Because the risk of many conditions increases with age, doctors generally recommend more frequent lab testing as you get older.
Key Takeaways:
Because the risk of many conditions increases with age, doctors generally recommend more frequent lab testing as you get older. This is because many health risks increase with age, and early detection often helps improve the outlook for many conditions.
People with specific diseases or risk factors may need more frequent testing.
People already diagnosed with a particular condition may also require frequent testing for monitoring reasons and for tracking how well any treatments may be working.
No matter your age, regular blood work can be an important tool for understanding and optimizing your overall health. Finding certain markers in your blood allows healthcare professionals to gain insights into your health and identify risk factors for certain health problems.
But how often should you get blood work done? Ultimately, it’s complicated. There are many types of blood tests, and you may need to complete some at different frequencies during different stages of your life.
We don’t have a copy of your medical history in front of us, so we can’t say exactly how often you’ll need to have blood work done. But in general, doctors screen for many health conditions more frequently with advanced age, since the risk of many common health conditions also increases.
Keep reading to learn more about why blood work is so important, and how often you should do it at different stages of your life.
Blood work is an easy way for healthcare professionals to gain insights into many aspects of your health since your blood transports essential nutrients throughout your body.
The following tests are commonly ordered in routine medical care, and sometimes referred to as routine blood tests.
Many commonly ordered blood tests can help screen for or monitor common health conditions. Your healthcare provider may recommend some of these tests periodically based on your age, symptoms, medications, and underlying conditions and overall health, but major guidelines do not recommend the same schedule of routine blood tests for all adults.
Health professionals use a complete blood count to measure your total blood cell count and individual levels of your red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
Finding abnormal levels of these blood cells can suggest certain health problems, such as infections, some cancers, or anemia.
A basic metabolic panel measures levels of:
Sugar (glucose) in your blood
Calcium levels in your blood
Levels of other electrolytes
Other measures of your kidney function
A lipid panel, or lipoprotein panel, measures levels of fats in your blood, including your triglyceride and cholesterol levels. It can help identify your risk of heart disease. Some labs still ask you to fast before this test, but in many cases, a non-fasting sample is acceptable, just make sure to follow the preparation instructions from your doctor and lab.
A blood glucose test allows healthcare professionals to look at your blood sugar levels and assess your risk of prediabetes and diabetes. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening adults ages 35–70 who are overweight or obese, with repeat screening about every 3 years if results are normal.
Beyond the standard panels, your provider may also recommend other tests if they suspect a particular issue.
Expanded lipid panel: If your basic lipid panel shows concerning markers, your provider may order an expanded version to provide more detailed information about cholesterol levels and your risk of heart disease. It offers a more granular look at the 'bad' cholesterol (LDL) and can guide more targeted interventions.
HbA1c test: The HbA1C test provides an average blood sugar level over the past 2 to 3 months, painting a clearer picture than a single fasting glucose reading.
Testosterone levels: Testosterone levels may decline with age in some men. Your doctor may recommend testing your testosterone if you have symptoms suggestive of low testosterone, such as low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, or low energy.
Other hormone levels: You may also receive blood tests to measure levels of other hormones, like thyroid hormone.
STI or HIV testing: These tests can help identify infections that may not be causing noticeable symptoms. Getting a proper diagnosis can help you receive an early diagnosis or prevent spreading them to others.
While individual testing requirements vary significantly between people, here’s a general overview of how often certain evidence-based tests may be considered at different ages. Your own needs may be very different.
During early adulthood, it’s easy to believe that feeling well means there’s no need to get regular bloodwork. There’s no official rule for how often people in their 20s should get blood work, but some healthcare providers may order basic tests periodically — every year or two, while others may suggest every 3 to 5 years — based on your personal and family history, medications, or risk factors.
If you’re at a high risk for a particular condition, your doctor may recommend screening tests regularly. For example, if you’re sexually active, it’s a good idea to consider regular STI testing and HIV testing before engaging in sexual activity with a new partner. While the USPSTF doesn’t have a particular frequency that they recommend HIV testing, it does recommend regular testing for high-risk individuals, such as:
Men who have sex with men (MSM)
People with a sexual partner who has HIV
People who inject drugs
Sex workers and other people engaging in high-risk activities.
The USPSTF also recommends hepatitis B screening for people at increased risk, with repeat testing for those who remain at ongoing risk. But people at a high risk of hepatitis B include:
People born in (or whose parents were born in) countries with a high prevalence of hepatitis B
People with HIV
People who inject drugs
Men who have sex with men
People who share a household with somebody who has the infection
As is the case in your 20s, the USPSTF doesn’t give specific guidelines for how often people in their 30s should get broad “routine labs.” However, the USPSTF does recommend that people who have overweight or obesity start to undergo regular blood glucose tests at the age of 35.
Prior USPSTF guidance recommended beginning lipid screening in men around age 35, particularly if they have cardiovascular risk factors. More recent recommendations focus on adults ages 40–75 who have risk factors for cardiovascular disease when deciding whether to start statin treatment. Having a problem with the cholesterol or fat levels in your blood is medically known as dyslipidemia.
Often, health issues gain prevalence during people’s 40s.
If your healthcare provider thinks you're at risk of particular health problems, they may want you to undergo blood testing annually or even more frequently.
By your 50s or 60s, many types of cancer and other health conditions, like kidney problems, become more prevalent. Certain lifestyle factors may further increase that risk. The USPSTF suggests that men over 55 discuss with their provider whether they should get regular prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests to screen for prostate cancer.
If you have a particular health condition, such as cancer, you may require frequent testing to monitor how your cancer is progressing and to assess treatment effectiveness.
If you don’t have any particular risk factors, your healthcare provider may still order blood tests from time to time as part of your routine care, but there’s no universal guideline that every adult needs annual blood work.
Many factors may lead your healthcare provider to recommend more frequent testing. Some such situations include the following:
Preexisting chronic conditions: If you have conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or kidney disease, your doctor will likely recommend more frequent monitoring.
Family history: A strong family history of heart disease, certain cancers, or diabetes often warrants earlier and more frequent screening.
Certain medications: Some medications require regular blood tests to monitor their effectiveness or to check for potential side effects on organs, like your liver or kidneys. Examples include statins, blood thinners, or medications for thyroid conditions.
Lifestyle factors: If you have a lifestyle that includes heavy alcohol consumption, smoking, or a diet lacking key nutrients, more frequent checks can help detect damage earlier.
Unexplained symptoms: Any new or persistent symptoms, like extreme fatigue or unexpected weight changes, should prompt a visit to your doctor. Blood work will almost certainly be part of the diagnostic process.
Recent illness or surgery: After a significant illness or surgery, your doctor may want to monitor your recovery through blood tests.
How often should you get blood work done? There's no single, universally accepted answer, but regular testing guided by your age, risk factors, and symptoms can help you maximize your personal health and identify medical conditions at the earliest possible stage.
Your primary care physician can guide you on the best frequency for you to do blood work, in the context of your individual risk factors. If your blood test results suggest that you’re at an increased risk of a certain condition or are otherwise abnormal, your healthcare provider may recommend more frequent follow-ups.
Want to get blood work, but don’t want to go through the hassle of seeing a doctor in person? We get it. Hims offers comprehensive lab testing with home kits to make the process easier for you.
There’s no set frequency for getting blood work. Factors like your age, overall health, and whether you have any underlying diseases influence your optimal testing frequency.
You may want to talk to your doctor about having your testosterone levels tested if you have symptoms that could suggest low testosterone (hypogonadism), such as low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, loss of body hair, or persistent fatigue.
There’s no single blood test that’s most important. A complete blood count, a basic metabolic panel, and a lipid panel are among the most common blood tests doctors order to get a snapshot of your overall health. But the “most important” tests for you are the ones that are evidence-based for your age and risk factors — such as screening for diabetes, high cholesterol, hepatitis B or C, or HIV.
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