By Curtis Thill, M.D.

Men sometimes joke that they take their cars in for service more often than they see their own physicians. A sobering fact? With more than three decades of seeing men patients in southern Indiana, I can tell you from experience that the cost of that joke can rise steeply after age 50.

In many instances, throughout their adult lives, men are often more reluctant to schedule an annual check-up. Plus, during their working years, it’s really easy to grab a juicy double cheeseburger and fries for lunch, washed down with a sugary beverage that can make your pancreas cringe. If one lights up for a quick smoke before going back to work, your whole body has to compensate–which all adds up over time.

When men hit their 50s, we start seeing both the accumulated toll of actions like the above, and also many natural and normal changes in men’s bodies and minds.

So, if you’re younger than 50, think about seeing your medical provider once a year just to kick the medical tires and make certain nothing’s percolating under the hood. Meanwhile, if you’re now past the 50 mark, here is what to expect-and actions to consider–decade by decade.

Your 50s: Build the Foundation

While there’s no reason why men can’t continue to live a full life when they hit 50, it is the time to take stock. Here’s a grim but real fact: heart disease remains the leading cause of death in American men, and the 50s are when risk becomes real.

What might you expect? Blood pressure creeps up, cholesterol may misbehave, and stubborn belly fat tends to settle in. Many men begin to notice diminished energy, slower recovery from exercise, and changes in libido. There are steps to take to manage these changes.

What to do at age 50+:

• Schedule annual blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar screenings.
• Begin colorectal cancer screening–typically a colonoscopy every 10 years starting at age 45.
• Have an honest, shared-decision conversation with your medical provider about a baseline PSA test to detect prostate cancer early.
• Get serious about punching in about 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity weekly, plus two sessions of resistance training to preserve muscle and bone density.

Your 60s: Sharpen the Focus

The 60s are when accumulated habits show their dividends–or their bills. Bone density declines, joints can stiffen, and roughly one in five men face clinically low testosterone, which can affect mood, memory, sleep, and abdominal fat. Cognitive processing speed—how you think–naturally slows. This is normal aging, not dementia.

Action steps for this decade:

• Continue PSA discussions with your provider through age 69.
• If you have ever smoked, ask about a one-time abdominal aortic aneurysm ultrasound between ages 65 and 75, and consider annual low-dose CT lung cancer screening.
• Protect your brain: prioritize sleep, treat hearing loss (a major modifiable dementia risk), stay socially engaged, and lean toward a Mediterranean-style diet (that’s an easy Google search for more info).
• An important point: resistance training twice weekly is no longer optional. It is a major preventative defense against falls, frailty, and metabolic decline.

Your 70s: Preserve Function

In the 70s, the goal shifts from optimization to preservation. The new metric is function — balance, strength, independence, and mental sharpness.

Action steps for this decade:

• Review every medication annually with your medical provider. Polypharmacy—defined as taking five or more drugs, represents a leading cause of falls and confusion.
• Add balance and flexibility work–tai chi, yoga, or simple single-leg stands–to your weekly routine.
• Stay socially and intellectually active. Seek out opportunities for getting together with people–loneliness carries a mortality risk comparable to smoking.
• Be informed and safe – talk with your provider about vaccinations for shingles, pneumonia, RSV, and influenza.

And here’s a critical consideration for everyone: smoking or using tobacco in any form is dangerous to your health at any age. Want to quit but need some help? Pick up our free “Quit Kit” at any of our clinic locations (see locations here: https://sichc.org/locations/).

The Common Thread

Across all three decades, the formula is unchanged: move daily, eat real food, sleep seven hours, manage stress, stay connected, and don’t skip the screenings. Aging is inevitable. The decision and outcome to age well is based on you.

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A board-certified family physician, Dr. Curtis Thill has seen multiple generations of men over three decades of practice in southern Indiana.