Essential blood tests for men: key biomarkers to check

Blood tests can be a useful way to understand what is happening inside your body – sometimes before symptoms become obvious. For men, a few key health biomarkers can provide valuable insights into hormone, heart, blood sugar, and prostate health.

If you are feeling tired, want to be more proactive about your health, or simply want to know your numbers, blood tests for men can help you spot patterns, understand potential risks, and make more informed decisions about your lifestyle and next steps.

This article covers:

• What are health biomarkers?
• Why are blood tests useful for men?
• Testosterone
• Cholesterol
• HbA1c
• PSA
• Which blood test should men choose?
• How often should men check these biomarkers?

What are health biomarkers?
 

Health biomarkers are measurable signs of what is happening in the body. They can include hormones, fats, proteins, enzymes, and other substances found in the blood.

Some biomarkers tell you about a specific area of health. For example, testosterone provides information about your hormone health, while HbA1c reflects average blood sugar levels over the previous two to three months. Others, such as cholesterol, can help assess your risk of heart and circulatory disease.

A single result may not tell the whole story, but checking several key biomarkers together can give you a much clearer picture of your overall health.

Why are blood tests useful for men?
 

Many common health issues in men can develop gradually. You might not notice symptoms straight away, or you may put changes down to stress, ageing, poor sleep, or a busy lifestyle.

Blood tests can help identify areas worth paying attention to, such as:

• Low or changing testosterone levels
• Raised cholesterol
• Higher-than-expected blood sugar
• PSA changes linked to prostate health

They can also help you establish a baseline. This means you can track changes over time and see whether lifestyle changes, treatment, or further medical advice are making a difference.

Testosterone
 

Testosterone is the main sex hormone in men. It plays an important role in sex drive, erections, sperm production, muscle mass, bone strength, red blood cell production, mood and energy.

Testosterone levels tend to fall gradually with age. The decline is steady, at around 1% per year, from age 30 to 40, although this gradual fall is not always sufficient to cause symptoms on its own.

Low testosterone can sometimes contribute to symptoms such as:

• Low sex drive
• Erectile difficulties
• Tiredness
• Low mood
• Reduced muscle mass
• Poor recovery from exercise
• Reduced motivation
• Fertility concerns

However, these symptoms can also have other causes, including stress, poor sleep, thyroid problems, alcohol intake, depression, medication, diabetes, or other health conditions. That is why blood testing can be useful – it helps you move beyond guesswork.

A testosterone blood test may include total testosterone, and some more detailed hormone tests may also measure free testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), luteinising hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). These extra markers can help give more context, especially if symptoms are ongoing.

When might a testosterone blood test be useful?

If you have symptoms of low testosterone, are concerned about fertility, want to understand your baseline, or are monitoring changes in energy, libido, strength, or recovery, a testosterone blood test can provide valuable insights.

Testosterone is usually highest in the morning, so morning testing is often recommended when investigating possible low testosterone.

Cholesterol
 

Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in the blood. Your body needs some cholesterol to function properly, but too much of the wrong type can increase your risk of fatty deposits building in your arteries.

A cholesterol blood test usually looks at several markers, including:

• Total cholesterol
• HDL cholesterol
• LDL cholesterol
• Non-HDL cholesterol
• Triglycerides
• Cholesterol ratios

HDL cholesterol is often described as “good” cholesterol because it helps remove cholesterol from the blood. LDL and non-HDL cholesterol are often described as “bad” cholesterol because they can contribute to fatty build-up in the arteries.

High cholesterol is important because it can increase your risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. It often has no obvious symptoms, so many people do not know if their cholesterol is raised unless they have a blood test.

Cardiovascular disease remains a major cause of ill health and death in the UK, despite large improvements in death rates since the 1960s [1]. Studies show that 1 in 8 men and 1 in 13 women die because of coronary heart disease [2], making blood testing valuable.

Why cholesterol matters for men

Men can develop cardiovascular risk factors earlier in life, especially where there is a family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, smoking, excess weight, diabetes risk, low activity levels, or a diet high in saturated fat.

Knowing your cholesterol levels can help you take action sooner. Lifestyle changes, such as improving your diet, increasing activity, reducing alcohol intake, quitting smoking, and managing weight, can all support heart health. In some cases, your results may also suggest that you should speak to your GP about further assessment or treatment.

When might a cholesterol blood test be useful?

Our Cholesterol Blood Test may be useful if you want to check your heart health, have a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease, are over 40, carry weight around your middle, have high blood pressure, or want to monitor the impact of lifestyle changes.

HbA1c
 

HbA1c, also known as glycated haemoglobin, is a long-term marker of blood sugar control. An HbA1c blood test reflects your average blood sugar levels over the previous two to three months and is commonly used to help assess diabetes risk or monitor existing diabetes. 

This makes HbA1c different from a single glucose reading, which only shows your blood sugar at one point in time. Our HbA1c Blood Test gives a broader picture of how your body has been managing blood sugar over several weeks.

Raised HbA1c can suggest prediabetes or diabetes. Over time, high blood sugar can affect blood vessels, nerves, eyes, kidneys, and the heart.

Why HbA1c matters for men

HbA1c is not just about diabetes risk in the abstract. Blood sugar control can affect many areas of male health, including energy, weight, heart health, and sexual function.

Men with diabetes are three times more likely to have trouble getting or keeping an erection than men without diabetes. This is because high blood sugar can, over time, damage blood vessels and nerves, including those involved in erections [3].

That does not mean every man with raised HbA1c will have symptoms. In fact, blood sugar problems can develop quietly. This is why HbA1c is one of the most useful health biomarkers to include in blood tests for men, especially if you want to understand your longer-term metabolic health.

When might an HbA1c blood test be useful?

Our HbA1c Blood Test can help if you have symptoms such as increased thirst, needing to urinate more often, tiredness, blurred vision, or unexplained weight changes.

It may also be worth checking if you:

• Are overweight
• Carry more weight around your waist
• Have a family history of type 2 diabetes
• Have high blood pressure
• Have raised cholesterol
• Are less physically active
• Want to monitor the impact of diet, exercise, or weight changes

PSA
 

Prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, is a protein made by the prostate gland and can be measured with a blood test.

PSA testing can help assess prostate health, but it is not a perfect test. A raised PSA level does not always mean prostate cancer. PSA can also rise because of an enlarged prostate, inflammation, infection, recent ejaculation, vigorous exercise, or certain medical procedures.

The UK government’s prostate cancer risk management guidance says around 75% or three in four men with a raised PSA level of 3 ng/ml or more will not have cancer. It also notes that a small proportion of men with a low PSA level may later be found to have prostate cancer [4].

So, PSA is useful, but it needs careful interpretation.

Why PSA matters for men

Prostate cancer risk increases with age. Prostate Cancer UK says the risk of developing prostate cancer increases from age 50, or from your 40s if you are Black and/or have a family history of the disease [5].

A PSA blood test may be useful as part of a broader conversation about your age, symptoms, family history, and personal risk. It can provide helpful information, but the result should be considered alongside other markers and symptoms.

Symptoms to speak to a doctor about

You should speak to your GP if you notice symptoms such as:

• Difficulty starting to urinate
• A weak urine flow
• Needing to urinate more often, especially at night
• Blood in urine or semen
• Pain in the back, hips, or pelvis
• Unexplained weight loss
• New erection problems

Although these symptoms do not always mean prostate cancer, they should be checked by a medical professional.

Which blood test should men choose?
 

The best blood test depends on what you want to understand.

If you are focused on hormones, our Testosterone or Male Hormone Blood Test may be the most useful starting point. If you are thinking about long-term health, a broader men’s health check that includes cholesterol, HbA1c and other general health markers may give you more context.

For many men, the most useful approach is to check a small group of key biomarkers together. Testosterone, cholesterol, HbA1c and PSA cover four important areas:

Our Advanced Well Man Blood Test includes testosterone, cholesterol and HbA1c, while PSA is available as a separate prostate health test. Men looking for a broader health check may choose a comprehensive men’s health panel and add a PSA Blood Test where appropriate. 

Together, they can help you build a clearer picture of your health and identify where further action or medical advice may be needed.

How often should men check these biomarkers?
 

There is no single testing schedule that suits everyone. How often you check your biomarkers depends on your age, symptoms, family history, previous results, and health goals.

As a general guide:

• Testosterone may be worth checking if you have symptoms or are monitoring hormone health
• Cholesterol should be monitored regularly, especially if you are over 40 or have cardiovascular risk factors.
• HbA1c is helpful if you have diabetes risk factors or want to track blood sugar control.
• PSA may be worth discussing if you are over 50, or over 45 and Black, or have a family history of prostate cancer.

If a result is outside the expected range, or you are unsure what it means, speak to a GP or healthcare professional.

Blood tests for men can help you take a more proactive approach to your health. By checking key health biomarkers, you can better understand your hormones, heart health, blood sugar control, and prostate health.

You do not need to wait until something feels wrong. Testing can help you establish a baseline, spot changes over time, and take informed steps to support your long-term health.

Explore Medichecks’ range of men’s blood tests, from targeted testosterone, cholesterol, HbA1c, and PSA checks to more comprehensive men’s health panels.

 

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References

1. British Heart Foundation (2026) UK Cardiovascular Disease Factsheet. (Accessed: 25 May 2026).
2. British Heart Foundation (2025) UK Factsheet: Heart and Circulatory Diseases. (Accessed: 27 May 2026). 
3. Diabetes UK (2025) Diabetes and sexual problems – in men. (Accessed: 25 May 2026).
4. GOV.UK (2024) Advising well men about the PSA test for prostate cancer: information for GPs. (Accessed: 27 May 2026).
5. Prostate Cancer UK (2024) PSA Consensus 2024. (Accessed: 25 May 2026).