Men’s Health Month Spotlight: The Numbers Every Dad Should Know

Imagine your body is quietly running a dashboard; gauges tracking pressure, hormone levels, and early warning signals. Now think about your car. You probably check the oil, the tire pressure, the fuel. You’d never ignore a warning light for three years and call that responsible ownership. But that’s essentially what’s happening for millions of American men who haven’t had their blood pressure checked, their testosterone tested, or their PSA measured in years…or ever.

June is Men’s Health Month, and the statistics behind why we need it are sobering. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in men. Prostate cancer is expected to claim over 36,000 lives in 2026 alone. Low testosterone affects an estimated 40% of American men over 45. Most of these conditions are manageable and are even reversible when caught early. The problem is that “early” requires actually knowing your numbers.

Let’s take a look at the three numbers every dad and every man should know.

#1: Blood Pressure 🩺

Target: Below 120/80 mmHg

Blood pressure is called the silent killer because it rarely announces itself with symptoms.Until it does, and by then it has usually done real damage. According to the CDC, in 2024, high blood pressure was a primary or contributing cause of 680,179 deaths in the United States. Nearly half of all American adults have hypertension (high blood pressure), and men are more likely to have it than women, at 48.8% versus 40.1%.

The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association define hypertension as a blood pressure reading at or above 130/80 mmHg. Stage 2 hypertension, which carries significantly elevated risk of heart attack and stroke, kicks in at 140/90. Here’s the part that should get everyone’s attention: only about 1 in 4 adults with high blood pressure has it under control. And roughly 1 in 6 people with high blood pressure doesn’t even know they have it.

What to do: Blood pressure can be checked at any doctor’s office, many pharmacies, and via home monitors widely available for under $40. If your reading is 130/80 or higher, talk to your doctor. Lifestyle changes, which include reducing sodium, increasing exercise, and managing stress, can make a meaningful difference, and for some men, medication helps bridge the gap.

#2: Testosterone ♂️

Target: 300–1,000 ng/dL (varies by age and individual)

If blood pressure is the silent killer, testosterone is the slow fade. After age 30, men’s testosterone levels naturally drop around 1% per year, a drop that isn’t necessarily dramatic, but it is a steady decline. By the mid-40s, that accumulated decline can become noticeable in ways men often chalk up to stress, aging, or “just how it is”: fatigue that doesn’t sleep doesn’t make a dent in, a shift in mood and motivation, changes in muscle mass, or a diminished drive in the gym, in romance with their spouse, and overall in life.

The numbers here have taken a notable turn. Research tracking U.S. men from 1999 to 2016 found a significant population-wide decline in testosterone levels, not just in older men, but across the board. Average total testosterone dropped from roughly 605 ng/dL to 451 ng/dL over that period. Researchers point to a combination of factors: rising rates of obesity, increased diabetes prevalence, environmental contributors, and overall lifestyle shifts.

The American Urological Association defines low testosterone as below 300 ng/dL, though this threshold was originally derived from studies of men over 45, making it a less precise guide for younger men experiencing symptoms. If you’re under 45 and dealing with significant fatigue, mood changes, or loss of muscle despite regular exercise, a testosterone panel is worth discussing with your doctor regardless of where the number lands.

What to do: Ask your doctor for a morning total testosterone test (levels are highest in the morning). If the number comes back low and you have symptoms, a conversation about testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) options is worth having. TRT has expanded significantly in recent years, with prescriptions increasing from 7.3 million in 2019 to over 11 million in 2024. As with any form of hormone therapy, it comes with tradeoffs your doctor can help you weigh.

#3: PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) 🩸

Target: Generally below 4 ng/mL, with age-adjusted nuance

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, accounting for 30% of all male cancer diagnoses in 2025. One in eight men will be diagnosed in his lifetime, and in 2026 alone, prostate cancer is expected to claim more than 36,000 lives. The sharp difference in outcomes (a 5-year survival rate above 99% for localized disease versus 38% for metastatic disease) makes one thing crystal clear: when you find it matters enormously. This is why Altrua HealthShare has a required test for PSA levels for men 50 and over, taken every 24 months.

The PSA test is a blood test that measures prostate-specific antigen, a protein produced by the prostate gland. Elevated PSA can indicate prostate cancer, but also benign conditions like an enlarged prostate or inflammation. That’s why the American Cancer Society and Johns Hopkins Medicine both recommend using PSA results in conversation with a doctor rather than as a standalone verdict. A PSA above 4 ng/mL warrants follow-up, but even a lower number can be significant if it has been rising year over year.

Age-specific guidelines to know:

• Men in their 40s and 50s: A PSA above 2.5 ng/mL may be worth discussing. Median is 0.6–0.7 ng/mL.
• Men in their 60s: A PSA above 4.0 ng/mL is generally considered abnormal.
• Higher risk groups: Black men (who are 1.7x more likely to be diagnosed and 2x more likely to die from prostate cancer) and men with a first-degree relative who had prostate cancer are recommended to begin screening earlier, often at age 40.

What to do: Talk to your doctor about a baseline PSA test, especially if you’re 40 or older and in a higher-risk category, or 50 and above regardless. Stick to your PSA screening routine (once every 24 months with clean results for Altrua HealthShare Members age 50 and up). This is the kind of test where consistency matters, so catching a rise over time is often more useful than a single number in isolation.

Simple Tests for Better Health

None of these numbers require a specialist or a lengthy procedure. Blood pressure, testosterone, and PSA are all standard lab or screening tests that can be ordered at a routine visit, or in the case of blood pressure, checked at home or a local pharmacy today. For Altrua HealthShare Members, routine care and lab work can often be accessed through your chosen providers, and telehealth visits through the HealthWallet app make it easy to start a conversation with a provider without carving out a full afternoon.

If you’re not yet a Member and you’ve been delaying care because of cost or complexity, now is a good time to take a look at what health sharing could do for your family. Our Members share in one another’s eligible medical needs, with membership levels that include routine check-ups. Regular preventive care is how you protect the health you’re working to maintain.

You already know the stats. Now do something about one of them. Find out how Altrua HealthShare can make getting care simpler and more affordable.

Already a Member? Log into your HealthWallet app and schedule your check-in today. Your future self will be glad you did.

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