Around 24% of men aged 30-79 will have low testosterone. However, this is usually accompanied by symptoms, such as reduced sex drive and loss of lean muscle mass; the chances of being asymptomatic increase with age. After the age of 50, there’s a 47.9% chance of showing no symptoms whatsoever.
Low testosterone is just one issue that can affect men’s health. Others include prostate issues, low fertility, hormone imbalances, and a low sex drive.
Luckily, men’s health tests can detect these issues early and help you make the right treatment decision.
Keep on reading to discover more information about the various men’s health lab tests, including how they work and what they can test for!
What is Men’s Health?
Men’s health is about much more than avoiding illness or health issues. It’s about keeping your overall health (physical, psychological, and emotional) as high as it can be, along with your sense of social wellbeing. Understanding your health is essential to living your best life!
Men’s health can decline with age due to various factors, including lifestyle and social changes, physical changes, and hormonal changes. With age, men become more at risk of developing:
- Alcohol problems
- Depression (and suicidal thoughts/intentions)
- Cardiovascular and respiratory issues
- Accident-prone behavior
- Kidney disease
Men are 32% less likely than women to consult a doctor about a medical issue, meaning they have an increased risk of remaining undetected and untreated medical problems. This is particularly true of male-specific problems, such as male libido, erectile dysfunction, prostate health, low testosterone levels, etc.
Men’s health tests can help detect these issues early without the need to consult a doctor.
Understanding Men’s Health Tests
Men’s health tests typically involve three stages: screening, diagnosis, and monitoring. Screening detects potential issues before symptoms appear. The information from the screening is then used to make a diagnosis. Finally, monitoring is about keeping track of the problem and measuring whether it’s improving.
Men’s health tests can come in many different forms. One of the most common is a physical exam, where a medical professional examines areas of the body to search for common problems based on the individual’s age group, lifestyle, and any existing symptoms. This can include a basic prostate health test.
Some tests are non-invasive, like a body weight and body mass index (BMI) calculation or a blood pressure reading. These allow professionals to create a basic health profile.
Others require samples to be taken, such as a Complete Blood Count (CBC), also known as a Full Blood Count, where blood-circulating cells are examined to determine the individual’s overall health. Platelets, white blood cells, red blood cells, hemoglobin concentrations, and others are examined to check for issues such as infections or certain diseases.
The Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) is another blood test that measures 21 different biomarkers to determine the functionality of a range of metabolic processes. It can highlight any issues with the liver, kidneys, sugar (glucose) levels, fluid balance, or electrolyte balance.
Men’s Health Lab Tests
Additionally, more specific men’s health lab tests can be carried out to detect hormone levels (such as testosterone), various types of cancer (including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, colon cancers), and other medical conditions.
These are some of the big worries you may be facing as a man. If so, getting your blood pressure checked won’t be enough to tell you about erectile dysfunction (ED) or low male libido.
But if you’re not showing any symptoms, combining various tests can create a detailed and complete men’s health profile.
Some important elements you want any men’s health lab test to include are:
Irregular levels in these areas can have an impact on fertility, prostate health, hormone levels, arousal, and other men’s health issues. As many of these issues can arise without symptoms, lab tests offer you invaluable insight.
Frequently Asked Questions
You may have a lot of questions about men’s health tests. These are some answers to the most common questions.
How Long Does It Take To Get Results?
Once you’ve given a blood sample, it will be sent to one of our National CLIA certified labs for analysis. You can usually expect results within 3 business days. More complex tests can take 7-10 business days, but you’ll be notified by e-mail when your results are ready to be viewed.
How Do I Get Started?
To get started, select the test that best fits your needs. This may be based on age group, sex, existing symptoms, or area of worry. Some of our tests cast a wider net to give you a better overview of your health.
During the purchasing process, you’ll be able to select one of our 2,100 approved patient centers where your blood will be collected. Then, all you need to do is wait for the results of your men’s health profile.
How Do I Prepare For My Test?
Some tests will require you to fast before having blood drawn. How long you should fast for and what you can or can’t consume will be made clear to you in the instructions that accompany each test.
Why Use Ulta Lab Tests?
Results are accurate, reliable, secure, and confidential. The test results provided give you the information and knowledge necessary to regain control of your health and make informed decisions. You don’t need health insurance or a physician’s referral for these tests. You’ll get affordable pricing with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Ready for a Test?
Men’s health tests can be a truly valuable and worthwhile way of understanding your health and getting ahead of many potential male issues. And men’s health lab tests can offer a deeper level of understanding of what’s going on inside your body and how it is performing.
Take control of your health today and order your men’s health tests from Ulta Lab Tests!
