As a man, visiting a doctor yearly is a great way to stay on top of your health. During these yearly visits, your doctor will check your vitals, complete blood work, and recommend various types of tests, depending on your age and health. If you are a healthy male in your 40s or 50s, it's likely that your doctor will begin recommending tests that you may never have had in the past. These tests are designed as routine screenings and can help diagnose health problems at early stages. Here are some of the tests you may need as you begin getting older.

Cholesterol Screening

If your doctor completes bloodwork at your yearly exam, it will include a test for your cholesterol levels. A cholesterol test measures several different things, including your good and bad cholesterols, and it will typically reveal an overall cholesterol ratio, which is the ratio of your good and bad cholesterols. For men, doctors want to see ratios that are around 3.5 or less.

The purpose of getting screened for this is to determine your level of risk for heart disease and other heart-related problems. If you discover you have high cholesterol, you can make changes in your lifestyle that could help drop your levels. By doing this, you could lower your risks of developing heart problems in the future.

Prostate Screening

While many men will avoid going through with a prostrate screening, it is an important test to begin getting when you are around 40 or 50 years old. This test is used to find problems with your prostate, including cancer. The screening itself is uncomfortable, but it does not take long, and it can help your doctor understand your risk level for prostate problems. If you just turned 40 years old, this is something you should consider having at some point in the near future.

Colonoscopy

Many doctors also recommend colonoscopies for men when they turn 50, or even earlier if a man has colon cancer in his family. A colonoscopy is just one type of test used to detect colon cancer, and it is not something men need every year. In fact, once you get one, you may not need to get another one for 10 years. It will depend on your situation, though, and on your family history.

Testosterone Testing

For men who feel like they have lost their libidos and drive for sex, doctors often recommend testosterone testing. While it is normal for a man's testosterone level to drop as he ages, it is not normal for a man to completely lose his drive for sex. If you have noticed that you no longer have an interest in sex, or if your wife is complaining that you are not interested, it could be due to low testosterone. Your doctor can check this, and he or she can help you if this is the case. There are a variety of different types of treatment options available to help men rebuild their testosterone levels.

Erectile Dysfunction Tests

In addition, many men that reach the age of 40 or 50 may begin experiencing problems having or keeping erections. If you are struggling with this issue, don't be afraid to talk to your doctor about it. Doctors understand that this is a normal part of life for many men, and there are tests they can perform that can help them find out what is preventing you from reaching erections like you could in the past.

If you want to stay healthy and prevent health problems in the future, you should consider visiting a primary physician in your city for a routine annual checkup.