Men's Sexual Health Annual Checklist: Every Test and Conversation You Should Have

Most men get an annual physical — or at least know they should. Blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar. But sexual health rarely makes it onto the annual checklist, even though it's one of the most reliable indicators of overall vascular and metabolic health. This checklist changes that.

Think of this as the annual maintenance schedule for your sexual function. Not because something is wrong, but because catching changes early gives you the most options and the best outcomes.

Annual Bloodwork

Request these tests alongside your regular annual labs. Most are standard and covered by insurance when ordered as part of a physical exam.

Total testosterone and free testosterone (morning draw, 7-10 AM) establish your hormonal baseline and track changes over time. A single low result should be confirmed on a different day, but tracking year-over-year trends is more valuable than any single number.

HbA1c screens for prediabetes and diabetes — two of the strongest risk factors for ED. Even if you're not diabetic, tracking this number catches metabolic changes early.

A lipid panel (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides) monitors the cardiovascular risk factors that directly affect erectile vascular function.

TSH screens for thyroid dysfunction, which can affect libido, energy, and erectile function. Prolactin is worth checking if libido has decreased significantly or if testosterone is low without explanation.

Self-Assessment Questions

Every year, honestly assess these questions for yourself. Has the quality or reliability of your erections changed since last year? Are morning erections still occurring regularly? Has your interest in sex or frequency of sexual thoughts changed? Are you experiencing any difficulty reaching orgasm? Have you started any new medications that could affect sexual function? Has your weight, exercise level, sleep quality, or stress level changed significantly?

If the answer to any of these has changed, it's worth discussing with a provider — even if the change seems minor. Early intervention is always more effective than waiting for a problem to become entrenched.

Medication Review

If you're taking ED medication, an annual review should cover whether the current dose and medication remain optimal, whether any new medications you've started could interact, whether side effects have changed, and whether you've tried adjusting lifestyle factors that might reduce your reliance on medication.

If you're not taking ED medication but have been experiencing mild changes, this is the time to discuss starting — before the progression makes treatment more complex.

Lifestyle Checkpoint

Assess where you stand on the modifiable factors that most directly impact sexual health. Exercise — are you getting 150+ minutes of moderate activity per week? Weight — has your BMI or waist circumference changed? Sleep — are you consistently getting 7–9 hours? Alcohol — has your consumption increased? Stress — is your stress managed or spiraling?

Each of these factors has a dose-response relationship with erectile function. Small improvements in any of them can produce measurable benefits. Large improvements in several can be transformative.

The Conversation You Should Have

Many men avoid discussing sexual health with their provider because nobody initiates the conversation. Here's your prompt: "I'd like to check in on my sexual health as part of this visit." That single sentence opens the door. Your provider should then ask appropriate follow-up questions about function, satisfaction, and any concerns.

If your provider doesn't take sexual health seriously, that's information too — about whether your provider is the right fit for your needs.

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