Full blood check-up for men: the tests that matter

A check-up for a man uses the same tests as one for a woman. What changes is what to look at: in men heart problems come earlier, and the liver, blood sugar and uric acid need attention early. Here is what matters, when PSA and testosterone make sense, and what it costs.

What is different for men

The tests in a good check-up are the same for men and women. The Rosa panel is the same too.

In men, heart disease comes on average a few years earlier than in women. A fatty liver, high blood sugar and high uric acid are common, and for years they cause no symptoms. That is why it pays to know them early, before they cause trouble.

Heart and arteries

These are the values that say the most about the risk to your heart and arteries. Tap a test to learn what it measures.

On their own they do not tell the whole story. Blood pressure, smoking and heart attacks at a young age in your family count too. Check your blood pressure now and then.

Blood sugar and waistline

Type 2 diabetes comes on slowly, and for years it causes no symptoms. Glucose and HbA1c, the average over the last two to three months, show it early. Fasting insulin shows how hard your pancreas works to keep your blood sugar normal.

Belly fat often goes with high blood sugar, high triglycerides and a fatty liver. Measuring your waist now and then is a simple check you can do at home.

Better to spot a changing value early. Many values move quietly for years before they cause symptoms.

Liver: alcohol and fatty liver

Your liver does not hurt when it is under strain. Two tests show what is going on:

A fatty liver often goes with belly fat, high blood sugar and high triglycerides, and it can be there even with normal liver enzymes. Losing weight, moving more and drinking less alcohol are the first step. If alcohol is involved, GGT usually comes down after a few weeks off.

Uric acid and kidneys

In men uric acid is usually higher. If it stays high for a long time, it can cause gout and kidney stones. Your kidneys, on the other hand, can filter less without any sign.

If you take blood pressure medicines, your doctor checks your kidneys and potassium on their own schedule. The check-up does not replace those checks.

PSA: a choice to make with your doctor

PSA is a blood test for the prostate. It is not in the Rosa panel.

A high PSA does not mean cancer: more often an enlarged or inflamed prostate is behind it. And a normal PSA does not rule it out.

Using it as a check in men who feel well has pros and cons. It can find a serious cancer early. But it also finds slow cancers that would never have caused harm, and it can lead to biopsies and treatments with effects like incontinence or erection problems.

That is why it is a personal choice, to make after talking it through with your doctor. The conversation usually starts from about 50, earlier if prostate cancer runs in your family. After 70, the harms usually outweigh the benefits.

If you have trouble passing urine, it is no longer a question of screening: talk to your doctor. If you cannot pass urine at all, or have a high fever with chills and burning when you pass urine, call 112 or go to the emergency department.

Low or high testosterone: when to test it

Testosterone is not a prevention test, and it is not in the Rosa panel. It is measured when there are symptoms: lower sex drive, erection problems, tiredness that does not go away, less strength.

The value changes a lot during the day. That is why the blood is taken in the morning, fasting. If it is low, the test is repeated on another day: one result is not enough for a diagnosis.

Low testosterone often goes with extra weight, diabetes or sleep problems. Glucose, HbA1c and insulin, which Rosa measures, show this side of the problem.

High testosterone in a man often comes from testosterone or anabolic steroids taken as medicines or supplements. Talk to your doctor.

Bowel cancer screening

A blood check-up does not find cancer. For bowel cancer the Italian health service offers free screening: a faecal occult blood test every two years, between 50 and 69. Some regions go up to 74. The invitation comes from your local health authority (ASL).

If bowel cancer runs in your family, ask your doctor: sometimes different checks are needed, and earlier.

One sign not to ignore: in a man, a low ferritin should always be seen by a doctor, because it sometimes comes from small blood losses in the gut.

What a full check-up for men costs

At private labs, packages for men usually cost €70 to €170, for 15 to 32 tests. With a GP prescription you pay a co-payment, the ticket: less, or nothing, if an exemption covers those tests.

Before you choose, look at which tests are inside, not how many.

With Rosa it costs €295 a year, the same for men and women: two draws, 31 tests in the first, every value explained and a doctor who approves your report.

Frequently asked questions

Is the check-up for men different from the one for women? No, the Rosa panel is the same. Some limits on the lab report change: ferritin, GGT and uric acid, for example, are usually higher in men.

Do I need other tests after 40 or 50? The blood tests stay the same. Following them over time matters more. From 50, bowel cancer screening is added and, if you choose it with your doctor, PSA.

Does Rosa measure PSA and testosterone? No. PSA is a choice to make with your doctor, and testosterone is measured when there are symptoms. If you need them, your doctor orders them.

Do I need to stop drinking before the draw? No alcohol in the 24 hours before. If you drink regularly, GGT can stay high even after a few days off: tell your doctor.

I train a lot: does it change anything? Avoid hard exercise the day before and on the morning of the draw. A hard workout can raise liver enzymes for a few days, especially AST. A lot of muscle or creatine raises creatinine a little.

Do your full check-up with Rosa

31 tests in the first draw, including cholesterol, ApoB, blood sugar and liver tests, and a re-check of your key values six months later. Every value explained and a doctor who approves your report. At a partner lab, no prescription needed. €295 a year.

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