A few weeks ago, at 51, I had my first colonoscopy.

Better late than never.

Everything was normal, and I’m glad I did it.

It reminded me of something I tell patients all the time.

The goal of preventive health isn’t to find problems.

It’s to make sure they’re not there.

We spend a lot of time in this newsletter talking about conditions that need treatment—erectile dysfunction, enlarged prostates, Peyronie’s disease, low testosterone, prostate cancer.

But one of the most important appointments you’ll ever have is the one where nothing is wrong.

That’s where health maintenance begins.

The Question I Hear Most

One of the questions I hear surprisingly often is:

“What blood work should I actually be getting?”

It’s a good question.

Not because more testing is always better.

Because knowing a few important numbers over time is one of the simplest ways to understand your health.

Notice I said over time.

One blood test is a snapshot.

A series of blood tests becomes a story.

The Handful Worth Knowing

For most men over fifty, I think there are a handful of tests worth knowing.

A complete blood count (CBC) looks for problems like anemia or abnormalities in your blood cells.

A comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) gives us information about your kidneys, liver, electrolytes, and blood sugar.

A lipid panel tells us about cholesterol and cardiovascular risk.

A hemoglobin A1c estimates your average blood sugar over the previous three months and helps identify prediabetes and diabetes.

A urinalysis is simple but surprisingly useful, looking for blood, protein, infection, sugar, and early signs that something deserves a closer look.

These aren’t exciting tests.

That’s exactly why they matter.

The Tests That Depend on You

Then there are tests that depend more on the individual.

A PSA is one we’ve talked about before.

I’m a believer in getting a baseline PSA. It’s much easier to interpret change when you know where you started. One number rarely tells the whole story. Trends, age, family history, prostate size, and symptoms all matter.

Testosterone is another.

I don’t think every man needs it checked simply because he turned fifty.

But if you’re experiencing low libido, fatigue, reduced muscle mass, erectile dysfunction, osteoporosis, or other symptoms of testosterone deficiency, then it’s absolutely a conversation worth having.

The important part isn’t simply ordering the test.

It’s ordering the right test, at the right time of day, and interpreting it correctly.

More Testing Isn’t Better Care

One mistake I see is the belief that more testing automatically means better care.

It usually doesn’t.

There are countless specialty hormone panels, inflammatory markers, vitamin tests, and longevity panels available today.

Some are appropriate in the right situation.

Many aren’t.

An abnormal number without clinical context often creates more anxiety than answers.

Blood tests don’t diagnose people.

They start conversations.

Be a Participant in Your Own Health

In an ideal world, these conversations happen with your primary care physician.

Sometimes they do.

Sometimes they don’t.

Appointments are short.

Life gets busy.

Doctors have long lists of things to cover.

That’s all the more reason to be an active participant in your own health.

Know your numbers.

Know how they’ve changed over time.

Ask questions when something doesn’t make sense.

While You Still Feel Well

My colonoscopy was a reminder that taking care of yourself isn’t something you eventually get around to.

It’s something you decide to do while you still feel well.

The same is true for blood work.

Not because you’re looking for bad news.

Because staying healthy is easier than becoming healthy again.

And that starts with paying attention to the body you’ve been given.