Know Your Health
Male Wellness Profile: What Does It Check?
Looking after your health is not only something to think about when you feel unwell. Regular health screening can provide useful information about how your body is functioning and may help identify areas that need further attention.
A male wellness profile brings together several laboratory tests that look at different aspects of general health. These include blood health, blood sugar, heart and circulation, kidney health, liver health and nutritional markers.
For adults with a low or moderate health risk, a male wellness profile can provide useful baseline information across several areas of health. Understanding what the profile checks can also help you know what to expect before having your tests.
This guide explains what a male wellness profile includes, what the individual tests can tell you and why looking at several health markers together can be useful.
What Is a Male Wellness Profile?
A male wellness profile is a collection of laboratory tests designed to provide a broader overview of several important areas of health.
Rather than focusing on one specific symptom or concern, the profile brings together different tests that can provide information about blood health, metabolic health, organs and nutritional status.
The Essential General Wellness Male profile includes testing related to:
- Blood health
- Blood sugar
- Heart and circulation
- Kidney health
- Liver health
- Nutrition
The profile includes a Full Blood Count with platelets, HbA1c, a lipogram, creatinine, liver function tests, vitamin D25OH, vitamin B12 and an albumin/creatinine ratio.
A male wellness profile therefore provides several pieces of laboratory information that can be considered together with your medical history and other relevant health information.
Who Might Consider a Male Wellness Profile?
The Essential General Wellness Male profile is intended for adults who are considered to have a low or moderate health risk.
General wellness testing can be useful if you want to be more informed about your health rather than only having laboratory tests when you develop a particular concern.
However, a male wellness profile is not a substitute for medical advice or a medical assessment.
Your age, medical history, symptoms, medication, lifestyle and other risk factors can all influence which tests may be appropriate for you.
If you have a particular symptom or health concern, speak to your healthcare professional about the type of testing that may be suitable.
What Does a Male Wellness Profile Check?
One of the useful features of a male wellness profile is that it looks at several areas of health rather than focusing on one laboratory measurement.
Each test provides different information. Your healthcare professional can consider the results together with your health history and other relevant information.
Let’s look at the main areas covered by the profile.
Blood Health
Blood testing can provide information about several important aspects of your general health.
The Essential General Wellness Male profile includes a Full Blood Count (FBC) with platelets.
What Does an FBC Check?
A Full Blood Count looks at different types of cells found in your blood.
These include red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body, white blood cells, which are involved in immune function and platelets, which play an important role in blood clotting.
An FBC can therefore provide information about different aspects of blood health.
Your healthcare professional will interpret the results in the context of your individual circumstances. A result outside the usual reference range does not automatically mean that you have a particular health condition.
Blood Sugar and HbA1c
Blood sugar is an important part of metabolic health.
The male wellness profile includes an HbA1c test, which provides an indication of average blood glucose levels over a period of time.
What Is HbA1c?
HbA1c is different from a blood glucose measurement taken at a single point in time.
It provides information about average blood glucose levels over a longer period. This can make it useful when healthcare professionals are assessing blood sugar regulation and metabolic health.
Your healthcare professional can explain what your result means in relation to your individual health.
If you have concerns about diabetes, blood sugar or your risk factors, discuss them with your healthcare professional.
Heart and Circulation Health
Heart and circulation health can be influenced by several factors, including the levels of different fats in the blood.
The Essential General Wellness Male profile includes a lipogram, also known as a lipid profile.
What Is a Lipogram?
A lipogram measures different types of fats in the blood, including cholesterol and triglycerides.
Cholesterol has important functions in the body. However, the balance of different blood lipids can be relevant when healthcare professionals assess cardiovascular risk.
Your healthcare professional may consider your lipid results alongside factors such as your age, health history, lifestyle and other risk factors.
A cholesterol result should therefore be considered as part of a wider health picture rather than viewed on its own.
Kidney Health
Your kidneys carry out several important functions, including removing waste products from the blood and helping maintain the body’s fluid and electrolyte balance.
The male wellness profile includes creatinine and an albumin/creatinine ratio.
What Does Creatinine Tell You?
Creatinine is a waste product produced through normal muscle metabolism.
The kidneys normally remove creatinine from the blood. Measuring creatinine can therefore provide information that helps healthcare professionals assess kidney function.
Creatinine levels can be influenced by different factors, so your result needs to be interpreted in the context of your individual circumstances.
What Is an Albumin/Creatinine Ratio?
An albumin/creatinine ratio measures the amount of albumin in urine in relation to creatinine.
Albumin is a protein that normally remains in the bloodstream. An increased amount of albumin in urine can provide information that may be relevant when assessing kidney health.
Your healthcare professional can explain your result and advise whether any further assessment is appropriate.
Liver Health
The liver performs many important functions in the body.
It is involved in processes including metabolism, processing substances and producing important proteins.
The Essential General Wellness Male profile includes liver function tests (LFTs).
What Are Liver Function Tests?
Liver function testing involves a group of laboratory measurements that provide information about the liver and related processes.
Different markers can provide different pieces of information. Healthcare professionals generally consider the pattern of results together rather than relying on one measurement alone.
If a result falls outside the expected reference range, your healthcare professional can explain what it may mean in the context of your health.
Nutrition and Vitamin Health
Nutritional health is another part of the male wellness profile.
The Essential General Wellness Male profile includes tests for Vitamin D25OH and Vitamin B12.
Why Is Vitamin D Tested?
Vitamin D has several important roles in the body, including supporting normal bone health and immune function.
The Vitamin D25OH test measures the main circulating form of vitamin D used when assessing vitamin D status.
Your healthcare professional can explain what your result means and whether further assessment is appropriate.
Why Is Vitamin B12 Tested?
Vitamin B12 is important for normal red blood cell formation and healthy nervous system function.
Vitamin B12 levels can be affected by different factors, including diet and how well the body absorbs the vitamin.
Testing provides information about your vitamin B12 status that can be considered alongside other health information.
Why Look at Several Health Markers Together?
A male wellness profile looks at several areas of health rather than providing information about only one part of the body.
Your Full Blood Count provides information about blood cells. HbA1c provides information about average blood glucose while the lipogram provides information about blood lipids.
Creatinine and the albumin/creatinine ratio provide information relevant to kidney health. Liver function tests provide information about the liver while vitamin D and vitamin B12 provide information about nutritional status.
Looking at these results together can provide a broader collection of health information.
However, laboratory results should not be interpreted in isolation. Your healthcare professional may also consider your symptoms, medical history, medication, family history and other relevant factors
Does a Male Wellness Profile Require Preparation?
The Essential General Wellness Male profile catalogue does not show special preparation requirements.
However, preparation can depend on the specific tests being performed and the collection arrangements.
Before attending for your male wellness profile, follow any instructions provided by Togalab or your healthcare professional.
If you are unsure whether you need to fast, whether you can drink water or whether you should take your medication as usual, ask before your collection.
You should not stop prescribed medication simply because you are having laboratory testing unless your healthcare professional has specifically instructed you to do so.
What Happens When You Have Your Tests?
The collection process depends on the specimens required for the tests included in your profile.
Many of the tests in a male wellness profile use a blood sample. Other laboratory investigations may require different types of specimens.
A trained healthcare professional will guide you through the collection process and ensure that the appropriate specimens are collected for the requested tests.
If you are nervous about blood collection, let the healthcare professional assisting you know. Asking questions beforehand can also help you feel more comfortable with the process.
What Happens After Your Laboratory Tests?
After your specimens have been collected, they are processed according to the requirements of the relevant laboratory tests.
Your results provide laboratory information that can be considered by your healthcare professional alongside your individual health information.
It is important not to interpret a result simply by looking at whether a number appears high or low. Reference ranges and individual circumstances need to be considered when understanding laboratory results.
If your results raise a concern, your healthcare professional can explain what they mean and whether further assessment may be appropriate.
What If a Result Is Outside the Reference Range?
It can be worrying to see a result outside the reference range.
However, a result outside the reference range does not automatically mean that you have a disease or serious health problem.
There can be several reasons why a result may fall outside a reference range. Your healthcare professional can consider the result alongside your health history and other relevant information.
This is why a male wellness profile should be viewed as a source of health information rather than a diagnosis.
Can You Request a Male Wellness Profile Yourself?
The Essential General Wellness Male profile is listed as self-request available in the Togalab profile catalogue.
If you are interested in general wellness testing or would like more information about the profile, you can contact Togalab about the practical arrangements.
If you have symptoms or a particular health concern, it is still important to speak to a healthcare professional. They can help determine whether a general wellness profile is suitable or whether different testing may be more appropriate.
What Should You Ask Before Your Test?
If you are considering a male wellness profile, it can be helpful to confirm the practical details before attending.
You may want to ask:
- Where can I have the profile collected?
- Do I need to make an appointment?
- Do I need any special preparation?
- Do I need to fast?
- What should I bring with me?
- How will I receive information about my results?
- Who should I speak to about interpreting my results?
Having these questions answered beforehand can make the testing process easier.
How Togalab Can Help
Togalab provides a broad range of laboratory and diagnostic services for patients and healthcare professionals.
The male wellness profile brings together testing related to blood health, blood sugar, heart and circulation, kidney health, liver health and nutrition.
If you are unsure about the profile, collection process or where to have your testing performed, Togalab Client Services can assist with practical enquiries.
For questions about your symptoms, medical history or which tests may be appropriate for you, speak to your healthcare professional.
Contact Togalab
If you have questions about laboratory testing, collections or test results, you can contact Togalab Client Services.
For enquiries and test results:
011 663 6300
Client Services:
clientservices@togalab.co.za
Finance:
Finance@togalab.co.za
Toga Nurses are available at various locations. Contact Togalab for more information about available locations and services.
Your Next Step
If you are considering a male wellness profile, start by finding out whether this type of general health screening is appropriate for you.
You can speak to your healthcare professional about your individual health needs or contact Togalab Client Services for practical information about the profile and collection arrangements.
For enquiries and test results, call 011 663 6300 or email clientservices@togalab.co.za.
If you have symptoms or concerns about your health, speak to a healthcare professional who can advise you about the most appropriate next step.
Final Thoughts
A male wellness profile brings together several laboratory tests that can provide information about different areas of general health.
From blood health and blood sugar to heart and circulation, kidney and liver health, the profile provides a broader collection of laboratory information. Vitamin D and vitamin B12 testing also provide information about nutritional health.
Laboratory results are most useful when they are understood in context. Your healthcare professional can help explain what your results mean and whether any further assessment may be needed.
If you’re considering general health screening or are unsure about arranging your tests, Togalab Client Services can help with practical information about the testing process.
Taking the time to understand your health screening options can be a useful step towards staying informed about your health.