The Health Checks Every Man Should Have from His 40s
Turning 40 comes with plenty of milestones… A few grey hairs, a slower recovery after a heavy weekend, maybe a passing thought about how quickly the last decade went by. However, very rarely does it make you think about going to see your GP for a check-up.
Many men simply wait until something feels wrong before booking an appointment, by which point an issue may have been developing undetected for years. This matters more than ever right now, because in May 2026 the UK government accepted its first ever targeted prostate cancer screening recommendation, a real shift in how prostate cancer risk is being managed nationally.
Below we’ll look at what this new prostate screening recommendation means, the core health checks every man should have from the age of 40, and why it’s worth building the habit now rather than waiting for symptoms to appear.
What’s Changed with Prostate Cancer Screening
Prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK, usually affecting men over the age of 65. Risk increases significantly as men get older, but testing too broadly can lead to unnecessary anxiety and treatment for cancers that would never have caused any harm.
That’s what makes the UK National Screening Committee’s announcement so significant. For the first time, the government has accepted a targeted screening recommendation. It offers regular PSA testing, a simple blood test measuring a protein made by the prostate, to men aged 45 to 61 who carry an inherited BRCA2 gene variant and have a relevant family history of cancer. It’s a far more precise approach, aimed at picking up prostate cancer earlier in the men most likely to benefit from knowing.
Notably, Black men are not included in the new programme, even though around 1 in 4 Black men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime, compared with 1 in 8 men overall. The committee says the evidence on screening Black men is still uncertain and will be reviewed as results from the ongoing TRANSFORM trial become available.
If you’re not sure whether this applies to you, it’s worth having a conversation with your GP. This is particularly important if prostate, breast, ovarian or pancreatic cancer runs in your family, or if you’re a Black man aged 45 or over.
The Core Health Checks Worth Having From 40
Even outside of this new targeted programme, your 40s are a sensible time to start having regular health checks, whatever your family history. A few simple tests can flag issues like high blood pressure, high cholesterol or an increased risk of diabetes long before they cause any symptoms, giving you the chance to make changes while they’re still easy to make.
It’s also worth getting into the habit of an occasional testicular self-check. Testicular cancer is more common in younger men, so it won’t be the main focus of a checkup in your 40s, but it’s a simple thing to build into your routine and takes next to no time at all.
Why It’s Worth Doing Now, Not Later
It’s easy to put health checks off when you’re not experiencing any symptoms, but that’s exactly the point. Many of the conditions these checks are designed to catch don’t cause noticeable symptoms until they’ve already progressed. An hour at the clinic now could mean catching something early enough to make a real difference later.
At ERIC Healthcare, our Men’s Health & Performance Clinic brings everything you need together in one appointment. This includes blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes risk, prostate health and PSA testing where appropriate. That means you leave with a clear picture of where you stand, not just a list of things to chase up later. Book a Men’s Health & Performance Clinic appointment today.
WhatsApp: +44 7951 553356 Phone: 0161 507 5162 Email: hello@erichealthcare.co.uk