Vital Signs test, which assesses memory, processing speed, and executive function. Early detection of change means you can take action before problems arise. A CNS test is included in your first Healthspan Physical Assessment at our clinic, or if you’re an active patient with us, we can help you access the test.
Often, what can come along with career focus is a deprioritisation of nervous system health and other factors that impact optimum hormone functioning. A DUTCH hormone test can reveal what’s really going on. This at-home urine test evaluates sex hormones and stress response patterns. The DUTCH test will also provide good information about testosterone levels which is important because from around the age of 40, your testosterone levels typically begin to decline gradually by about 1% to 2% each year. This is the beginning of andropause, sometimes called ‘male menopause’, which does not receive much attention but your declining testosterone levels can affect glucose metabolism, body composition, bone density, muscle gains, libido and energy. By the time you reach 45, you have a 30% likelihood of having testosterone levels below the normal range for your age – so be vigilant and test, don’t guess.
If body composition or visceral fat are a concern, getting a body composition scan via DEXA, or even monitoring via bio-impedance scales, allows you to learn where your body is storing adipose tissue, visceral fat and get a baseline for your lean mass.
Combining this with a few weeks of using a continuous glucose monitor can give you deep insight to any early metabolic dysfunction, which can be surprisingly common in the western world. Understand how your body uniquely processes energy from various foods, and how sleep and stress affect it too, then use these insights for a lifetime.
For men aged 45 years and older, the RACGP recommends regular cardiovascular disease risk assessments, which typically include lipid profile testing. In our clinic, we also add on testing inflammatory marker high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), found in our functional blood and urine test) which offer valuable insight into your overall health and risk of chronic disease, especially when used alongside a lipid profile. They help uncover hidden inflammation in the blood vessels, which may not be reflected in cholesterol levels alone. Persistent low-grade inflammation is a key driver behind many modern conditions, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and even some cancers.
By identifying elevated inflammation early – often before symptoms arise – you can take proactive steps to reduce risk and support long-term wellbeing. These tests are also useful for tracking your response to lifestyle changes or treatment plans, helping you and your practitioner measure progress over time and adjust strategies accordingly.
For men who want to be ultra preventative, there is an option for a privately billed service that offers a money can buy health experience: a whole-body MRI. Our clinical team recommend an initial consult with OneMRI, before scanning, they offer a complimentary consultation where they ensure their service is right for you. If it is, you’re invited to scan for over 500 potential conditions to offer peace of mind or the earliest intervention possible. Learn about what the experience is like here.
In your 50s: Scan, screen and strengthen
Your fifties are a pivotal decade. Research shows that we experience two significant periods of accelerated ageing, first in our mid to late forties, and again in our sixties. This makes it a crucial decade for proactive health management, focusing on the tests below and the perfect opportunity to revisit some of the tests we’ve discussed above.
If your Cardiovascular Lipid profiles combined with your inflammatory markers are showing signs of dysfunction, you may wish to speak to your doctor about a Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) CT Scan which checks for hard plaque in arteries and helps assess cardiovascular risk. You may also want to ask about a Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CIMT) Ultrasound to look at soft and hard plaque in your carotid arteries, ideal for early detection of cardiovascular disease.
Starting an annual Healthspan Physical Assessment with us at Melbourne Functional Medicine is popular for our male patients in their 50s. The Healthspan Physical is a 20-point check of key markers associated with positive health now and in the later years of life. The purpose is to baseline then track your progress on easily measurable markers of health and fitness to enable mobility and function well into the future. For our high-performance patients, a private VO2 max may be recommended.
For those ultra-competitive with themselves, a biological age could be one to get the ball rolling on in this decade.
Additionally, it’s worth assessing age-related decline in NAD+ levels, as reduced NAD+ is associated with diminished cellular energy and increased vulnerability to age-related diseases. Testing can help identify early changes and guide targeted interventions to support healthy ageing, and this is something we offer access to in our clinic.
And of course, keep up with recommended screenings – especially colorectal, prostate, and cardiovascular assessments, and take an objective review of your habits and lifestyle patterns.
In your 60s: Monitor and maximise
By now, you likely have a good rhythm for testing and health maintenance. If not, it’s never too late to begin.
With testosterone continuing on its slow descent, it’s good to check the status of your bone density and strength in this decade prior to your 70’s when fracture risk rises sharply. Usually, a referral is needed for a bone density DEXA scan, but anyone can book a radiation-free REMS (Radiofrequency Echographic Multi-Spectrometry) scan, which is available privately.
If your scan reveals bone loss, there’s innovative technology available to help improve bone health. We recommend exploring OsteoStrong, a proven system designed to strengthen bones safely and effectively.
With work and family responsibilities usually lighter, now is the time to re-check your health habits to enable many strong years ahead. Be sure to pay particular focus to mobility and strength work, you may even consider working with a movement expert to help you challenge the notion that your body can’t move like it used to.
In your 70s: Strength in staying active
Your 70s can be a powerful decade of freedom and health. This is the time to double down on smart habits, especially those that support strength, mobility, nutrition, and cognitive health, setting a solid foundation for your 80s and 90s.
Start by repeating comprehensive blood work every 1–2 years. Monitoring cholesterol, inflammatory markers, and nutrient levels allows you to stay ahead of any subtle changes and make timely adjustments.
Digestive health becomes especially important. As we age, stomach acid can decline (a condition known as hypochlorhydria), reducing the body’s ability to break down protein, just when protein requirements rise. Testing amino acid levels can help determine if you’re assimilating protein effectively.
It’s also a great time to revisit your metabolic health. Using a continuous glucose monitor for 2–4 weeks can reveal how your body is responding to food, sleep, and stress – key insights for fine-tuning your diet and movement with a practitioner who understands functional patterns in ageing.
To support brain health, consider redoing the CNS Vital Signs test to benchmark cognitive function. Stay mentally sharp by maintaining your neural pathways through activities like learning new skills, staying socially engaged, or using brain-training tools such as Cognifit or Lumosity.
Mobility and balance are critical to maintaining independence. Pay close attention to strength and proprioception – your body’s ability to sense its position in space. Simple but effective exercises like squats can help prevent falls, a leading risk factor for rapid health decline in older adults.
In your 80s and 90s: Vitality through vigilance
On average, Australian men spend 88% of their life in good health. But what if you could get closer to 100%?
Even in your 80s and 90s, it’s possible to make meaningful gains. Research shows that adopting healthy habits in later life improves your chances of becoming a centenarian and living well while doing it.
At this stage, the basics matter more than ever. Prioritise hydration, nutrient-rich meals, and adequate protein intake. If you aren’t already doing so, you might also explore bio-optimisation tools like photobiomodulation therapy, which supports energy production at the cellular level and can enhance recovery and vitality.
Dementia, coronary heart disease, and falls are among the most significant threats to independence in these later decades. So continue your regular health checks, track key metabolic markers, and use targeted functional testing where relevant. Meanwhile, be practical about your physical environment: remove tripping hazards, ensure spaces are well lit, and stay up to date with vision assessments.
Hydration can become more challenging as thirst signals dull and kidney function changes. Traditional signs – like skin turgor – become less reliable, so it’s best to assess hydration through blood chemistry, including sodium, glucose, and urea, and possibly urine specific gravity, interpreted alongside kidney and protein markers. Ask your practitioner about the best options for you.
Protein intake is also critical, supporting muscle mass, immune function, and mobility. If there’s any concern about whether you’re getting enough, your practitioner may assess this through markers like albumin or creatinine, review your diet, or perform muscle strength tests to ensure you’re maintaining functional capacity.
Regular strength training, particularly movements like squats mentioned above, can help maintain mobility and reduce your risk of falls. Functional tests like grip strength as measured in our Healthspan Physical Assessment, can also provide a helpful snapshot of physical resilience.
Finally, this is also a time to nourish the mind and spirit. Stay socially connected, invest in your mental wellbeing, and keep learning and exploring new interests. These years can offer richness, freedom, and purpose – if you support your body and brain to keep up.
Step into the driver’s seat
Your health journey doesn’t end with avoiding illness, it begins with creating the full, energised life you want to live. Whether you’re in your 30s building your foundation or in your 90s focused on staying strong and sharp, there are tools and tests available to support you. In this exciting new era of personalised, preventative healthcare, you have the power to take charge of your future and reduce your risk of chronic disease.
So in honour of Men’s Health Week, take the first step. Invest in your health, take action, and shape a future where you feel your best for years to come.
