Men’s health refers to the physical and mental health conditions that disproportionately affect men, along with the screening, prevention, and lifestyle factors that influence how long and how well men live. In the United States, men live an average of 76.5 years compared to 81.4 years for women, a gap of nearly five years. That gap isn’t driven by one single cause. It reflects a combination of biological differences, higher rates of certain diseases, and a well-documented pattern of men using healthcare less often than women.
Why Men Have a Shorter Life Expectancy
Heart disease is the leading killer of men, responsible for about 20% of all male deaths. Cancer follows at 17.5%, with accidents accounting for another 6.5%. Cardiovascular disease tends to develop seven to ten years earlier in men than in women, which means the window for prevention starts sooner. Younger men also carry higher relative risks from elevated cholesterol compared to women of the same age.
Other major causes of death in men include stroke, chronic lower respiratory diseases, diabetes, and liver disease. Many of these conditions are preventable or manageable when caught early, which makes regular screening and lifestyle choices central to men’s health outcomes.
Heart Disease and Cardiovascular Risk
Because cardiovascular disease shows up earlier in men, risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and elevated blood sugar deserve attention well before middle age. The American Heart Association recommends cholesterol screening starting at age 20 for men with no known risk factors, repeated every four to six years. Blood pressure should be checked at least once every three to five years starting in early adulthood, and prediabetes screening begins at age 35 for men who are overweight.
These screenings matter because high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar often produce no symptoms in their early stages. The only way to catch them is through routine bloodwork and checkups. Left unmanaged for years, they quietly damage blood vessels and set the stage for heart attacks and strokes decades later.
Cancer Risks Specific to Men
Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in men. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that men aged 55 to 69 discuss PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood testing with their doctor and make an individual decision about whether to be screened. The conversation should weigh the potential benefits of early detection against the risks of overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment. For men 70 and older, routine PSA screening is generally not recommended. Digital rectal exams are no longer part of standard screening guidelines due to insufficient evidence of benefit.
Testicular cancer is less common but strikes younger. It’s most frequently diagnosed in men between ages 20 and 39. Signs to watch for include a painless lump or swelling in either testicle, a change in how the testicle feels, a dull ache in the lower abdomen or groin, sudden fluid buildup in the scrotum, or pain and discomfort in a testicle. Testicular cancer has a high survival rate when detected early, so familiarity with these symptoms is important for younger men.
Colon cancer screening typically begins at age 45 for most adults. Men with a strong family history of colon cancer, polyps, or inflammatory bowel disease may need to start earlier.
Mental Health and Suicide
Men make up 50% of the population but account for nearly 80% of suicides. The suicide rate among men in 2023 was roughly four times higher than the rate among women, at 22.7 per 100,000. This disparity is one of the starkest in all of men’s health.
Part of the problem is that depression in men often looks different from the textbook version. Rather than expressing sadness or crying, men are more likely to show irritability, anger, reckless behavior, increased alcohol use, or withdrawal from relationships and activities. These signs are easy to miss or dismiss, both by the men experiencing them and by the people around them. The same cultural pressures that discourage men from seeking medical care apply even more strongly to mental health, where stigma remains a significant barrier.
Testosterone and Hormonal Changes
Testosterone plays a central role in men’s energy levels, muscle mass, bone density, mood, and sexual function. Levels peak in early adulthood and gradually decline with age, typically dropping about 1% per year after age 30. This slow decrease is normal and doesn’t require treatment for most men.
When testosterone drops significantly below normal ranges, measured through a blood test in nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL), it can cause fatigue, reduced sex drive, difficulty concentrating, loss of muscle mass, and mood changes. Abnormally low testosterone, sometimes called hypogonadism, is a medical condition that can be evaluated and treated. But normal age-related decline and clinically low testosterone are not the same thing, and the distinction matters when considering whether treatment is appropriate.
Why Men Avoid the Doctor
Men visit healthcare providers about 32% less often than women. The gap is widest between ages 21 and 39, where men’s consultation rates drop to roughly 40% of women’s rates. Some of that difference is explained by women’s reproductive healthcare needs, but even after accounting for that, men still consult less frequently. When researchers adjusted for underlying health conditions like depression and cardiovascular disease, the gap nearly disappeared, suggesting that men with the same health burdens as women do eventually seek care. The problem is that they often seek it later.
This pattern has real consequences. Presenting with serious disease at a later, less treatable stage is a recognized contributor to worse outcomes in men. The reasons are complex: research consistently identifies a cultural reluctance among men to consult, along with a tendency to minimize symptoms or view healthcare as something you only need when something is clearly wrong. Men in more economically deprived areas show even larger gaps in healthcare use compared to women.
A Practical Screening Timeline
Knowing which screenings to get and when is one of the most straightforward things men can do for their health. Here’s a simplified timeline:
- Age 20 and up: Cholesterol screening every four to six years, blood pressure check every three to five years
- Age 20 to 39: Awareness of testicular cancer symptoms, skin checks, dental visits
- Age 35 and up: Prediabetes and type 2 diabetes screening if overweight, repeated every three years
- Age 45: Colon cancer screening begins for most men
- Age 55 to 69: Individual decision about prostate cancer (PSA) screening
These intervals assume no major risk factors. A family history of heart disease, cancer, or diabetes may shift some of these earlier. Even without symptoms, routine checkups catch the conditions that cause the most damage precisely because they’re silent in their early stages.