Cortisol: why the lowest number isn’t the healthiest
Cortisol gets blamed for belly fat, bad sleep and burnout, but you need it to function. Here’s what it actually does, when testing makes sense and what helps.
Supplements after 45: what is actually worth taking?
Vitamin D in winter and creatine for your muscles have decent evidence behind them. Plenty of what’s on the pharmacy shelf doesn’t. Here’s how to spend your money sensibly.
Health for men 45+
Training, weight, food, sleep, testosterone and other hormones, the prostate and your sex life — men's health from 45 onwards. Clear, sourced explainers to help you act, and to know when to see your GP.
Adrian Irving writes straight-talking health for men 45+ — training, weight, sleep, heart and hormones.
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How to age well without turning into a grumpy old man
Slowing down ageing is mostly about muscle, movement, sleep, your hearing and your friends. Here’s how to keep body and mind in shape without becoming the bloke who moans about everything.
Spring clean your liver – no turmeric shots required
Winter was heavy on the port and light on the walks. Here is what actually helps your liver recover, and why you don’t need any of the detox kit.
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Sleep
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Creaky knees? How to keep your joints moving
Stiff shoulders and noisy knees do not mean you must retire to the sofa. Here is what helps joints stay useful, and when pain needs checking.
How to lower your dementia risk in midlife
There is no guaranteed way to prevent dementia. But your blood pressure, hearing, daily movement and social life give you more useful places to start than brain-training apps.
Why your pint goes straight to your waist
A beer belly isn’t a myth, but beer isn’t the only culprit either. What a pint really costs you in calories, why it settles on your middle, and what to do.
Short naps: longevity boost or just good sleepers?
That 20-minute sofa nap feels like a health hack. But people who nap briefly may already be healthier — and longer naps can tell another story.
Brain fog after 50: what’s normal and what isn’t
Forgetting a name is one thing. Losing your way through familiar tasks is another. Here’s how to judge changes in memory and when to get help.
Ageing
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Stress-free after 50? Aim for something better
A stress-free life after 50 is unlikely. A life where pressure stops running the show is more realistic. Here’s what helps, and when to ask for support.
Back pain: the warning signs you shouldn’t ignore
Most back pain settles, but a few symptoms need fast action. Here’s how to tell when to keep moving, call your GP or seek emergency help.
Six back-pain habits that keep the ache hanging around
Your back twinges, so you retreat to the sofa and ask for a scan. Sensible? Not always. Six familiar fixes can leave you aching longer.
Weight loss
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The knee that never quite recovered: what actually helps
Twisted it at five-a-side, and it still grumbles years later? Here’s what’s really going on in a midlife knee, why keyhole surgery is out of favour, and what works.
Tired all the time? Do not blame testosterone just yet
Fatigue, a low sex drive and a thickening middle can point to low testosterone. They can also point to a dozen other things. Here’s how to tell, and what to do.
Stiff back after 45? Know when to move and when to act
A stiff back is usually more nuisance than emergency. Here’s what may help, when to speak to a GP, and the symptoms that need immediate attention.
Losing weight on Ozempic? Keep your strength too
Weight-loss injections can reduce more than body fat. Here is what the evidence says about muscle loss, and how to protect your strength without living in a gym.
Stopping weight-loss jabs: will the weight come back?
The Mounjaro price rise pushed plenty of men off weight-loss jabs. Here’s what the evidence says happens to your weight, and your heart, once you stop.
Blood tests
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Lp(a): the heart risk your cholesterol test misses
Blood sugar: the midlife problem you can’t feel coming
Raised blood sugar usually causes no symptoms for years. Here’s how a man in his 40s, 50s or 60s can find out where he stands, and what to do about it.
Tired all winter? What vitamin D can and can’t fix
Low vitamin D is common in UK winters and is often blamed for tiredness in midlife. Here’s what the NHS recommends, what the evidence says and when to see your GP.
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Health in your inbox
The best guides of the week — collected, without the noise, for anyone who likes to stay a step ahead.
Sex life
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Forgetful at 50: when should you worry?
Losing a name mid-sentence is unsettling, but it rarely tells the whole story. Here’s how to spot a meaningful change and what to do about it.
Bad sleep and high blood pressure: the night shift link
Short nights, loud snoring and 3am wake-ups can all push your blood pressure up. Here is what the evidence says, which signs matter and what to do about them.
Erection problems? Check your heart as well
An unreliable erection can be about stress, sleep or something more serious. Here is when to get checked, what your GP may look for and where sildenafil fits.
Is stress quietly pushing up your blood pressure?
Stress gets blamed for high blood pressure, but its real effect works through your coping habits. Here is what the evidence says and how to check your numbers.
Waking at 3am? Your midlife sleep plan
Poor sleep in midlife is not something you have to put up with. Here is how to spot the cause, improve your nights and know when to ask for help.
Cholesterol
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High cholesterol: bad habits or bad genes?
A raised cholesterol result is not a verdict on your diet. Here is how to read the numbers, spot possible inherited risk and decide what to ask your GP.
High cholesterol: which numbers actually matter?
A high cholesterol result is not a verdict. Here is how to read the numbers, understand your QRISK3 score and decide what is worth discussing with your GP.
Couch to 5K without the dread
The NHS Couch to 5K app offers a gentle route into running, but you needn’t run to get fitter. Here’s how to start moving without making it miserable.
More in Health
Knee arthritis: when to train and when to see a surgeon
Menopause and your relationship: a guide for the bloke
Menopause doesn’t just happen to her. It changes the whole house. Here’s how to stop taking things personally, ask better questions and find proper UK support together.
When the fun drains away: early signs of depression
Tiredness, a short fuse and a flat feeling that won’t lift can be more than a bad patch. How to spot early depression in midlife, and where to get help.
About Health
Adrian Irving writes about health for men 45 and over who would rather do something than worry. Training, weight loss, sleep, cholesterol and blood tests, heart health, testosterone, the prostate, mental health and your sex life – what the evidence says, what's worth trying, and when it's time to see your GP.