Doctors, in particular integrative practitioners, frequently emphasize the importance of preventative medicine, but unfortunately, many patients avoid the standard yearly physicals, screening exams, and labs. This is particularly true in men, who often put off these important checks until there is a major health concern, risking their quality of life, and in many cases their life.
Now, this may sound like a stereotype, but there are numbers to support it. A large survey by the Cleveland Clinic examined the barriers men feel when dealing with health concerns, with a whopping seventy-two percent of men reporting they would rather do things like household chores, shopping, etc before going to the doctor.
Twenty percent even reported downplaying or even lying to their doctors if they did make it to a visit, citing reasons of embarrassment, not wanting to change, and not wanting to face a potentially scary diagnosis. That being said, more than half of the men in the same survey said they would be more likely to go to the doctor if it was more convenient (1).
To integrative practitioners, educating patients is the first step in empowering them to take charge of their own health. So, what yearly lab tests are recommended and why?
Here are some of the most important, especially when it comes to men’s health:
A CBC is likely one of the most commonly run lab tests out there and there is a reason for that — it evaluates overall health by detecting changes in red and white blood cells and platelets. It looks at cell number, cell size, and concentrations.
Obvious abnormalities can indicate a number of conditions including anemia, infections, and blood cancers, but small abnormalities can indicate a number of other issues, especially when evaluated by a functional medicine practitioner. For example, red blood cells grow in size when one is deficient in vitamin B12. Not enough B12 can cause fatigue, paresthesias, and muscle weakness.
A yearly evaluation can pick up trends, allowing patients to fix issues before they start to interfere with daily life.
The CMP is also pretty routine, evaluating kidney function, liver function, electrolytes, and fasting sugar levels.
This gives key information about metabolism, hydration status, and in some cases clues on environmental and lifestyle factors that could be affecting day-to-day health.
For example, elevations in blood sugar may indicate early signs of diabetes, giving physicians the ability to intervene early with diet changes, and exercise additions, and order additional labs to determine the cause of symptoms a patient may be experiencing.
For men, the lipid panel might be the most important preventative lab. According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death in men in the United States, with about one in four deaths in men being attributed to it. Fifty percent of these men had no symptoms (2).
The lipid panel includes total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, non-HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides which are indicators of cardiac inflammation and risk.
Though there is frequently a genetic aspect when it comes to cholesterol, keeping an eye on these levels can indicate to physicians if there’s a trend toward higher risk.
With this knowledge, they can work with patients on diet and lifestyle changes known to prevent the onset of coronary artery disease.
“From a functional perspective, it may also indicate a need for more extensive testing, including cardiac stress tests, EKGs, and more precise lab evaluations.
Vitamin D isn’t always routinely run by physicians, but as the research mounts, it’s obvious it probably should be. Research shows that forty-one percent of Americans have insufficient levels, with twenty-nine percent fully in the deficient range.
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a number of health problems including heart disease, cancer, autoimmune disease, and diabetes, three of which are seen at high rates in men (3).
In addition, newer research is finding correlations between vitamin D levels, mood, skeletal muscle mass, male fertility, and sexual function. A yearly check to know if supplementation is necessary is one of the easiest preventative measures one can take with their health.
Testosterone is the most specific lab to men’s health, but currently, it is not routinely ordered. As research builds, however, it is becoming more clear how much of an impact testosterone levels can have on whole-body wellness in men.
It is well known that lower testosterone levels can contribute to difficulties with mood and sexual dysfunction, but more and more research is finding correlations between testosterone and the onset of metabolic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease (4).
Understanding trends in testosterone, especially over time in male patients can be an early indicator of disease risk, allowing interventions to be applied earlier, rather than later.
Overall, this is a very simple list of labs that covers men of all age groups and ethnicities at the bare minimum.
Physicians have to take into account genetics, family history, activity level, diet, stress levels, present signs and symptoms, results of other preventative exams, and numerous other factors that contribute to health status.
Additional tests like C-Reactive Protein (CRP), Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Hemoglobin-A1c, Fasting Insulin, etc may also be included yearly depending on needs. On top of that, if acute or chronic symptoms are present, further testing would be indicated. This is why preventative visits are so important.
The conversation between patient and physician is what determines what is best for each individual, preventing the onset of disease throughout life, rather than just diagnosing once a condition is present.
- Buggey, Hope. “Cleveland Clinic Survey: Men Will Do Almost Anything to Avoid Going to the Doctor.” September, 4, 2019. Cleveland Clinic Newsroom.
- “Men and Heart Disease.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/men.htm
- VIT D: Liu, X., Baylin, A., Levy, P.D. 2018. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency among US adults: prevalence, predictors, and clinical implications. Brit J Nut: 119(8): online.
- Tsujimura, A. 2013. The relationship between testosterone deficiency and men’s health. World J Mens Health: 31(2): 126-135.
